The Untold History of the United States美国历史
- 作者
- 出版社 Simon & Schuster US
- 出版时间 2012年11月
- ISBN 9781451613513
- 定价 213.60
内容简介
ThecompaniontotheShowtimedocumentaryseries,directorOliverStoneandhistorianPeterKuznickchallengetheprevailingorthodoxiesoftraditionalhistorybooksinthisthoroughlyresearchedandrigorouslyanalyzedlookatthedarksideofAmericanhistory.
“AtlasttheworldknowsAmericaasthesavioroftheworld!”—WoodrowWilson
ThenotionofAmericanexceptionalism,datingbacktoJohnWinthrop’s1630sermonaboardtheArbella,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?
“AtlasttheworldknowsAmericaasthesavioroftheworld!”—WoodrowWilson
ThenotionofAmericanexceptionalism,datingbacktoJohnWinthrop’s1630sermonaboardtheArbella,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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