I KNOW! It's like they were sitting in on one of my WW2 lessons!
Today I was intro-ing the Cold War and spent three minutes up there trying to get them to figure out why the U.S. emerged as a stronger power than Great Britain or France after WW2.
FearlessTeacher: Why was the U.S. considered a significant power after WW2?
CluelessStudent: Because we were bigger?
FT: Well, uh, that's true, but not really -
CS: Isn't Russia bigger?
FT: Well, yes, but-
CS: Then who's the big power?
FT: Well, they both are-
CS: Then what -
FT: THE WAR WAS FOUGHT IN EUROPE! THE US IS LEFT INTACT! THE US HAS THE ATOMIC BOMB! WE'RE THE BIG SCARY WEAPONS-HAVING, GOODS-PRODUCING CAPITALIST NATION!
CS: . . . Should I write that down?
FT: Why the hell not.
CS: What unit is this again?
CS2: Can I have a pencil?
CS3: Wait, who won World War II?
Internal FT: [Expletive deleted]
External FT: Okay, let's go back to the beginning!
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 03:17 am (UTC)Today I was intro-ing the Cold War and spent three minutes up there trying to get them to figure out why the U.S. emerged as a stronger power than Great Britain or France after WW2.
FearlessTeacher: Why was the U.S. considered a significant power after WW2?
CluelessStudent: Because we were bigger?
FT: Well, uh, that's true, but not really -
CS: Isn't Russia bigger?
FT: Well, yes, but-
CS: Then who's the big power?
FT: Well, they both are-
CS: Then what -
FT: THE WAR WAS FOUGHT IN EUROPE! THE US IS LEFT INTACT! THE US HAS THE ATOMIC BOMB! WE'RE THE BIG SCARY WEAPONS-HAVING, GOODS-PRODUCING CAPITALIST NATION!
CS: . . . Should I write that down?
FT: Why the hell not.
CS: What unit is this again?
CS2: Can I have a pencil?
CS3: Wait, who won World War II?
Internal FT: [Expletive deleted]
External FT: Okay, let's go back to the beginning!