Have you noticed that one of the fundamental elements of human nature 
is to rewrite history.  We are constantly battling with the societal 
pressures that want to rewrite what are forefathers worked so hard for.
   Talk about a deeply involved subject, humankind's attempt to rewrite 
history could easily involve a lifetime of research.  It is probably best 
put to historians.  But then institutional histories from universities and 
colleges may be the worst offenders of creating this form of dogma.
   Simply put we have no right to rewrite history.  The people that lived 
at the time had to work hard to make the decisions they did.  The outcomes 
were far broader than the context we could give it today.  Yet people 
constantly make attempts to redefine what was to justify their ideals 
today.  The effort is petty, immature, and unethical.  Anyone who attempts 
to draw on historical content, without the deepest humility and respect, 
is a negative influence on modern times.