history wth iTunes

Listening to Professor Thomas Laqueur's survey of Modern Europe through iTunes University has reminded me of how important it is to remember the past.    Time and time again, rulers have acted without regard for the past with dire results. (Just think of how partitioning northern Africa has led to political strife. ) At the same time, clinging to the past fuels the fire of endless wars.  So how can people remember without resentment?  How do people respect the past and learn from it rather than stew over it.