Two Thirds of Young Britons Don’t Know About the Battle of Britain

Two thirds of young Britons don’t know what the Battle of Britain is, according to a new poll commissioned by British conservative politician Robert Jenrick.

Details: The poll, conducted by FindOutNow on September 11, showed that 64 percent of Britons under 40 couldn’t link the Battle of Britain to the Royal Air Force’s defense of the United Kingdom against Nazi Germany in 1940.

Among those ages 18 to 29, only 36 percent knew what the Battle of Britain referred to, in contrast to the 80 percent of those over 65.

As the UK celebrated the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain on September 15, Jenrick called for a change in the national curriculum to teach every child about Britain’s heroic triumph to end “a crisis of national self-confidence.”

The cause: Teaching about critical events in British history is optional in history classes. More time in history class is spent teaching about other countries.

Significance: History has proved that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Teaching about important events in national history helps young people appreciate the sacrifices made for the freedoms they enjoy and the character necessary to maintain those freedoms.

Learn more: Watch “The Fatal Danger in Not Teaching History.”