Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
The most up-to-date and comprehensive English-language study of its kind, From victory to Vichy explores the political mobilisation of the two largest French veterans’ associations during the ...
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The most up-to-date and comprehensive English-language study of its kind, From victory to Vichy explores the political mobilisation of the two largest French veterans’ associations during the interwar years, the Union fédérale (UF) and the Union nationale des combattants (UNC). Drawing on extensive research into the associations’ organisation, policies and tactics, this study argues that French veterans were more of a threat to democracy than previous scholarship has allowed. As France descended into crisis, the UF and the UNC sought to extend their influence into the non-veteran milieu through public demonstrations, propaganda campaigns and the foundation of auxiliary groups. Despite shifting policies and independent initiatives, by the end of the 1930s the UF and the UNC had come together in a campaign for authoritarian political reform, leaving them perfectly placed to become the ‘eyes and ears’ of Marshal Pétain’s Vichy regime.Less
The most up-to-date and comprehensive English-language study of its kind, From victory to Vichy explores the political mobilisation of the two largest French veterans’ associations during the interwar years, the Union fédérale (UF) and the Union nationale des combattants (UNC). Drawing on extensive research into the associations’ organisation, policies and tactics, this study argues that French veterans were more of a threat to democracy than previous scholarship has allowed. As France descended into crisis, the UF and the UNC sought to extend their influence into the non-veteran milieu through public demonstrations, propaganda campaigns and the foundation of auxiliary groups. Despite shifting policies and independent initiatives, by the end of the 1930s the UF and the UNC had come together in a campaign for authoritarian political reform, leaving them perfectly placed to become the ‘eyes and ears’ of Marshal Pétain’s Vichy regime.
Robert D. Schulzinger
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195365924
- eISBN:
- 9780199851966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195365924.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
As Vietnam veterans struggled with a variety of physical, psychological, and social wounds, a public movement grew to honor them. The widespread public belief that veterans had been badly mistreated ...
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As Vietnam veterans struggled with a variety of physical, psychological, and social wounds, a public movement grew to honor them. The widespread public belief that veterans had been badly mistreated by the government and ignored by civilians who had not gone to Vietnam paved the way for the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. This memorial and others like it across the country became sacred sites of commemoration where veterans and non-veterans alike came together to heal the wounds of war. In the decades after the war ended, veterans found a variety of venues in which to publicly express their memories and current beliefs about their wartime experiences. The idea of a memorial to recognize the men and women who lost their lives in Vietnam came to Jan Scruggs, a Vietnam War veteran who led a campaign to raise money for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF). President Jimmy Carter signed the resolution authorizing the memorial. The design proposed by Maya Lin, a twenty-one-year-old Yale University undergraduate majoring in art, was chosen for the memorial.Less
As Vietnam veterans struggled with a variety of physical, psychological, and social wounds, a public movement grew to honor them. The widespread public belief that veterans had been badly mistreated by the government and ignored by civilians who had not gone to Vietnam paved the way for the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. This memorial and others like it across the country became sacred sites of commemoration where veterans and non-veterans alike came together to heal the wounds of war. In the decades after the war ended, veterans found a variety of venues in which to publicly express their memories and current beliefs about their wartime experiences. The idea of a memorial to recognize the men and women who lost their lives in Vietnam came to Jan Scruggs, a Vietnam War veteran who led a campaign to raise money for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF). President Jimmy Carter signed the resolution authorizing the memorial. The design proposed by Maya Lin, a twenty-one-year-old Yale University undergraduate majoring in art, was chosen for the memorial.
LAWRENCE A. TRITLE
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780197264669
- eISBN:
- 9780191753985
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264669.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, Cultural History
Monument or memorial? Defeat or withdrawal? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC pays tribute to more than 58,000 Americans who died fighting an unpopular war. Yet today the ‘Wall’, as it ...
