Every history book is a narrative. Do you listen to: The generals and presidents and industrialists? or The privates and citizens and workers? Most of the

Every history book is a narrative. Do you listen to: The generals and presidents and industrialists? or The privates and citizens and workers? Most of the narrative of WWII I learned in high school is built off of grains of truth, but other grains of truth are much more important, depending on where you live. You learn that Japan surrendered because of the atom bombs, then you learn that they surrendered because the Soviets invaded Korea, then you learn that it's a combination of factors. People want to hold a complete story in their heads, with a satisfying conclusion. If you can find someone or something to blame, that is a very satisfying conclusion. If you are fighting a fight, you will read that fight into all of the history you encounter.