American History and American Amnesia

Most American interpretations of our history have been triumphal. From the use of atomic weapons against Japan in 1945 to the justifications for war with Iran in 2026, politicians and pundits have largely accepted the triumphal nature of the use of force and denied the criticism that accompanied these actions. Interpretations of the past and present have been a battleground at the heart of American politics. Revisionists and critics have been for the most part on the outside looking in.