The American People in World War II: Freedom from Fear, Part Two
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Author Description
Even as the New Deal was coping with the Depression, a new menace was developing abroad. Exploiting Germany's own economic burdens, Hitler reached out to the disaffected, turning their aimless discontent into loyal support for his Nazi Party. In Asia, Japan harbored imperial ambitions of its own. The same generation of Americans who battled the Depression eventually had to shoulder arms in another conflict that wreaked worldwide destruction, ushered in the nuclear age, and forever changed their way of life and their country's relationship to the rest of the world.The American People in World War II--the second installment of Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning Freedom from Fear--explains how the nation agonized over its role in the conflict, how it fought the war, why the United States emerged victorious, and why the consequences of victory were sometimes sweet, sometimes ironic. In a compelling narrative, Kennedy analyzes the determinants of American strategy, the painful choices faced by commanders and statesmen, and the agonies inflicted on the millions of ordinary Americans who were compelled to swallow their fears and face battle as best they could. The American People in World War II is a gripping narrative and an invaluable analysis of the trials and victories through which modern America was formed.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
How did the United States navigate the transition from the economic instability of the Great Depression to the global demands of World War II, and what were the long-term consequences of this transformation? David M. Kennedy, a professor of history at Stanford University, utilizes extensive archival research and primary source documentation to examine the intersection of domestic policy and international conflict. He argues that the war was not merely a military endeavor but a profound social and political catalyst that redefined the American identity and its global standing in the twentieth century.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the geopolitical tensions in Europe and Asia leading to the outbreak of global conflict.
- Examination of the strategic decision-making processes of American military commanders and political leaders.
- Documentation of the social and economic impact of the war on the American home front.
- Evaluation of the transition into the nuclear age and the subsequent shift in international relations.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Historians and scholars widely regard this work as a definitive account of the American experience during the Second World War. Readers frequently note the academic rigor and the comprehensive nature of the prose, which balances high-level strategic analysis with the lived experiences of the American populace.
Page Count:
528
Publication Date:
2003-11-20
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0195168933
ISBN-13:
9780195168938
History
United States
Military History
Political History
