Some believe that history has little to teach us about today while others think that the study of the past helps us to understand the present. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Many feel that the study of the past does little to inform the present

while

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others believe it can help aid understanding. In my opinion,

past

Correct article usage

the past

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certainly holds insights, but they are so deeply woven into a specific context so as to be as misleading as enlightening. Those who argue in favour of learning from history can point to the importance of understanding a civilization. A frequently cited example of

this

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is the war between

Vietnam

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and the United States in the

mid 1960s

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mid-1960s

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to early 1970s. Both before and during the war, the United States President and his advisors understood little about the past of

Vietnam

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with its successive invasions from foreign nations including China and Japan. A deeper understanding of the unity and resilience of

Vietnam

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might have led them to make a compromise regarding splitting the country in half and the escalation of ground troops. Mistakes born of ignorance take place all the time in international relations and even domestic politics. Regardless, the past only holds

lessons

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for the keenest observer. Every historical moment passes through a complex set of circumstances, many of which are hidden from the history books, and cannot be reduced to simple

lessons

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.

For example

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, the

Vietnam

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war

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War

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is often summed up with the platitude that it is impossible to invade and occupy a foreign nation.

This

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ignores the myriad reasons that led to defeat and supposes that other conflicts are identical. After the invasion of Iraq proved to be a quagmire, many relished the historical

lessons

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of

Vietnam

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without considering the very diverse set of circumstances that led to failure in each country. There are certainly insights to be gained from studying past conflicts, but they will rarely result in fixed,

black and white

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black-and-white

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rules

apply

Correct pronoun usage

that apply

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to every new situation. In conclusion, antiquity is not a simple road map for the future. Those who are too avid to accept seemingly apparent

lessons

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are doomed to lead themselves astray and make new mistakes.