A great historian mentioned before. “Present is a key to the past.” = A great historian had mentioned before that, “the present is a key to the past.”

No matter how hard we try to be objective, we can’t overcome preconception that already been imprinted in our mind. = No matter how hard we try to be objective, we can’t overcome the preconception that has already been imprinted in our mind.

As contemporary people, we tend to underestimate people from the past, and overestimate our generation’s accomplishments. As a result, no wonder historians are biased in illustrating past with the today’s perspective.
Nowadays, history have been used for the sake of the propaganda rather than simple educational purposes. Japanese try to fabricate all the foul events during World War II, and even lots of advanced countries tend to educate their people with history books which had been beautified.

With these shameful methods, Japan try to redeem their glories during the imperialism, ISIS try to intimidate all decent people in the world, and China reclaims an island from Philippine. = With these shameful methods, Japan tries to redeem their glories during the imperialism, ISIS tries to intimidate all decent people in the world, and China reclaims an island from the Philippines.

It is quite interesting that different countries are confronting each other based on same fact but different perspectives.
We can’t be perfectly objective. Even one with the great intelligence can’t be so much objective. Nonetheless, we should have keen observation and develop our own point of view on past, present and future. Otherwise we could be continuously manipulated by other ambitious people.