Read more
A fresh perspective on World War II commemoration that identifies the central place of war memory in post-1945 transatlantic relations.
List of contents
Introduction; Part I. Remembrance and Reconstruction, c.1917-69: 1. Old World and New World: interwar transatlantic commemoration, c.1917-41; 2. 'Here we are together': air war and the anglicisation of American memory, c.1941-63; 3. 'These memories shall not be forgotten': D-Day and transatlantic memory, c.1944-69; Part II. Americanisation and Commercialisation, c.1964-2001: 4. 'It looks so different now': veterans' memory, c.1964-84; 5. 'The last good war': Vietnam, victory culture and the Americanisation of memory, c.1964-84; 6. 'One last look': the commercialisation of memory, c.1984-2001; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.
About the author
Sam Edwards holds a Ph.D. in History from Lancaster University. His current research engages with transatlantic relations, commemoration and memory, and the cultural history of twentieth-century conflict. He has previously published essays discussing various aspects of twentieth-century war commemoration, and he is co-editor of a volume exploring the place of D-Day in international remembrance, D-Day in History and Memory: The Normandy Landings in International Remembrance and Commemoration (2014). Edwards is keenly involved in various forms of community engagement, including public lecturing and schools' outreach activities, and he is frequently contacted by media outlets for informed opinion on topics connected to his research interests. In 2013, he delivered a guest talk for BBC Radio 4 on the subject of the centennial of the First World War. Prior to becoming a Lecturer in American History at Manchester Metropolitan University, Edwards was Fulbright Distinguished Scholar at the University of Pittsburgh and he remains a Fulbright alumnus. To date, his research has been funded by grants and awards from the Economic and Social Research Council, the British Association of American Studies, the United States Army Military History Institute, and the US-UK Fulbright Commission.
Summary
Sam Edwards uncovers the history of how, amidst the challenges and tensions of the Cold War, Americans and Europeans used acts of World War II commemoration as forums in which to discover, define and dispute the past and present of the transatlantic alliance.
Additional text
Advance praise: 'This is a book of extraordinary scope. Sam Edwards leads us on a journey through the material remnants of war, charting the way that memorialization was plotted across the landscapes of southern Britain and France. From deserted airfield runways that once carried B17 bombers, to village churchyards, memorial gardens and landing beaches remade as cemeteries, Edwards explores the complex construction of memory and the politics that shape it. He examines the dynamic interplay of diverse memory agents, veterans recalling their own war experience, local communities creating a sense of heritage, and the cultural and political agencies that fund commemoration on both sides of the Atlantic. This book will be of interest to any scholar of the Second World War Beautifully written, carefully researched and informed by a vast but never intrusive historiography, Allies in Memory is a welcome contribution to a long neglected field.' Bruce Scates, Monash University