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Monument or memorial? Defeat or withdrawal? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC pays tribute to more than 58,000 Americans who died fighting an unpopular war. Yet today the ‘Wall’, as it is known to most Americans, is the most visited site managed by the US National Park Service. Weekend visitors will happen upon an almost festive place as thousands of people pass by looking at the names – what do they think, imagine? This chapter discusses not only the story and controversy behind the building of the ‘Wall’, but also how it reflects the collective memory of a society and its values, and how these are constructed.Less
Monument or memorial? Defeat or withdrawal? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC pays tribute to more than 58,000 Americans who died fighting an unpopular war. Yet today the ‘Wall’, as it is known to most Americans, is the most visited site managed by the US National Park Service. Weekend visitors will happen upon an almost festive place as thousands of people pass by looking at the names – what do they think, imagine? This chapter discusses not only the story and controversy behind the building of the ‘Wall’, but also how it reflects the collective memory of a society and its values, and how these are constructed.
Mark Edele
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199237562
- eISBN:
- 9780191717185
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199237562.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
The idea of establishing institutions which would represent the interests of former soldiers had been popular ever since the First World War. However, official policy was strongly opposed to such ...
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The idea of establishing institutions which would represent the interests of former soldiers had been popular ever since the First World War. However, official policy was strongly opposed to such organizations, which were seen of dubious political loyalty and devoid of an ‘objective base’. Therefore, the humble beginnings of an organized movement during the war were soon undone by decree. Only in 1956, when the Soviet leadership attempted to join, for propaganda reasons, the World Veterans Federation, did an organization emerge. An official veterans' union was formed which was soon taken over by activists who continually misunderstood its reason for existence. From here on, the movement developed in a dynamic where local enthusiasm had to be curtailed constantly from above, as the political leadership was not ready to accept a mass movement of former soldiers. Only under Gorbachev did the regime finally give in to the wishes of the veterans.Less
The idea of establishing institutions which would represent the interests of former soldiers had been popular ever since the First World War. However, official policy was strongly opposed to such organizations, which were seen of dubious political loyalty and devoid of an ‘objective base’. Therefore, the humble beginnings of an organized movement during the war were soon undone by decree. Only in 1956, when the Soviet leadership attempted to join, for propaganda reasons, the World Veterans Federation, did an organization emerge. An official veterans' union was formed which was soon taken over by activists who continually misunderstood its reason for existence. From here on, the movement developed in a dynamic where local enthusiasm had to be curtailed constantly from above, as the political leadership was not ready to accept a mass movement of former soldiers. Only under Gorbachev did the regime finally give in to the wishes of the veterans.
M. Jan Holton
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780300207620
- eISBN:
- 9780300220797
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300207620.001.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
Longing for Home explores the psychological, social, and theological impact of forcibly losing one’s home place and asks two questions: What is it about home that makes its loss so profound? And, How ...
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Longing for Home explores the psychological, social, and theological impact of forcibly losing one’s home place and asks two questions: What is it about home that makes its loss so profound? And, How should we think about this theologically?
This book explores the notion of home and its loss from the perspectives of four very diverse groups who have suffered forced displacement: an indigenous tribe of Batwa in Uganda, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Congo and Sudan, American soldiers struggling with PTSD, and homeless persons in the United States. The author uses her own experiences in the Ugandan mountains, ethnographic research in refugee camps in Congo and Sudan and internally displaced persons, published stories of American soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and life in a transitional facility for homeless persons as windows into these contexts and stories of forced displacement. Through these intense, sometimes tragic encounters, the psychological, social, and theological impact of living without home becomes clear as does the often exclusionary response of the communities in which they seek care. The author suggests that a moral obligation of care grounded in relational postures of hospitality—or predispositions toward the other that precede practices—are at the heart of breaking through social exclusion and helping each to lean into God in ways that invite home of a different kind. The book’s concrete experiences of communities of displacement add a unique element that both challenges and complements psychological and social theories. The end result is a constructive contribution to both practical and public theology.Less
Longing for Home explores the psychological, social, and theological impact of forcibly losing one’s home place and asks two questions: What is it about home that makes its loss so profound? And, How should we think about this theologically?
