In the writing of history a common illusion is to exaggerate the future
importance of contemporary events. Both sides in the French Revolution
thought that the end of the world had come, as no doubt it had for some.
Comparatively few men can get outside of their country and look at
things as they are, but very few or none can separate themselves from
their generation and look without prejudice into the future. The
importance of every great event is usually exaggerated by those
immediately interested. From the historical point of view, the degree of
importance of current events can not be determined until some time
afterwards when the sources are more accessible, and it is possible to
consider them calmly, and from the point of view of strict truth, which
is one of the main principles of scientific inquiry. History is
continuous and not broken up by what the present generation may think to
be a finality or cataclysm; there may be progress or retrogression, but
neither is so great as they appear at the time of the events which cause
enthusiasm and optimism in the victorious and despair and pessimism in
the vanquished. These are temporary phenomena, being only links in the
historical chain. The changes after this war back to normal conditions
may be much greater and faster than in previous wars. In this connection
it must be remembered that the humane spirit is now much more diffused
in the world than in the past, which is indicated by the enormous extent
of protests against the horrors of war.[5] These horrors are common to
all wars and were relatively as frequent in the past, if not more so. It
is true that the absolute number of outrages may have been much greater
in the present war than in previous wars, but this is probably due
mainly to the enormous number of individuals engaged in the war.