Using Current Events in History

I'm in the process of writing an article for TechLearning about the changes that must be made to textbook review committees, in the light of the incredible speed with which knowledge evolves in the Twenty First Century. I'm also in the process of reviewing a unit that I have written for World History for Us All, considering why the Soviets opposed expanding the Marshall Plan to Eastern European nations. The Soviets did not want the U.S. government to have influence in nations so close to the Soviet borders. (Considering the massive destruction that occurred in the Soviet Union at the hands of the German government, it's not surprising that the Soviets wanted to protect their borders and have a buffer zone.)

As you likely know the relationship between the United States and Russia is currently encountering significant tension. The Bush Administration wants to place anti-missile devices in Poland. President Putin does not want the U.S. government to do this. The parallels between the present situation and the situation involving the Marshall Plan are obvious. Educated American students should understand the U.S.'s relationship with Russia. But there are no textbooks that include information about the present tension. If teachers are going to draw parallels between the Marshall Plan and the present situation they can't rely on their textbooks. They must use online resources such as Wikipedia. Many educators discourage use of Wikipedia because it was not written by experts. There's no need for me to fully support Wikipedia here. Suffice it to say that if teachers want to find information, or even better have their students find information, on the current tension between the Russians and the Americans, Wikipedia is a great place to begin. It's not a great place to stop, though. But, Wikipedia has links to other respectable sites, such as the L.A. Times, which provide additional information about this tension.

What's the point of studying the past if we can't use the information in the present? What's the point of studying the Marshall Plan if we can't compare it to relevant current events. If we left it to the textbooks alone, we wouldn't even know about the current tension.

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