To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1, we’ve put together two episodes related to that topic. The previous one explored the history of the great influenza pandemic of 1918-1920 that swept the world in the wake of the war, killing tens of millions. In this episode, we turn our attention to the question of how Americans responded to the nation’s participation in the Great War. Joining me in this discussion is Andrew Huebner. He is an associate professor of history at the University of Alabama whose work focuses on American military history.
He’s the author of many books and scholarly articles, including the book, The Warrior Image: Soldiers in American Culture from the Second World War to the Vietnam Era. He’s with me today to speak about his latest work, Love and Death in the Great War.
In the course of our discussion, Andrew Huebner explains:
How Americans shifted from opposing US entry into the war to supporting it once the US decided to join the conflict.
How popular discourse on why Americans needed to fight in the war focused on defending the American family.
Why social turmoil in the US in the years leading up to the war led many Americans to believe US participation in WW1 would restore traditional values, racial hierarchies, and gender roles.
How the experience of US soldiers in WW1 varied significantly by race.
How Americans struggled to make sense of the loss of loved ones in the war.
How the memory and meaning of WW1 changed in the 1920s and 1930s
Recommended reading:
Andrew Huebner, Love and Death in the Great War (Oxford University Press).
David M. Kennedy, Over Here: The First World War and American Society
More info about Andrew Huebner – website
Follow In The Past Lane on
Twitter @InThePastLane
Instagram @InThePastLane
Facebook: InThePastLanePodcast
YouTube: InThePastLane
Related ITPL podcast episodes:
024 Michael Neiberg on World War I and the Making of Modern America
105 Nancy Bristow on the Great Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1920
Music for This Episode
Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (JayGMusic.com)
Kevin McCleod, “Impact Moderato” (Free Music Archive)
Andy Cohen, “Trophy Endorphins” (Free Music Archive)
Blue Dot Sessions, “Sage the Hunter” (Free Music Archive)
Jon Luc Hefferman, “Winter Trek” (Free Music Archive)
The Bell, “I Am History” (Free Music Archive)
Production Credits
Executive Producer: Lulu Spencer
Technical Advisors: Holly Hunt and Jesse Anderson
Podcasting Consultant: Dave Jackson of the School of Podcasting
Podcast Editing: Wildstyle Media
Photographer: John Buckingham
Graphic Designer: Maggie Cellucci
Website by: ERI Design
Legal services: Tippecanoe and Tyler Too
Social Media management: The Pony Express
Risk Assessment: Little Big Horn Associates
Growth strategies: 54 40 or Fight
© In The Past Lane, 2018
Recommended History Podcasts
Ben Franklin’s World with Liz Covart @LizCovart
The Age of Jackson Podcast @AgeofJacksonPod
Backstory podcast – the history behind today’s headlines @BackstoryRadio
Past Present podcast with Nicole Hemmer, Neil J. Young, and Natalia Petrzela @PastPresentPod
99 Percent Invisible with Roman Mars @99piorg
Slow Burn podcast about Watergate with @leoncrawl
The Memory Palace – with Nate DiMeo, story teller extraordinaire @thememorypalace
The Conspirators – creepy true crime stories from the American past @Conspiratorcast
The History Chicks podcast @Thehistorychix
My History Can Beat Up Your Politics @myhist
Professor Buzzkill podcast – Prof B takes on myths about the past @buzzkillprof
Footnoting History podcast @HistoryFootnote
The History Author Show podcast @HistoryDean
More Perfect podcast – the history of key US Supreme Court cases @Radiolab
Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell @Gladwell
Radio Diaries with Joe Richman @RadioDiaries
DIG history podcast @dig_history
The Story Behind – the hidden histories of everyday things @StoryBehindPod
Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen – specifically its American Icons series @Studio360show
Uncivil podcast – fascinating takes on the legacy of the Civil War in contemporary US @uncivilshow
Stuff You Missed in History Class @MissedinHistory
The Whiskey Rebellion – two historians discuss topics from today’s news @WhiskeyRebelPod
American History Tellers @ahtellers
The Way of Improvement Leads Home with historian John Fea @JohnFea1
The Bowery Boys podcast – all things NYC history @BoweryBoys
Ridiculous History @RidiculousHSW
The Rogue Historian podcast with historian @MKeithHarris
The Road To Now podcast @Road_To_Now
Retropod with @mikerosenwald