History of India Panel

[Sumir Sharma]

I am lecturer in college at Ludhiana affiliated to Punjab University, Chandigarh, India. I have seen the contents of your web site and find them interesting. I feel like joining it and participate in various topics which are posted there.

I am getting more interested in European and American History as these are my papers for teaching at Post Graduate Level. Through the major part of my teaching career I had been teaching Indian History. Now, for the last five years I am teaching American History and learning about many shortcomings in my knowledge about the European World. My main aim is to interact with the teachers and people from European Background to learn and understand their version about their own history. Therefore, I desire to join you people. I feel that I may get chance to learn more and cover up the gap about my understanding of history of people about people who are foreign to me. This is my understanding of history. I have yet to read a book on History of England which is yet another shortcoming in my study on American history. Every time I take a new book on American history, they start with the European influence over the history of America and they finally come the effect of History of England over America.

[Tim Carroll]

I am lecturer in college at Ludhiana affiliated to Punjab University, Chandigarh, India. I have seen the contents of your web site and find them interesting. I feel like joining it and participate in various topics which are posted there.

I am getting more interested in European and American History as these are my papers for teaching at Post Graduate Level. Through the major part of my teaching career I had been teaching Indian History. Now, for the last five years I am teaching American History and learning about many shortcomings in my knowledge about the European World. My main aim is to interact with the teachers and people from European Background to learn and understand their version about their own history. Therefore, I desire to join you people. I feel that I may get chance to learn more and cover up the gap about my understanding of history of people about people who are foreign to me. This is my understanding of history. I have yet to read a book on History of England which is yet another shortcoming in my study on American history. Every time I take a new book on American history, they start with the European influence over the history of America and they finally come the effect of History of England over America.

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Sumir,

Welcome. I am American, not European, but if you stick around here long enough you will find that I have an opinion on just about everything. Europe, and England most especially, influenced countries worldwide during its days of pervasive colonialism. As the saying went, The Sun Never Sets On The British Empire. The post World War II environment, in which such colonialism was increasingly less viable, marked a critical transition in the emerging third world nations and the growth of nationalism. It was in this environment that India gained its independence. But with the corresponding rise in Cold War tensions, in many ways America moved in to fill the void with its need to align the world according to clear divisions of communist or anti-communist ideology. As U.S. Secretary of State in the 1950s, John Foster Dulles, held, you're either with us or against us. There were a few nations that admirably resisted such black and white definitions; the two that come to mind are Egypt and India. And then of course there was Vietnam. So generally, I find the tansitional period away from colonialism and toward independent nationalism a fascinating era in world history. Again, welcome to the forum.

Tim Carroll

Edited December 11, 2004 by Tim Carroll

[Sumir Sharma]

Dear Tim.

If time permits you, I will like to start a discussion with you.

1. We have a topic at Post Graduate Level which reads, Causes of Civil War, Sectional Conflict.

Now I have read two books thoroughly. One is by Henry Bamford Parkes and Second is by Baylin and four authors.

There are separate sections on Sectional Conflict in Parkes. I think that I know what was the sectional conflict. But I just want to learn from an American friend ( I hope that I can I have that claim) that how does an American describe the sectional conflict which led to the Civil War.

Secondly, once there was a question in our university paper which read somewhat like this: Was Civil war a national war or a result of regional conflict?

What do you understand from this question?

2. I do not remember the name of the book but it was written by some British author about the American History. It was a library book which I was suppose to return after four weaks. I read early chapters but did not finish the whole book. This always happens with me in case of library books. I prefer to keep my own personal copy of the book if I find it good. Anyhow, While discussing the America War of Independence, the author of that book had dilated on the issue that why did America separate herself from Britain. He was giving a theory that Americans were brothers who had parted their way from their mother Land. So, Can I ask you a question, that why did America separate herself from Britain? The colonial empire which they had built in ninteenth century was not there at that time. In India, Britain had not occupied Delhi even by that time.

I hope I am not offending you in any manner. Believe me, it is a query of a teacher and discussion is in the realm of intellectual interaction.

Sumir.

I am lecturer in college at Ludhiana affiliated to Punjab University, Chandigarh, India. I have seen the contents of your web site and find them interesting. I feel like joining it and participate in various topics which are posted there.

I am getting more interested in European and American History as these are my papers for teaching at Post Graduate Level. Through the major part of my teaching career I had been teaching Indian History. Now, for the last five years I am teaching American History and learning about many shortcomings in my knowledge about the European World. My main aim is to interact with the teachers and people from European Background to learn and understand their version about their own history. Therefore, I desire to join you people. I feel that I may get chance to learn more and cover up the gap about my understanding of history of people about people who are foreign to me. This is my understanding of history. I have yet to read a book on History of England which is yet another shortcoming in my study on American history. Every time I take a new book on American history, they start with the European influence over the history of America and they finally come the effect of History of England over America.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sumir,

Welcome. I am American, not European, but if you stick around here long enough you will find that I have an opinion on just about everything. Europe, and England most especially, influenced countries worldwide during its days of pervasive colonialism. As the saying went, The Sun Never Sets On The British Empire. The post World War II environment, in which such colonialism was increasingly less viable, marked a critical transition in the emerging third world nations and the growth of nationalism. It was in this environment that India gained its independence. But with the corresponding rise in Cold War tensions, in many ways America moved in to fill the void with its need to align the world according to clear divisions of communist or anti-communist ideology. As U.S. Secretary of State in the 1950s, John Foster Dulles, held, you're either with us or against us. There were a few nations that admirably resisted such black and white definitions; the two that come to mind are Egypt and India. And then of course there was Vietnam. So generally, I find the tansitional period away from colonialism and toward independent nationalism a fascinating era in world history. Again, welcome to the forum.

Tim Carroll

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