Should kids be taught war in school differently?

When I was in primary education (K-12) i learned that war helped improve technology. I learned from the invention of the airplane to the invention of the atom-bomb that as more wars have gone by that technology has developed more. From the space race, to the hydrogen bomb, to you name it. I was thinking that rather than just teach people about war that we should also teach kids the lessons about war. Teach kids why people lost a war. Why the war was just or unjust and let them make up their mind about if a war is necessary or not. I wouldn't recommend brainwashing kids with ideology about wars, but, I would just like to teach kids to be critical of the Government, of any administration, so they aren't blinded by ideological differences. I think this is a good idea. What about you? Wouldn't you rather kids be critical of Governments making war? I've seen kids be in awe of bombs and weapons. I want that to change.

War brings both good and bad. World War II saw the destruction of Europe and millions of people killed, but the United States may have never come out of depression without it. The military is almost always the part of the government at the forefront of technology and nothing represents that better than major wars.

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
When I was in primary education (K-12) i learned that war helped improve technology. I learned from the invention of the airplane to the invention of the atom-bomb that as more wars have gone by that technology has developed more. From the space race, to the hydrogen bomb, to you name it. I was thinking that rather than just teach people about war that we should also teach kids the lessons about war. Teach kids why people lost a war. Why the war was just or unjust and let them make up their mind about if a war is necessary or not. I wouldn't recommend brainwashing kids with ideology about wars, but, I would just like to teach kids to be critical of the Government, of any administration, so they aren't blinded by ideological differences. I think this is a good idea. What about you? Wouldn't you rather kids be critical of Governments making war? I've seen kids be in awe of bombs and weapons. I want that to change.

This is how I was taught war also. It was both views. The destruction of peoples and countries but also the technological advances. I think this should be more of a standard. Teach children the technological advances and show them the results of which we developed. Maybe it could deter a whole new generation away from war. I know it won't but its wishful thinking.

I am always in awe of bombs and weapons. I always am amaze at how these things work and are developed. I even like seeing how they are applied. Not just with wars but with guns, hunting.

Either way They should teach both sides of wars to children.

I think they should teach children that alternatives to war need to be found, to act as the catalist for innovation.

They should also be shown the horrors of war, let them see children their own age on foreign countries carrying AK-47's and committing atrocities.

Our society glamorizes war and violence with movies and video games, and that (in my opinion) is the worst disservice we could ever do to the next generation.

It's time to lift ourselves out of the mud and set our goals a little higher, and that starts with the next generation.

reply to post by ashamedamerican


I completely agree with you. I love video games to death. Glamorizing war is not cool though. I really wouldn't mind if they made more restrictions on movies and games glamorizing war. These are not the only ones to blame. All kinds of media, from books to newspapers glamorize war. If you regulate one you regulate them all which is sad.

The thing I feel about video games though is that children are being pretty much taught there is no consequence of wars.