Fox finds Memorial Day clueless: ‘America’s birthday?

Fox News host Jesse Watters sent his production team back to the beaches for Memorial Day, this time targeting Generation Z revelers in California, according to New York Post. The results painted a disturbing picture of historical illiteracy among college-aged Americans.

Producer Johnny Belisario interviewed numerous young people soaking up the sun on Los Angeles beaches, and many could not even identify which American holiday was being observed. Their grasp of basic military history proved equally abysmal.

One young woman wearing a bright red bikini admitted she had confused the occasion with Veterans Day. When asked about the meaning of Memorial Day, respondents offered answers ranging from it being America’s birthday to complete bewilderment.

One female beachgoer blamed her inability to answer on an edible she had consumed before arriving at the beach, while a young man confidently declared Memorial Day marked the nation’s founding.

Revolutionary War Confusion

The historical ignorance deepened when questions turned to America’s founding conflict. Asked who Americans fought during the Revolutionary War, the young partiers guessed France and even suggested Americans fought themselves.

When Belisario offered hints including “king and queen,” one shirtless man still could not identify Britain as the adversary, responding only with bewilderment.

The same individual then struggled with Civil War questions, ultimately guessing that Americans fought over dinosaurs. Another respondent suggested taxes as the cause of the conflict between North and South.

World War II and Pearl Harbor Failures

Knowledge of World War II fared no better among the California beachgoers. When asked which nation Americans fought during the global conflict, responses included Albania, Russia, and Vietnam.

One young man’s female companion warned him his father would be furious if he answered incorrectly, but the warning did not prevent egregious errors across the board.

Perhaps most shocking was the response to questions about Pearl Harbor. Multiple young people claimed Americans bombed their own naval base in Hawaii, displaying complete ignorance of the Japanese attack that drew the United States into World War II.

Cold War Gets Colder

Asked about the Cold War’s victor, beachgoers offered answers spanning from Russia to New York. One young man insisted the conflict earned its name because of snowy conditions, citing his experience playing video games titled “The Cold War” as his source of expertise.

The same individual then identified “the New Jersey bomber” as responsible for launching the War on Terror, further demonstrating the depth of historical confusion.

Americans React With Outrage

The viral segment sparked fierce reaction from viewers who flooded the comment section with dismay and anger. Critics expressed alarm at the educational failures on display and concern for the nation’s future.

One commenter argued there was no excuse for such profound ignorance among young Americans. Another suggested implementing mandatory civics testing as a prerequisite for voting rights.

A third viewer captured the prevailing sentiment succinctly, warning that if these young people represent the future, the country faces serious trouble ahead.

The Jesse Watters Primetime segment follows a similar beach investigation conducted during spring break in Florida just months earlier, suggesting the problem of historical illiteracy among young Americans extends well beyond a single region or occasion.

With information from New York Post