This book explores the notion of home and its loss from the perspectives of four very diverse groups who have suffered forced displacement: an indigenous tribe of Batwa in Uganda, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Congo and Sudan, American soldiers struggling with PTSD, and homeless persons in the United States. The author uses her own experiences in the Ugandan mountains, ethnographic research in refugee camps in Congo and Sudan and internally displaced persons, published stories of American soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and life in a transitional facility for homeless persons as windows into these contexts and stories of forced displacement. Through these intense, sometimes tragic encounters, the psychological, social, and theological impact of living without home becomes clear as does the often exclusionary response of the communities in which they seek care. The author suggests that a moral obligation of care grounded in relational postures of hospitality—or predispositions toward the other that precede practices—are at the heart of breaking through social exclusion and helping each to lean into God in ways that invite home of a different kind. The book’s concrete experiences of communities of displacement add a unique element that both challenges and complements psychological and social theories. The end result is a constructive contribution to both practical and public theology.
Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter concerns the French veterans' movement during 1918-1933. During and after the First World War, numerous associations were founded to represent ex-servicemen in France. Of these groups, ...
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This chapter concerns the French veterans' movement during 1918-1933. During and after the First World War, numerous associations were founded to represent ex-servicemen in France. Of these groups, two came to dominate the veterans' movement: the centre-left Union fédérale (UF) and the conservative Union nationale des combattants (UNC). In the decade following the war, the UF and UNC frequently disagreed on political issues. The UF was close to the left and sought rapprochement with Germany. The UNC, on the other hand, supported conservative governments, collaborated with the extreme right and rejected any notion of relations with the Weimar Republic. However, though divided on matters of politics, the two groups could unite in the defence of veterans' rights. This chapter explores the complicated history of the UF and the UNC during these years, exposing themes that are examined later in the book.Less
This chapter concerns the French veterans' movement during 1918-1933. During and after the First World War, numerous associations were founded to represent ex-servicemen in France. Of these groups, two came to dominate the veterans' movement: the centre-left Union fédérale (UF) and the conservative Union nationale des combattants (UNC). In the decade following the war, the UF and UNC frequently disagreed on political issues. The UF was close to the left and sought rapprochement with Germany. The UNC, on the other hand, supported conservative governments, collaborated with the extreme right and rejected any notion of relations with the Weimar Republic. However, though divided on matters of politics, the two groups could unite in the defence of veterans' rights. This chapter explores the complicated history of the UF and the UNC during these years, exposing themes that are examined later in the book.
Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter examines the veterans' involvement of the riot of 6 February 1934. On that night, nationalists and war veterans protested in central Paris against the incumbent left-wing government. ...
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This chapter examines the veterans' involvement of the riot of 6 February 1934. On that night, nationalists and war veterans protested in central Paris against the incumbent left-wing government. Police killed a dozen demonstrators and injured hundreds as they defended the approaches to the French parliament. Historians recognise the riot as a turning point in the interwar years, after which French politics polarised between the growing extreme right-wing 'leagues' and the left-wing Popular Front alliance. studies the UNC's participation in the nationalist riot of 6 February 1934 in Paris. This chapter challenges the claims of historians (such as Serge Berstein) that the UNC's march was neither political nor violent. Some UNC veterans fought with police. They took part in the charges of rioters towards the parliament buildings. Yet if some sections of the UNC's leadership and membership supported the march, others condemned it. Nevertheless, the UNC was prepared to support violence when the situation called for it.Less
This chapter examines the veterans' involvement of the riot of 6 February 1934. On that night, nationalists and war veterans protested in central Paris against the incumbent left-wing government. Police killed a dozen demonstrators and injured hundreds as they defended the approaches to the French parliament. Historians recognise the riot as a turning point in the interwar years, after which French politics polarised between the growing extreme right-wing 'leagues' and the left-wing Popular Front alliance. studies the UNC's participation in the nationalist riot of 6 February 1934 in Paris. This chapter challenges the claims of historians (such as Serge Berstein) that the UNC's march was neither political nor violent. Some UNC veterans fought with police. They took part in the charges of rioters towards the parliament buildings. Yet if some sections of the UNC's leadership and membership supported the march, others condemned it. Nevertheless, the UNC was prepared to support violence when the situation called for it.
Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter examines the veterans' campaign for state reform during February to July 1934. In April 1934, the veterans' associations delivered an ultimatum to the right-wing government: reform the ...
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This chapter examines the veterans' campaign for state reform during February to July 1934. In April 1934, the veterans' associations delivered an ultimatum to the right-wing government: reform the state or the veterans would take the 'rudder of government'. This campaign underscored the changing priorities of the associations. The UNC ultimately expressed confidence in the conservative government of Gaston Doumergue, which it found more to its taste. However, the centre-left UF, which had always opposed reform, opposed the government and now moved closer an authoritarian state reform programme. This chapter shows that it was not only sections of the UNC that could oscillate between moderation and authoritarianism depending on political circumstance, but also more moderate sections of the veterans' movement such as the UF.Less
This chapter examines the veterans' campaign for state reform during February to July 1934. In April 1934, the veterans' associations delivered an ultimatum to the right-wing government: reform the state or the veterans would take the 'rudder of government'. This campaign underscored the changing priorities of the associations. The UNC ultimately expressed confidence in the conservative government of Gaston Doumergue, which it found more to its taste. However, the centre-left UF, which had always opposed reform, opposed the government and now moved closer an authoritarian state reform programme. This chapter shows that it was not only sections of the UNC that could oscillate between moderation and authoritarianism depending on political circumstance, but also more moderate sections of the veterans' movement such as the UF.
Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter concerns the period from 1934 to the election of the Popular Front in June 1936. The issue of French fascism is a key debate in the historiography of twentieth-century France. Scholars ...
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This chapter concerns the period from 1934 to the election of the Popular Front in June 1936. The issue of French fascism is a key debate in the historiography of twentieth-century France. Scholars disagree on the strength of fascism in interwar France; some argue that fascists groups were weak and insignificant, while other claim that fascism was popular and powerful in French politics. This chapter challenges previous scholars' assertions that ordinary veterans rejected the extreme right. UNC leaders sought an informal alliance with the anti-Republican leagues, especially the fascist Croix de Feu, while some provincial members joined these groups and frequented their meetings. The chapter thus demonstrates that though some French veterans rejected political extremism, the assertion that the veterans (and the French) were 'immune' to fascism is untenable.Less
This chapter concerns the period from 1934 to the election of the Popular Front in June 1936. The issue of French fascism is a key debate in the historiography of twentieth-century France. Scholars disagree on the strength of fascism in interwar France; some argue that fascists groups were weak and insignificant, while other claim that fascism was popular and powerful in French politics. This chapter challenges previous scholars' assertions that ordinary veterans rejected the extreme right. UNC leaders sought an informal alliance with the anti-Republican leagues, especially the fascist Croix de Feu, while some provincial members joined these groups and frequented their meetings. The chapter thus demonstrates that though some French veterans rejected political extremism, the assertion that the veterans (and the French) were 'immune' to fascism is untenable.
Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter examines how the UF and the UNC sought to mobilise the post-war generation in the projects for the renovation of France. The appeal to youth was a prominent feature of French political ...
