At this stage of civilization, when many nations are brought into close
and vital contact for good and evil, it is essential, as never before, that
their gross ignorance of one another should be diminished, that they
should begin to understand a little of one another's historical experience
and resulting mentality. It is the fault of the English to expect the people
of other countries to react as they do, to political and international
situations. One genuine goodwill and good intentions are often brought to
nothing because we expect other people to be like us. This would be
corrected if we know the history, not necessarily in detail but in broad
outlines, of the social and political conditions which have given to each
nation its present character.