This historiographical essay discusses three events in recent history— Germany in World War II, the beginnings of the Cold War, and the 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee. The purpose of these essays is to show what the authors of these subjects are discussing in their books and to critique their work as it relates to the particular theme of each essay. There are many different writers on these subjects, but it can be difficult to show how do they compare or contrast to one another with the information that they presenting. The first essay will cover the failures of Germany in World War II that led to its destruction at the end of the war The second essay on the beginnings of the Cold War will discuss how authors viewed the U.S. as being the main instigator behind the Cold War. The third essay covers the occupation of Wounded Knee and how its differing authors felt about its legitimacy and the reasoning for how it came about. To read these essays is to better understand the authors themselves as well as the finer points of subjects that they are discussing.