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This chapter examines how the UF and the UNC sought to mobilise the post-war generation in the projects for the renovation of France. The appeal to youth was a prominent feature of French political life at the time and numerous political and civic associations founded youth auxiliaries. 'Youth' and the 'young' were said to be lively, energetic, dynamic and industrious - exactly the qualities needed to rejuvenate a society beset by political and economic crisis. The veterans' attempted to harness the younger generation through youth groups that offered a range of activities. But they also sought to identify the vigour of youth with veteran interests, in contrast to the 'decrepitude' of conventional politics and the 'agedness' of the Third Republic.Less
This chapter examines how the UF and the UNC sought to mobilise the post-war generation in the projects for the renovation of France. The appeal to youth was a prominent feature of French political life at the time and numerous political and civic associations founded youth auxiliaries. 'Youth' and the 'young' were said to be lively, energetic, dynamic and industrious - exactly the qualities needed to rejuvenate a society beset by political and economic crisis. The veterans' attempted to harness the younger generation through youth groups that offered a range of activities. But they also sought to identify the vigour of youth with veteran interests, in contrast to the 'decrepitude' of conventional politics and the 'agedness' of the Third Republic.
Chris Millington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719085505
- eISBN:
- 9781781702680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719085505.003.0007
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter examines the period of the Popular Front from June 1936 to November 1938. It concerns the veterans' reaction to the Popular Front at a critical turning point in interwar French politics. ...
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This chapter examines the period of the Popular Front from June 1936 to November 1938. It concerns the veterans' reaction to the Popular Front at a critical turning point in interwar French politics. The UNC was resolutely hostile to the left-wing government and mobilised its vast resources and the 'culture of war' against the Blum government. The UF, traditionally close to the left, was initially enthusiastic yet its leadership and many of its supporters grew increasingly alarmed by domestic social conflict, and by France's declining international stature. The situation changed so dramatically that by 1938, the UF shared, with the UNC, a renewed desire to reform the Republic along authoritarian lines.Less
This chapter examines the period of the Popular Front from June 1936 to November 1938. It concerns the veterans' reaction to the Popular Front at a critical turning point in interwar French politics. The UNC was resolutely hostile to the left-wing government and mobilised its vast resources and the 'culture of war' against the Blum government. The UF, traditionally close to the left, was initially enthusiastic yet its leadership and many of its supporters grew increasingly alarmed by domestic social conflict, and by France's declining international stature. The situation changed so dramatically that by 1938, the UF shared, with the UNC, a renewed desire to reform the Republic along authoritarian lines.
Vanessa Northington Gamble
- Published in print:
- 1995
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195078893
- eISBN:
- 9780199853762
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195078893.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
The demonstration that occurred on July 3, 1923, on the streets of Tuskegee, Alabama, would turn out to be one of the most explosive events of the black hospital movement. This battle over control of ...
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The demonstration that occurred on July 3, 1923, on the streets of Tuskegee, Alabama, would turn out to be one of the most explosive events of the black hospital movement. This battle over control of the Tuskegee Veterans Hospital struck a passionate chord in the black community. This chapter explores the factors underlying the decision of the federal government to establish a national black veterans hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama, and analyzes the successful struggle of the black community to place black physicians and nurses at the facility. Several initial issues and challenges were faced in establishing a national black veterans hospital. In particular, the appropriate location for such institution was one such challenge and this is explored here. The chapter looks at the actions undertaken by Moton and his colleagues that initiated the employment of black staff at the hospital.Less
The demonstration that occurred on July 3, 1923, on the streets of Tuskegee, Alabama, would turn out to be one of the most explosive events of the black hospital movement. This battle over control of the Tuskegee Veterans Hospital struck a passionate chord in the black community. This chapter explores the factors underlying the decision of the federal government to establish a national black veterans hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama, and analyzes the successful struggle of the black community to place black physicians and nurses at the facility. Several initial issues and challenges were faced in establishing a national black veterans hospital. In particular, the appropriate location for such institution was one such challenge and this is explored here. The chapter looks at the actions undertaken by Moton and his colleagues that initiated the employment of black staff at the hospital.
Marylou Guihan
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195173727
- eISBN:
- 9780199893218
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195173727.003.0054
- Subject:
- Social Work, Health and Mental Health
This chapter discusses residential care within the Veterans Administration (VA), a setting where social workers are very much in evidence. It considers nursing homes on the campuses of VA medical ...
