The Second World War in U. S. History and Memory by Mark A. Stole

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World War II was a global event that forever changed the world. From devastating events to heart wrenching stories, World War II bore witness to some of the most heinous acts against humanity. A debate exists over the differences between the history and the memory of the war. From historians to the way societies remember it, the war impacted everyone. Many argue that the United States entered the war for ulterior motives others remember its involvement as a necessity in order to prevent a more catastrophic outcome. Whether one remembers the war because they lived it or because they read about it differences of opinions still exist regardless of historical evidence or witness accounts. In the article, “The Second World War in U. S. History and Memory” by Mark A. Stoler, the author addresses the differences between history and the memory of the war. The author discusses how historical hindsight of World War II drastically transformed the United Stated. Yet, during that time Americans misunderstood those transformations which resulted in them failing to comprehend what actually occurred was that their memory of the war diverged sharply from historical reality (Stoler, 2001). According to the author, not only did the United States emerge as a “Powerhouse” after its involvement in the war but also it served as a catalyst for an economical boost. In addition, the war also played a major role in the domestic struggle against racism, even though segregation still existed in the armed forces, and the black civil rights movement. The U.S. involvement in the war also served as a gateway for women to enter the workforce causing the war to become a watershed in women’s history. Yet, Americans dismissed domestic progress and focused more on o... ... middle of paper ... ... one another but rather to collaborate data on the actualities of war. Whether it’s Stoler’s article debating between the history and memory of the war, Berembaum’s effort to educate on the history of the Holocaust, or Walton’s case study determining the validity of oral accounts of WWII veterans, the point is that historical data whether factual or oral should be treated as equal. References Berenbaum, Michael (1993). The World Must Know: The history of the Holocaust as told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. NY: Little, Brown and Company Stoler, Mark A. (2001). “The Second World War in U. S. History and Memory” Diplomatic History, 25 (3): 383-392 doi:10.1111/0145-2096.00273 Walton, Rodney E. (2010). Memories from the Edge of the Abyss: Evaluating the Oral Accounts of World War II Veterans Oral History Review, Volume 37, Number 1, pp.18-34

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