As someone who currently teaches U.S. history (advanced placement and "standard") in an American public high school, I think that I'm pretty well qualified to comment on what American high school students are taught. I'd like to respond to all of SSC's questions but I'm a bit pressed for time. I'm on my 30 minute lunch break right now but I will respond point by point when I get home this evening.
What students remember into adulthood is an open question. Unfortunately, not everything students are taught necessarily "sticks". I'd hazzard to guess that adults in other countries are similarly ignorant about their "true" history and probably also fall back on convenient, oft-repeated myths or half-truths. To imply that Americans are particularly ignorant and/or misinformed about their history probably isn't very fair.
As to proper militias in the U.S., I think the American Civil War pretty much sank that ship. The federal government probably doesn't like the idea of a well-armed paramilitary force not subject to strict federal government oversight and control. They'd probably tell you that the National Guard serves that purpose anyway. Proponents for a "well-regulated" militia would tell you that strict federal oversight and control would defeat the purpose of having militias. I'm not sure either side really understood what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the Second Amendment into the Bill of Rights.
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