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This chapter discusses residential care within the Veterans Administration (VA), a setting where social workers are very much in evidence. It considers nursing homes on the campuses of VA medical centers, the contract program for veterans in community care, and some new residential settings under consideration by the VA.Less
This chapter discusses residential care within the Veterans Administration (VA), a setting where social workers are very much in evidence. It considers nursing homes on the campuses of VA medical centers, the contract program for veterans in community care, and some new residential settings under consideration by the VA.
Jonathan H. Ebel
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780300176704
- eISBN:
- 9780300216356
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300176704.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, Social History
Using materials and events from the years immediately following the Great War, this chapter examines the religious dimensions of the relationship between the United States and its military in the ...
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Using materials and events from the years immediately following the Great War, this chapter examines the religious dimensions of the relationship between the United States and its military in the interwar period. Written sources from the period used Christian language and imagery to develop a civil religious orthodoxy to which idealization and veneration of the soldier are central. Embodied and performative sources, such as parades and anti-communist riots, indicate that soldiers engaged with and often embraced this civil religion, accepting the authority society bestowed on them and acting the part of the word of the nation made flesh.Less
Using materials and events from the years immediately following the Great War, this chapter examines the religious dimensions of the relationship between the United States and its military in the interwar period. Written sources from the period used Christian language and imagery to develop a civil religious orthodoxy to which idealization and veneration of the soldier are central. Embodied and performative sources, such as parades and anti-communist riots, indicate that soldiers engaged with and often embraced this civil religion, accepting the authority society bestowed on them and acting the part of the word of the nation made flesh.
Jonathan H. Ebel
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780300176704
- eISBN:
- 9780300216356
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300176704.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, Social History
The American soldier figured prominently in the civil religious crisis of the Vietnam War, both as an interpreter of war and as a symbol of the nation’s moral standing and ethical capacities. This ...
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The American soldier figured prominently in the civil religious crisis of the Vietnam War, both as an interpreter of war and as a symbol of the nation’s moral standing and ethical capacities. This chapter examines governmental and popular presentations of the Vietnam-era soldier and argues that these presentations often featured divergent interpretations of the relationship between the soldier and the government, whose will he embodied. In civil religious terms this was a Christological controversy, paralleling disagreements in the early Church over the precise nature of the incarnation and the saving work of the Christ figure. In the end, the purity of soldierly service and sacrifice was maintained through removal of the stain of compulsion from soldiering for America.Less
The American soldier figured prominently in the civil religious crisis of the Vietnam War, both as an interpreter of war and as a symbol of the nation’s moral standing and ethical capacities. This chapter examines governmental and popular presentations of the Vietnam-era soldier and argues that these presentations often featured divergent interpretations of the relationship between the soldier and the government, whose will he embodied. In civil religious terms this was a Christological controversy, paralleling disagreements in the early Church over the precise nature of the incarnation and the saving work of the Christ figure. In the end, the purity of soldierly service and sacrifice was maintained through removal of the stain of compulsion from soldiering for America.
Terri Blom Crocker
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780813166155
- eISBN:
- 9780813166650
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813166155.003.0009
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
By 1970 the orthodox narrative of the “senseless” First World War was so firmly entrenched that it permeated all works on the subject during this time, which consistently maintained that the ...
