Date of Award
2001
Degree Name
History
College
College of Liberal Arts
Type of Degree
M.A.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
David R. Woodward
Second Advisor
Robert F. Maddox
Third Advisor
Paul F. Lutz
Abstract
As the generation of Americans who fought World War II reached retirement age, a sense of nostalgia about their unforgettable days of fighting a common and undeniably evil enemy began to permeate American popular culture. This perception reinforced the concept of the Allies as the protectors of the world from tyrannical forces and leaders. Such an assessment of the conflict by Americans stemmed from the atrocities committed by Germans against Jews and other minorities. Furthermore, the unexpected attack on American territory by the Japanese justified the sacrifices made by millions of Americans. Nearly sixty years after the initiation of United States involvement, many Americans view the deeds of the soldiers who participated in the conflict with a sense of awe, and participants in the conflict often recollect their experiences with a sense of nostalgia.
Subject(s)
World War, 1939-1945.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Social aspects -- United States.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Public opinion.
Veterans -- United States.
Recommended Citation
Williamson, Margaret E., "I Was Just Doin' My Duty: The Influence of Social and Cultural Conceptions on American Participants in the Second World War" (2001). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 2150.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/2150
