Is the war of 1812 not commonly taught? We learned about it and how the First Lady saved some important paintings from the White House. We didn't spend much time on it relative to bigger wars, but I understood it to be a standard part of American History.

I think that is the point: that Americans universally spend time learning about morally minor damage to an American building, but do not so commonly devote curricular time to truly considering the awfulness of the large-scale bombing of Japanese civilians.