In this opinion essay for The New York Times, Elliot Ackerman argues that America’s military should confront its complicated history directly rather than bury or erase it.
Using Germany’s struggle with far-right extremism inside the Bundeswehr and its elite KSK unit as a cautionary example, Ackerman examines the risks of separating military culture from honest historical study.
Military History and Moral Complexity
Ackerman contends that military education must include morally difficult figures and episodes, from Robert E. Lee and the Civil War to broader questions of Confederate memory and command judgment.
Extremism and the Buried Past
The essay warns that when troubling history is pushed underground, it can be claimed by extremists rather than studied within a rigorous moral and professional framework.
Confronting History to Protect Democracy
At its center, the piece argues that honest engagement with the past is essential to preserving military professionalism, preventing radicalization, and protecting the republic.