The American Military in Fiction since 1945

In: Armed forces & society: official journal of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society : an interdisciplinary journal, Band 9, Heft 4, S. 647-663

Abstract

To determine if fictional portrayal of the military reflects & helps shape public attitudes, 107 novels written about the US military since WWII are analyzed. Sentiment was primarily antimilitary following WWII, but became increasingly promilitary over time, until the Vietnam War, when antimilitary sentiment reemerged; the latter view dominates current fiction. Similar patterns are seen in literary views of military individuals & in PO. Individual time frames & works are examined, & a current trend of fading antimilitarism & its possible effects are noted. 8 Tables, 6 Figures, 2 Appendixes. J. Cannon.