The War Was Fun For America Analysis

A Red Cross member reminisced on World War II, saying, "The war was fun for America. I'm not talking about the poor souls who lost sons and daughters. But for the rest of us, the war was a hell of a good time." Over time, the allied victory in World War II has become idealized, a war of good versus evil in which everyone knew what he or she were fighting for. It has become known as the war that cemented America’s place at the top of the world both economically and militarily. Upon closer examination, politicians and popular media have extensively altered the collective memory of World War II to the point where the truth is barely present at all. Problems arise when myth becomes unquestionable truth and the accuracy of the “necessary war” is replaced by the idealized notion of the “good war.”
Societies have been reinventing their pasts since the dawn of mankind. The most useful and exciting moments are unintentionally forced to the forefront of popular memory while the ugly parts are lost to time. History is told how it should have been, not how it was. The media glamorized the
Those that showed an interest in fighting were either barred entrance or relegated to non-combat areas. Though they played an important role in bringing down the Axis powers, they were treated no better upon their return home. The pre-war discrimination remained unchanged. Clearly, America’s social ills were not cured by the war.
The glamorized vision of World War II left soldiers unprepared for the harsh realities of war they would face in Vietnam. People were shocked to find the troops coming home from Vietnam marred with PTSD. Upon closer examination, PTSD was the unfortunate reality for many World War II veterans as well. The idea of the “good war” cloaked this fact. As a result, Vietnam veterans became vulnerable to the unexpected yet common effects of