[realpolitik]

The other day I was reading my American World History book. Most the ideas and events were with an american view. Does a countries control of historical records affect the history I learn?
To what extent could they control it?
Would it be enough control to change the history of what happened at the event altogether?

[Adrien]

Facts will stay what they are and won't change whatever any country may say, but it must be possible for a powerful country to slightly rewrite some parts history and impose this view in the end.

[Boondock Saint]

Slightly?

The Japanese learn they were defening their great nation in WWII!!!

HEROES! HEROES!!! THATS WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR FORCES!!! The very ones that pillaged raped and plundered!

Of course history changes depending on what country you are in.

[Adrien]

They are still learning *that*? Damned i would have thought that what they received and the western/US influence right afterwards made the truth clearer.

I wonder what is German schools' point of view on the Third Reich, as it must be quite hard to look on such a past.

[Comrade Ogilvy]

Of course what you are taught in history class (and elsewhere) will affect judgement and perceptions of history and reality (if you accept it with no question), and it's good that you are questioning the taught versions of "truths".
I would say find whatever additional information on whatever subject from as many different sources as you feel neccessary to allow you to make a decision as to what the "truth" really is, not what you want to believe but what appears to be logically "true" from the materials you have read and how you interperet them. Even then it may not be the truth (because many of the authors weren't there) but it will be a lot closer than what you will have gotten from only one source, one author, one perception. I think the best sources whenever possible is to find writings, letters etc. by people that were actually at whatever event that happened, not officers or people in charge, but the common people.
I think the main things to remember are to read between the lines and draw your own conclusions.

Imagine that someone learned everything they knew about history from hollywood, look at it that way.

Here's one good source

www.loc.gov/

"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies"
-From Human, all too Human p. 483, Freidrich W. Nietzsche

[C-Kokos]

Ah... who controls the past controls the present... and who controls the present controls the future (lost the order? Damn I am a bit drunk again :P )

You just have to see the Greek history books...

The whole content from the third of primary school graduation can be summed up in the following lines:

1. We are the best
2. We invented democracy
3. Byzantium is Greek
4. Byzantium rules
5. Turkey sucks, you should hate Turkey for what they did to your great land!!!