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By 1970 the orthodox narrative of the “senseless” First World War was so firmly entrenched that it permeated all works on the subject during this time, which consistently maintained that the Christmas truce proved that the British soldiers who served on the Western Front would have preferred to make peace with the Germans rather than fight them. Veterans of the war who were interviewed after 1970 increasingly subscribed to these myths of the truce, proving the dominance of the war’s conventional narrative for even those who had participated in the event, and demonstrating the new emphasis on social history, wherein the words of participants are used to prove a narrative. This chapter ends with the ultimate manifestation of the First World War in popular culture, the television series Blackadder Goes Forth, which featured the truce in its final episode.Less
By 1970 the orthodox narrative of the “senseless” First World War was so firmly entrenched that it permeated all works on the subject during this time, which consistently maintained that the Christmas truce proved that the British soldiers who served on the Western Front would have preferred to make peace with the Germans rather than fight them. Veterans of the war who were interviewed after 1970 increasingly subscribed to these myths of the truce, proving the dominance of the war’s conventional narrative for even those who had participated in the event, and demonstrating the new emphasis on social history, wherein the words of participants are used to prove a narrative. This chapter ends with the ultimate manifestation of the First World War in popular culture, the television series Blackadder Goes Forth, which featured the truce in its final episode.
Stephen R. Ortiz
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814762134
- eISBN:
- 9780814762561
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814762134.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
The period between World Wars I and II was a time of turbulent political change, with suffragists, labor radicals, demagogues, and other voices clamoring to be heard. One group of activists that has ...
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The period between World Wars I and II was a time of turbulent political change, with suffragists, labor radicals, demagogues, and other voices clamoring to be heard. One group of activists that has yet to be closely examined by historians is World War I veterans. Mining the papers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion (AL), the book reveals that veterans actively organized in the years following the war to claim state benefits (such as pensions and bonuses) and strove to articulate a role for themselves as a distinct political bloc during the New Deal era. The book is unique in its treatment of World War I veterans as significant political actors during the interwar period. It reinterprets the political origins of the “Second” New Deal and Roosevelt's electoral triumph of 1936, adding depth not only to our understanding of these events and the political climate surrounding them, but to common perceptions of veterans and their organizations. In describing veteran politics and the competitive dynamics between the AL and the VFW, the book details the rise of organized veterans as a powerful interest group in modern American politics.Less
The period between World Wars I and II was a time of turbulent political change, with suffragists, labor radicals, demagogues, and other voices clamoring to be heard. One group of activists that has yet to be closely examined by historians is World War I veterans. Mining the papers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion (AL), the book reveals that veterans actively organized in the years following the war to claim state benefits (such as pensions and bonuses) and strove to articulate a role for themselves as a distinct political bloc during the New Deal era. The book is unique in its treatment of World War I veterans as significant political actors during the interwar period. It reinterprets the political origins of the “Second” New Deal and Roosevelt's electoral triumph of 1936, adding depth not only to our understanding of these events and the political climate surrounding them, but to common perceptions of veterans and their organizations. In describing veteran politics and the competitive dynamics between the AL and the VFW, the book details the rise of organized veterans as a powerful interest group in modern American politics.
Evan Matthew Daniel
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780813061108
- eISBN:
- 9780813051383
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813061108.003.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Latin American Studies
This chapter underscores both the unity and diversity of the various nodes that made up the transnational network of tobacco workers and anarchist activists in Cuba and Florida in the second half of ...
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This chapter underscores both the unity and diversity of the various nodes that made up the transnational network of tobacco workers and anarchist activists in Cuba and Florida in the second half of the nineteenth century, culminating in the independence of Cuba from Spain in 1898.Less
This chapter underscores both the unity and diversity of the various nodes that made up the transnational network of tobacco workers and anarchist activists in Cuba and Florida in the second half of the nineteenth century, culminating in the independence of Cuba from Spain in 1898.
Natalya Vince
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780719091070
- eISBN:
- 9781781708675
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719091070.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Imperialism and Colonialism
Between 1954 and 1962, Algerian women played a major role in the struggle to end French rule in one of the most violent wars of decolonisation of the twentieth century. Our Fighting Sisters is the ...
