The Untold History of the United States - Prequel Episode A – Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick

In this documentary series, Oliver Stone focuses a spotlight on the ways in which the United States has betrayed its purported mission: to be a beacon of democracy in the world, intervening to spread justice and freedom where it does not exist. The film series tells the story of the not-so-pleasant side of United States’ foreign policy during the 20th century and into the 21st century: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were militarily unnecessary and morally indefensible; the United States, not the Soviet Union, bore the lion’s share of responsibility for perpetuating the Cold War; the U.S. love affair with right-wing dictators has gone as far as overthrowing elected leaders, arming and training murderous military officers, and forcing millions of people into poverty; Islamist fundamentalists, who fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan, have blown back to threaten the interests of the U.S. and its allies; U.S. presidents, especially in wartime, have frequently trampled on the constitution and international law; the United States has brandished nuclear threats repeatedly and come terrifyingly close to nuclear war.