I carefully and specifically used the backup function in an attempt to backup my history before I cleared it to try to fix another problem. However, on trying to restore the history, I instead found out that only the bookmarks had been backed up and my history was lost. Why be so cruel as to offer what seems to be a history backup but in reality is not?

Yes, I should have used FEBE, but since there was a button and menu on the "Show all history" library, the implication is that it is the history, not the bookmarks that are being backed up. That's irresponsible at best.