The late British prime minister, Winston Churchill, once wrote “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”  
Churchill, as much as any politician and leader of the 20th century, knew the ramifications of not paying attention to history. His own personal story included tragic failures, such as the disastrous World War I military campaign of Gallipoli, that set the stage for his steely resolution to successfully lead Great Britain through World War II. He took the lessons of history to heart.