Historical inaccuracies most people believe because of popular culture

[Noisy Rhysling]

One major historical inaccuracy is that the ACW was monocausal. 

[CarbShark]

One major historical inaccuracy is that the ACW was monocausal. 

Slavery. That was the cause. If that weren’t an issue there would have been no war.

Nothing before or since has divided the country as much and each and every other possible cause was immeshed in slavery.


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[Noisy Rhysling]

One major historical inaccuracy is that the ACW was monocausal. 

Slavery. That was the cause. If that weren’t an issue there would have been no war.

Nothing before or since has divided the country as much and each and every other possible cause was immeshed in slavery.


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Like I said.

[Paul Blevins Jr.]

It is pretty interesting to think about how many inaccuracies the majority of the public holds about historical events come from movies about said events. But you weigh that against the public never really knowing about those events at all. Which is better? Does it actually matter in most cases?

--World War Two began with Pearl Harbor on 12/07/41

--All the Roman Empire did was hold gladiator fights and crucify Christ

--Columbus made landfall n continental America.

--American Indians were noble savages who lived in complete harmony with the environment and never made war on each other

[random poet]

Coyotes never catch and eat roadrunners.

[Calinthalus]

--American Indians were noble savages who lived in complete harmony with the environment and never made war on each other

Hate was just a legend
War was never known
People worked together
And they lifted many stones
They carried them to the flatlands
And they died along the way
But they built up with their bare hands
What we still can't do today

[Noisy Rhysling]

Coyotes never catch and eat roadrunners.

I saw one eat a roadrunner once. Pretty dead roadrunner, so there wasn't much catching involved.

[swan]

As I slowly make my way through James W. Loewen's  Lies My Teacher Told Me I see more and more that most of history's "heroes" were actually pretty awful people; it's likely that most of the people we revere today have done some seriously bad stuff too.

I saw one eat a roadrunner once. Pretty dead roadrunner, so there wasn't much catching involved.

Yikes! That's so sad that I only barely stopped myself from invoking the No True Roadrunner fallacy. #MeepaCulpa

[mindme]

There's the idea that the D-Day landings were a huge blood bath and just barely succeeded. I believe the allies planned for 25-50% casualties. Actual casualties were about 10%. The first waves, which succeeded, were not the only waves planned. If the first wave failed, there were others planned and a final "hail Mary" attack made up of reserves in the UK.

[Noisy Rhysling]

There's the idea that the D-Day landings were a huge blood bath and just barely succeeded. I believe the allies planned for 25-50% casualties. Actual casualties were about 10%. The first waves, which succeeded, were not the only waves planned. If the first wave failed, there were others planned and a final "hail Mary" attack made up of reserves in the UK.

True. Part of the problem is that "Bloody Omaha" has received so much attention. "Saving Ryan's Privates" had a good feel for that one. The Brits and Canadian made rapid progress, proving that tea drinkers are superior to coffee drinkers.

[Rai]

There's the idea that the D-Day landings were a huge blood bath and just barely succeeded. I believe the allies planned for 25-50% casualties. Actual casualties were about 10%. The first waves, which succeeded, were not the only waves planned. If the first wave failed, there were others planned and a final "hail Mary" attack made up of reserves in the UK.

True. Part of the problem is that "Bloody Omaha" has received so much attention. "Saving Ryan's Privates" had a good feel for that one. The Brits and Canadian made rapid progress, proving that tea drinkers are superior to coffee drinkers.

Even in Omaha, it was absolutely hopeless for the Germans. They were outnumbered 5 to 1, they had no air cover, no tanks to speak of and a profound artillery disadvantage (going up against two battleships, four cruisers and a dozen destroyers). The whole thing was mostly over in three hours.