America’s history war looms over the presidential election

Trump's call for "patriotic education" creates a dilemma for the Democrats. "A reasonable person might conclude that US history is complex and that stories about freedom and oppression are not mutually exclusive. But this is raw politics. By highlighting the 1619 project — at a time of heightened racial and social tension — Mr Trump aims to put Joe Biden, the Democratic party's presidential candidate, in a tricky situation." Gideon Rachman, the Financial Times' Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, contemplates.