From the alt.comp.lang.learn.c-c++ FAQ
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/C-faq/learn/
27: Which language should I learn first then - C or C++?
The answer to this depends on your own inclinations. C is a
smaller, less complex language than C++, and is consequently easier
to master. However, it is probably easier to get up to speed with
C++, if you make effective use of the standard library. Some find C
to be more elegant than C++, others think it to be too "unsafe".
C++ programmers generally feel that it has features that make it
easier to write good, robust, readable and maintainable code in
than in C.
If you do decide to learn C++, there is little point in learning
C itself first. See also question 19.
If you have little or no programming experience, be prepared to
face a real challenge. C and C++ have enough quirks and subtleties
to catch out even expert programmers in other languages. It's not
impossible to learn to program with C or C++ as a first language,
just more difficult than with Turing, Pascal or a structured
BASIC, for instance. Programming in C or in C++ is generally
considered to be a more pleasureable experience than doing so
in beginners' languages by those experienced in either, but the
very fact that your freedom is limited and restricted by these
languages makes them easier to learn.
