Why We Fought: Forging American Obligations in World War IIWhy We Fought is a timely and provocative analysis that examines why Americans really chose to sacrifice and commit themselves to World War II. Unlike other depictions of the patriotic “greatest generation,” Westbrook argues that, strictly speaking, Americans in World War II were not instructed to fight, work, or die for their country—above all, they were moved by private obligations. Finding political theory in places such as pin-ups of Betty Grable, he contends that more often than not Americans were urged to wage war as fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, lovers, sons, daughters, and consumers, not as citizens. The thinness of their own citizenship contrasted sharply with the thicker political culture of the Japanese, which was regarded with condescending contempt and even occasionally wistful respect. Why We Fought is a profound and skillful assessment of America's complex political beliefs and the peculiarities of its patriotism. While examining the history of American beliefs about war and citizenship, Westbrook casts a larger light on what it means to be an American, to be patriotic, and to willingly go to war. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Contents
Japanese Political Cultureand thePeculiarities of American Patriotism | |
Dwight Macdonald and | |
Notes | |
Other editions - View all
Why We Fought: Forging American Obligations in World War II Robert B. Westbrook Limited preview - 2010 |
Why We Fought: Forging American Obligations in World War II Robert B. Westbrook No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
advertisement American national analysis andthe appeal argued arguments atthe Betty Grable Byas Cambridge citizens citizenship collective guilt conceived conception crimes critics death camps democracy democratic Dwight Macdonald Eichmann emperor enemy essay ethical evidence extermination fight Freedom fromthe German Grable’s Hannah Arendt historians Hollywood Holocaust human ideology illustration credit individual inthe isthe itwas Japan Japanese Japanese Mind Japanese political culture Japanese soldiers Jewish Jews liberal democracy liberal theory lives Macdonald Papers magazine Marxist Michael Sandel mobilization modern national identity Nazi nonliberal Norman Rockwell Obligation in World ofthe onthe organic painting particular political community Partisan Review patriotism philosophers photographs pin-up girl political obligation political theory popular private obligations propaganda protect protector Responsibility ofPeoples Rita Hayworth Rockwell’s Roosevelt’s social solidarity suchas suggests thefamily themost theNazis TheResponsibility thestate thewar thinking totalitarianism tothe tradition understand Walzer war’s wareffort wartime wasnot Westbrook whywe Willard Price withthe women World WarII WorldWar York intellectuals
Bibliographic information
| Title | Why We Fought: Forging American Obligations in World War II |
| Author | Robert B. Westbrook |
| Publisher | Smithsonian Institution, 2012 |
| ISBN | 1588343707, 9781588343703 |
| Length | 166 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Military / World War II History / Social History History / United States / 20th Century |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |