Uh ... you may be a little too quick on the draw there yourself.
I don't want to get into historical controversies now, but his point was that allowing the defeated to keep a few symbols to save face was a wise policy.
I wouldn't have gone with that comparison -- the "rising sun" flag with the rays is still controversial -- but his point is worth considering.
It was a silly and ugly comparison. I am still burning that Ken Burns compared Lee (Lee!) to Tojo. Again, there are many people in NYC and Washington who are very ignorant about the civil war.