The Untold History of the United States
- 作者
- 出版社 Gallery Books
- 出版时间 2009年6月
- ISBN 9781451613520
- 定价 142.30
内容简介
ThecompaniontotheShowtimedocumentaryseries,directorOliverStoneandhistorianPeterKuznickchallengetheprevailingorthodoxiesoftraditionalhistorybooksinthisthoroughlyresearchedandrigorouslyanalyzedlookatthedarksideofAmericanhistory."AtlasttheworldknowsAmericaasthesavioroftheworld!"——WoodrowWilsonThenotionofAmericanexceptionalism,datingbacktoJohnWinthrop's1630sermonaboardthe"Arbella,"stillwarpsAmericans'understandingoftheirnation'sroleintheworld.MostareloathetoadmitthattheUnitedStateshasanyimperialpretensions.ButhistorytellsadifferentstoryasfilmmakerOliverStoneandhistorianPeterKuznickrevealinthisrivetingaccountoftheriseanddeclineoftheAmericanempire.Aidedbythelatestarchivalfindingsandrecentlydeclassifieddocumentsandbuildingontheresearchoftheworld'sbestscholars,StoneandKuznickconstructanoftenshockingbutmeticulouslydocumented"People'sHistoryoftheAmericanEmpire"thatoffersstartlingcontexttotheBush-CheneypoliciesthatputusatwarintwoMuslimcountriesandshowuswhytheObamaadministrationhashadsuchadifficulttimecleavinganewpath.StoneandKuznickwillintroducereaderstoapantheonofheroesandvillainsastheyshownotonlyhowfartheUnitedStateshasdriftedfromitsdemocratictraditions,butthepowerfulforcesthathavestruggledtogetusbackontrack.Theauthorsrevealthat:-TheatomicbombingsofHiroshimaandNagasakiweremilitarilyunnecessaryandmorallyindefensible.-TheUnitedStates,nottheSovietUnion,borethelion'sshareofresponsibilityforperpetuatingtheColdWar.-TheU.S.loveaffairwithright-wingdictatorshasgoneasfarasoverthrowingelectedleaders,armingandtrainingmurderousmilitaryofficers,andforcingmillionsofpeopleintopoverty.-U.S.-fundedIslamistfundamentalists,whofoughtagainsttheSovietsinAfghanistan,haveblownbacktothreatentheinterestsoftheU.S.anditsallies.-U.S.presidents,especiallyinwartime,havefrequentlytrampledontheconstitutionandinternationallaw.-TheUnitedStateshasbrandishednuclearthreatsrepeatedlyandcometerrifyinglyclosetonuclearwar.Americanleadersoftenbelievetheyareunboundbyhistory,yetStoneandKuznickarguethatwemustfaceourtroublinghistoryhonestlyandforthrightlyinordertosetanewcourseforthetwenty-firstcentury.Theirconclusionswillchallengeevenexperts,butthereisonequestiononlyreaderscananswer:IsittoolateforAmericatochange?
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