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Between 1954 and 1962, Algerian women played a major role in the struggle to end French rule in one of the most violent wars of decolonisation of the twentieth century. Our Fighting Sisters is the first in-depth exploration of what happened to these women after independence in 1962. Based on new oral history interviews with women who participated in the war in a wide range of roles, from members of the Algiers urban bomb network to women who supported the rural guerrilla, the book explores how female veterans viewed the post-independence state and its multiple discourses on ‘the Algerian woman’ in the fifty years following 1962, from the euphoria of national liberation to the civil violence of the 1990s. It also examines the ways in which these former combatants’ memories of the anti-colonial conflict intertwine with, contradict or coexist alongside the state-sponsored narrative of the war constructed after independence. Part of an emerging field of works seeking to write the post-independence history of Algeria, this book aims to go beyond reading Algeria through the lens of post-colonial trauma or through a series of politicised dichotomies pitching oppressed citizen against oppressive state, official commemoration verses vernacular memory or contrasting narratives of post-independence decline with post-colonial success stories. Instead, this book is about the contradictions and compromises of state-building and nation-building after decolonisation. Its wider conclusions contribute to debates about gender, nationalism and memory.Less
Between 1954 and 1962, Algerian women played a major role in the struggle to end French rule in one of the most violent wars of decolonisation of the twentieth century. Our Fighting Sisters is the first in-depth exploration of what happened to these women after independence in 1962. Based on new oral history interviews with women who participated in the war in a wide range of roles, from members of the Algiers urban bomb network to women who supported the rural guerrilla, the book explores how female veterans viewed the post-independence state and its multiple discourses on ‘the Algerian woman’ in the fifty years following 1962, from the euphoria of national liberation to the civil violence of the 1990s. It also examines the ways in which these former combatants’ memories of the anti-colonial conflict intertwine with, contradict or coexist alongside the state-sponsored narrative of the war constructed after independence. Part of an emerging field of works seeking to write the post-independence history of Algeria, this book aims to go beyond reading Algeria through the lens of post-colonial trauma or through a series of politicised dichotomies pitching oppressed citizen against oppressive state, official commemoration verses vernacular memory or contrasting narratives of post-independence decline with post-colonial success stories. Instead, this book is about the contradictions and compromises of state-building and nation-building after decolonisation. Its wider conclusions contribute to debates about gender, nationalism and memory.
Robert E. L. Krick
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781469625331
- eISBN:
- 9781469625355
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469625331.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, American History: Civil War
Robert E. L. Krick’s essay surveys the assimilation of new troops into the Army of the Northern Virginia following the heavy losses sustained throughout May. The army had to be rebuilt on the move by ...
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Robert E. L. Krick’s essay surveys the assimilation of new troops into the Army of the Northern Virginia following the heavy losses sustained throughout May. The army had to be rebuilt on the move by siphoning strength from other parts of Virginia and elsewhere in the Confederacy. These units, many of which came from areas that had seen only limited military action, little resembled the battle-hardened regiments that had fought with the army in 1862 and 1863. Although the reinforcements buoyed the spirit of the veteran commands and indicated the government’s commitment to Lee, many of them faced difficulties in getting to the front, demonstrated uneven effectiveness in battle, and encountered problems in forging a relationship with the army’s veterans. The Confederate government’s effort to keep the Army of Northern Virginia at roughly its pre-Overland campaign strength enabled Lee to hold Grant at bay.Less
Robert E. L. Krick’s essay surveys the assimilation of new troops into the Army of the Northern Virginia following the heavy losses sustained throughout May. The army had to be rebuilt on the move by siphoning strength from other parts of Virginia and elsewhere in the Confederacy. These units, many of which came from areas that had seen only limited military action, little resembled the battle-hardened regiments that had fought with the army in 1862 and 1863. Although the reinforcements buoyed the spirit of the veteran commands and indicated the government’s commitment to Lee, many of them faced difficulties in getting to the front, demonstrated uneven effectiveness in battle, and encountered problems in forging a relationship with the army’s veterans. The Confederate government’s effort to keep the Army of Northern Virginia at roughly its pre-Overland campaign strength enabled Lee to hold Grant at bay.
