Theaters of War: America's Perceptions of World War II

Theaters of War traces the ways in which Americans have represented their involvement in World War II by examining the literature, film, and journalism that have shaped the understanding of the war from 1939 to the present.  Comprehensive in scope, this book looks at the ways Hollywood used World War II stories as vehicles for a Cold War message until the Vietnam War broke down Americans’ faith in that “Good War” narrative, and considers the memoir tradition that followed in its wake.  Casaregola demonstrates the ways in which the contemporary understanding of the war is richer, if still conflicted and has ultimately changed the view Americans have of themselves.