10 People Who Attempted to Rewrite History
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at 10 people who tried to change the course of history.
Henry V
In 1415, the English and French clashed at the Battle of Agincourt. The fight is known as one of Englands greatest victories, partly thanks to a Shakespeare play. As the story goes, Henry Vs army pulled off a stunning defeat despite being vastly outnumbered. Were talking about a tiny English force facing a French troop five times its size. Incredible, right? Well, not exactly. While the victory was impressive, the odds werent as lopsided as legend claims. In fact, some historians argue the difference in numbers was closer to 2-to-1. Still splendid, but not the impossible feat its often made out to be. So, what does this say about Henry Vs famous victory? Has history given him more credit than he deserves?
The Soviet Union
Historys supposed to be a clear-eyed dive into the past, a way to understand what really went down. But in the hands of the Soviet Union, it became a weapon for propaganda. Many aspects of Russian history were rewritten to serve the Communist Party and keep the people in line. Leaders who fell out of favor with the government vanished from records, like they never existed. Major screw-ups and disasters? Swept under the rug. Historical publications, articles, and even textbooks were all doctored to paint the USSR as infallible, justifying every move to maintain absolute control. Even the Great Purge, which saw millions die in Joseph Stalins paranoia bloodbath, was manipulated to dodge accountability. What even is the truth anymore?
The Nazi Propagandists
In June 1941, the German forces invaded Soviet territory, shattering their nonaggression pact. The lie behind this betrayal? Well, the Nazi party convinced its people and allies that they were on a heroic crusade against Communism, which they called a barbaric threat to Western civilization. Sure, Adolf Hitler despised communists and saw many ethnic groups as ripe for extermination. But that was only half the story. The other reason was to kill millions and steal their lands on an unimaginable scale. Yet, the Nazi propagandists framed it as a noble mission to save Europe from Bolshevism, when, in reality, it was a naked grab for German domination. In the end, Hitlers plan failed, leaving Eastern Europe to decades of Communist rule.
Turkish Government
During World War I, the Ottoman Empire and its ruling party orchestrated the genocide of around one million Armenians. Deemed an internal enemy, this Christian minority was arrested, forced onto death marches, and massacred in droves. But the nightmare didnt end there. For over a century, the Turkish government has been suppressing the tragedy, going as far as funding research institutes and spending millions on lobbying. They insist the Armenians died from disease and wartime chaos, and not systematic annihilation. Worse, they minimized the death tolls; and in some versions, portrayed victims as terrorists. Those who challenged this narrative were threatened, or imprisoned, or worse. But how long can the truth be silenced?
Van Gogh Mythmakers
The tale of Vincent van Goghs ear is one of those wild, famous moments people love to argue about. You dont need to be an art buff to know the story of how he sliced off his ear to impress a woman, then delivered it to a sex worker. Sounds like some dark poetry, right? Except, its pure fiction. Van Goghs self-mutilation wasnt a romantic gesture. Some historians even believe he lost it in a drunken bar fight with fellow artist Paul Gauguin. So many theories swirl around what really happened that the truth remains hazy. But one thing seems clear: this isn't a love story. Its an act of a man unravelling under the weight of his own mind.
Confederate American Historians
From 1861 to 1865, the United States tore itself apart in a savage war between the Union and the Confederacy. Of the many reasons for this civil war that claimed many lives, the biggest was slavery. While the Southern states fought to make it legal, the North wanted to stop slavery from spreading. When the Confederacy lost, did they accept defeat? Not quite. Instead, they spun a tale that made it seem like the war wasnt really about slavery but about defending their Southern way of life. Suddenly, they werent rebels protecting a system built on human suffering, but warriors who deserve to be honored. Sadly, this myth still lingers, shaping how the younger generations see that bloody chapter.
Chinese Government
Governments sure love their propaganda. Just like the Turkish government denies its role in the massacre of Armenians, China refuses to take responsibility for a mass murder that happened over 30 years ago. In 1989, thousands of peaceful protesters gathered at Tiananmen square to demand democracy. After weeks of failed negotiations, the government unleashed the military, killing countless demonstrators. Then to bury it, the government banned all talks about it, censoring films, books and news reports that didnt fit their narrative. Some old folks may still remember, but many younger Chinese citizens probably have no clue it even happened. Thats how thoroughly the government wiped it from their history.
David Irving
The Holocaust was a dark time that saw millions of Jewish people murdered under the Nazi regime. The last thing survivors or their families need is someone denying it ever happened or invalidating their suffering. Yet, there have been many deniers of the Holocaust, with David Irving being one of the most infamous. He argued that Hilter had no knowledge of the Jewish genocide and even swore the stories of the Jewish people being gassed were untrue. When other authors called him out for falsifying the truth, he sued them, only to lose the case. This same denial led to Irving being banned from Germany, and caused his twin to change his name to avoid being linked to him.
Scott Lively & Kevin Abrams
Like Irving, these authors altered history to push their own dangerous narratives and fuel hate. During the Holocaust, gay men were persecuted for going against the Nazi moral fibre. They were sent to concentration camps, forced to wear pink triangles, and subjected to brutal treatment. But, in their book The Pink Swastika, Scott Lively and Kevin Abrams argued that the Nazis military were essentially a gang of militaristic gay men, including Hitler, and that only the feminine men were annihilated. They even claimed the entire Nazi ideology was invented by gay men. How does any of that make sense? Its not just wrong; its absurd, as critics have been quick to point out.
Japanese Government
Between 1937 and 1945, during the war between China and Japan, Nanjing fell into the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army. What followed was pure horror. Many civilians and soldiers were slaughtered; women were subjected to sexual violence; and the city became a living nightmare. Some historians believe this capture was a deliberate attempt to force China into surrendering, with the people of Nanjing as the tragic pawns. Yet, for decades, the Japanese government and politicians have either dismissed or outright denied these war crimes. Even in official accounts, they cast doubt on the details, with some apologists even claiming the number of deaths was inflated. But for those who refuse to forget, the scars of Nanjing remain undeniable.
What are some other important historical events that some are trying to bury? Let us know in the comment section.
