HISTORY VERSUS MYTH
1.
We live wrapped in comforting historical myths, from plucky Elizabethan
privateers, heroic Empire builders, Nelson at Trafalgar, infantry squares at
Waterloo, Jutland, the Somme, to the Battle of Britain and the blitz. All have
supplied rich sustenance for the nationalist and populist demagogues to feed on. But not only
demagogues and the hard right buy into such mythology, they have entered the
public imagination to such an extent that even people born long after the end
of the Second World War seem to imagine that they participated in the ‘blitz
spirit.’
The writing of history must attempt to understand what
happened, to untangle complex events and deal with ambiguity and nuance. Historical
myths might best be called ‘faction,’ that is the dealing with historical facts but presenting an idealised version of events with inconvenient truths airbrushed out.
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All to often popular history can become a set of prejudices and assumptions in search of comfortable legend
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We are certainly not alone in in fostering such national
myths, indeed it may be that all cultures need to develop such stories as
justification and for the development of national self-esteem. Some stories
being more toxic than others. Thus, Germany’s post 1918 ‘stabbed in the back’
myth, or the triumph by 1900 of the white supremacist narrative regarding the
American Civil War. On a more contemporary level the mythology that currently feeds
Russian exceptionalism or Hungary’s attempt to eradicate its role in the
Holocaust.
In Britain, or perhaps more accurately England, these
national myths go back to Shakespeare and the Elizabethans. Perhaps even as far
back as the Arthurian legends, although 19th century re-packaging of
these tales by the likes of Walter Scott is a more likely culprit. However, the myth that feeds our national
self esteem most potently is the myth of 1940, with Britain standing ‘alone’
against Nazi Germany.
First, as Christopher Hitchens would say, some throat
clearing. The majority of British people demonstrated great fortitude and
courage in 1940, and it is no way my intention to either downplay or belittle
the courage of those from the Merchant Marine, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force or
the bravery demonstrated by the Army both before and during the evacuation of
Dunkirk. However, I think we do a disservice to all those engaged in whatever capacity
during that decisive year if we rewrite history and misrepresent the facts. So,
let us dispose of some of the myths, beginning with the most egregious one. :-
Britain stood alone. This is just dishonest. Britain
was supported by Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, by the subjugated
nations of the Empire, with all the wealth of resources they could provide. And, despite
the best efforts of the isolationists we were also given considerable support
by The Roosevelt administration, not least in allowing, blind eye suitability
turned, Britain to operate intelligence operations from US soil. Last, but far
from least, was the immense contribution of the Poles, Czechs, Norwegians and
other exiled communities.
Finest hour. Churchill’s determination to
fight on in 1940 represented one of the most courageous political stands in modern
history. But it was a close-run thing, the appeasers and capitulationists almost succeeded in forcing compromise peace on Churchill. More sinister still
among the aristocracy treasonous talk was rife, and more than just talk. I
recommend ‘Hitler’s British Traitors’ by Tim Tate, which shows, among
other things, how large treasonous behaviour by the rich and well connected went
unpunished whilst the small fry went to the gallows.
Blitz spirit.
It is true Londoners demonstrated considerable courage and fortitude under
the horror of night time bombing, as of course did the people of Madrid, Moscow
and yes Berlin. However communal singing in the tube and air raid shelters only
tells a part of the story. Crime rates soared in the blackout and in the
ensuing blitz.
Whilst looting was sufficiently widespread to cause the authorities concern.
Again, none of these facts undermine the very real courage
of the military, ordinary civilians and emergency services during the war, but
what they do provide is a more nuanced picture, a picture that shows the
reality rather than the myth. How, given human frailty, could it have been
otherwise?
2.
A lot of people are behaving very badly, very stupidly in
the current crisis, greed and avarice, selfishness, a cavalier attitude toward
the health and welfare of others, including that of the elderly and vulnerable,
hostility to foreigners and strangers, and a refusal to follow the most basic instructions,
that is London in 1666, as described by Daniel Defoe in ‘Journal of the
Plague Year.’
History does not repeat itself, but patterns of human
behaviour can be observed, generals prepare to fight the last war, we repeat
the mistakes of the past and ignore the experience of others. History and myth
become so conflated that sometimes only the myth remains. All too often the popular history can become a set of prejudices and assumptions in search of a comfortable legend. It is therefore essential that historical enquiry continues to and where necessary, seperate fact from fiction.
