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Call to teach Australian-U.S war relations in High Schools
THE United States' role in defending Australia in World War II should be better taught in Australian secondary schools, federal Treasurer Peter Costello said today.Referring to his weekend comments about the need to stamp-out anti-American sentiment in Australia, Mr Costello said many young Australians did not know how the United States had helped defend their country. "I think it's important that Australians know that in 1941 and 1942, when Australia faced its gravest security crisis, when our country was being bombed, when we were at threat of invasion, when the sea lanes and the air lanes were being dominated by a hostile aggressor at war with us, Australian soldiers stood in defence of this country and they stood in defence of this country with our ally the United States," he said. "And if it had not of been for that alliance, then the war would not have turned when it did in 1942 and the war wouldn't have ended in the way in which it did in 1945. "That is a key event in Australian history and I think that young people ought to know it. "I don't think the story of the defence of Australia in the Second World War is well enough understood in secondary schools." Mr Costello said the answer was to ensure the complete story of Australia's defence was taught. "I think the Anzac story is taught well, I think it's well known by young people, but I'm not sure Kokoda, victory in the Coral Sea, the island campaign of (US General Douglas) MacArthur, the Australian-American alliance is taught as well as it should be, that's my point." Posted by: Wheresh Ebback3540 2005-08-22 |
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