PTE Reading MC Single Answer: The American people have an incorrect understanding of what it means to be at war. At l…

The American people have an incorrect understanding of what it means to be at war. At least so argues T.H. Pickett in his conversation interpretation of American military history. Pickett does present a wealth of examples along with a refreshing candid argument that America often goes to war for an abstract ideal such as the democratization of societies, world peace, liberty, or freedom. For instance, the Spanish – American war of 1898 was ostensibly a consequence of national enthusiasm for the cause of Cuban liberty. And, more obviously, America’s entry into World War 1 stemmed from a desire to “make the world safe for democracy.” Although these observations are supportable, Pickett overstates the causes that typically lead to a war hysteria in which American leadership can no longer enforce any measured policies.