Recently Re-Read

[poldybloom]

Thucydides, History of the Pelopennesian War, trans. Richard Crawley, revised by Donald Lateiner

Comments

[hellestal]

"...prove him wrong."

Churchill called FDR's Lend-Lease program "the most un-sordid act in the history of any nation." The Marshall Plan after the war cemented the un-sordidness, being a nearly inhuman bit of damnably saintly behavior.

Obviously the historical exception, not the rule. I'd back the historian's evaluation the other 99.8% of the time.

[poldybloom]

You're right, total cynicism isn't justified even for international relations.