I think we can all agree that WWII was a pretty terrible war for everybody, and every side saw the darkest corners of the human heart. As to America being "so

I think we can all agree that WWII was a pretty terrible war for everybody, and every side saw the darkest corners of the human heart. As to America being "so culturally bankrupt that they can't make a simple argument for an obvious good without manipulating the public," I would have to counter that without effective propaganda mechanisms, a simple argument for an obvious good may not be palatable or worth the time of the average citizen. In other words, if the choice is between a "simple argument" that may work, and a concerted propaganda effort that will work, propaganda will win every time. This is what I get for reading Edward Bernays' "Crystallizing Public Opinion" between bug fixes.