Studying the statesmanship of the past shows that the way a nation behaves in matters of war and peace is not totally detached from the lessons of history, and that it may be beneficial to examine them. Huizinga, the renowned Dutch historian, noted that history is merely our way of interpreting the meaning of the past. The basis of a political tradition lies in a permanent outlook that is not affected by each passing event. That constitutes the essence of the historical and ideological heritage that a nation passes on through the generations, one that is acquired through a long process of trial and error, successes and failures. A political tradition cannot always serve as a guide for solving the problems of the present, but we know that the greatness of statesmen often derives from their ability to find a path through a situation that is complex and confusing without betraying the principles that underlie their nation´s political ideals.