Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular CultureUniversity Press of Kentucky, 2014 M10 17 - 296 pages Americans are often accused of not appreciating history, but this charge belies the real popular interest in the past. Historical reenactments draw thousands of spectators; popular histories fill the bestseller lists; PBS, A&E and The History Channel air a dizzying array of documentaries and historical dramas; and Hollywood war movies become blockbusters. Though historians worry that these popular representations sacrifice authenticity for broad appeal, Michael C.C. Adams argues that living history—even if it is an incomplete depiction of the past—plays a vital role in stimulating the historical imagination. In Echoes of War, he examines how one of the most popular fields of history is portrayed, embraced, and shaped by mainstream culture. Adams argues that symbols of war are of intrinsic military significance and help people to articulate ideas and values. We still return to the knight as a symbol of noble striving; the bowman appeals as a rebel against unjust privilege. Though Custer may not have been the Army's most accomplished fighter, he achieved the status of cultural icon. The public memory of the redcoated British regular soldier shaped American attitudes toward governments and gun laws. The 1863 attack on Fort Wagner by the black Fifty-fourth Massachusetts regiment was lost to public view until racial equality became important in the late twentieth century. Echoes of War is a unique look at how a thousand years of military history are remembered in popular culture, through images ranging from the medieval knight to the horror of U.S. involvement in the My Lai massacre. |
From inside the book
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... enemy elite approaching, the housecarls moved to the front ranks and a vicious encounter followed at the shield wall. A contingent of Bretons on William's left panicked and fled, almost precipitating a Norman debacle. But many fyrd, ill ...
... enemy meant that the foot soldier could make use of his weapons to hurt horse and knight in this close-quarters exchange. But the new cavalry tactic coming into use at Hastings gave much more power to the horseman: instead of carrying ...
... enemy queen to be his concubine. In this warrior world, the obligations of man to man matter most; the loyalty of a vassal or feu holder to his lord, and of knight to knight as comrades in arms. Treachery between men is the worst crime ...
... enemy captain's cow. However, many mercenaries were common foot soldiers, carrying either pike, longbow, or crossbow ... enemies before battle with rude gestures, intended to provoke fear or, even better, thoughtless anger that could ...
... enemy to fire, the bowmen were wasted. The English joined battle by discharging a volley of arrows, which provoked the mounted cavalry on the wings to charge. They were driven off in confusion and, on their way back, caused further ...
Other editions - View all
Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular Culture Michael C.C. Adams Limited preview - 2021 |
Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular Culture Michael C. C. Adams No preview available - 2002 |
Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular Culture Michael C.C. Adams No preview available - 2002 |