You have to go back and read primary sources of civilians at the time who were not wealthy land owners to see the reality. This is the foundation of a critical analysis.

This is not about a patriotic re-envisioning centuries later. This was cold and calculated propaganda used to manipulate people at the time. A great example of this is the Boston Massacre which was used as a rallying cry against British oppression.

You see the corruption was there from the very start. The lies, hyper nationalism, military conquest, violent suppression of dissent, victimhood, etc. They had already checked off all the boxes of fascism before it was even a concept.