I "get" the whole American Exceptionalism theme. However, there are other successful nations out there. Germany, for example, was absolutely trashed in WWII but came back to be a European powerhouse. Ditto Japan. Both of them obviously have lessons about rising from adversity.

Now let's see: who helped rebuild western Europe after WWII? Oh yeah, it was America, wasn't it? I am sure that you are familiar with the Marshall Plan...