More from Victor Davis Hanson

On Real Clear Politics.

The man makes an important point -- that the lack of historical knowledge in the current citizenry contributes (sometimes mightily) to the sometimes crazed reaction to the conflict in Iraq. Most people don't seem to understand that wars are messy, bloody affairs. They want a clean cancer surgery rather than a democratic childbirth, I guess.

"Ours is the first generation of Americans that thinks it can demand perfection in war. Our present leisure, wealth, and high technology fool us into thinking that we are demi-gods always be able to trump both human and natural disasters. Accordingly, we become frustrated that we cannot master every wartime obstacle, as we seem otherwise to be able to do with computers or cosmetic surgery. Then, without any benchmarks of comparison from the past, we despair that our actions are failed because they are not perfect.

But why did a poorer, less educated, and more illiberal United States in far bloodier and more error-ridden wars of the past still have greater confidence in itself? Was it that our ancestors, who died younger and far more tragically, did not expect their homeland to be without flaws, only to be considerably better than the enemy's?

Perhaps we have forgotten such modesty because we have ignored the study of history that alone offers us guidance from our forbearers. It now competes as an orphan discipline with social science, -ologies and -isms that entice us into thinking that the more money and education of the present can at last perfect the human condition and thus consign our flawed past to irrelevance.

The result is that while sensitive young Americans seem to know what correct words and ideas they must embrace, they derive neither direction nor solace from past events. After all, very few could identify Vicksburg or Verdun, much less have any idea where or what Iwo Jima was. In such a lonely prison of the present what are historically ignorant Americans to make of a Fallujah or an Iranian madman's threat of annihilation other than such things can't or shouldn't or must not happen to us?

So, of this present war, I think our war-torn forefathers would say to us that both messy Afghanistan and Iraq are better places without their dictators even if they never will resemble Carmel or Austin. "

Here, here, VDH. Hell, most 18-24 year olds can't even indentify Iraq or even LOUISIANA on a map today, much less places like Bunker Hill, San Jacinto, Vera Cruz, Ft. Sumpter, Gettysburg, Manilla Bay, San Juan Hill, the Argonne Forest, Kasserine Pass, Malmedy, Chosen Reservoir, Khe Sahn or even Medina Ridge.

The thin, bloody lines that defends this nation are, and have always been, an inspirational story that needs to be told. Repeatedly. Like Medal of Honor winner, SFC Paul Smith. But in today's media, these heroes are too often forgotten, far too soon. Audie Murphy is probably spinning in his grave right now. I doubt anyone is going to make a movie about Smith, and the country is diminished by the oversight.