Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular CultureUniversity Press of Kentucky, 2021 M10 21 - 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. |
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... peace. The changed view was a side effect of the Industrial Revolution, which generated wealth at such an unprecedented level that people feared for the moral corruption of society. Two incidents reflect the positive view of the soldier ...
... was that a heavily-armed upper class finally was as much a threat to peace as a guarantee of it. A good overseas adventure could be expected to unite the English knights and make money. Therefore, on August 11, 1415, Henry set sail.
... peace. Under the feudal system, the head of state leased land to great nobles in return for their political allegiance and the military service of themselves and their retainers. The nobles subcontracted land and subsistence to others ...
... peace through a common humanity. The Once and Future King was made into the 1960 musical play Camelot, which was filmed in 1967 with Richard Harris and Venessa Redgrave. The story of Arthur's life is written as a hero quest in search of ...
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Other editions - View all
Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular Culture Michael C.C. Adams Limited preview - 2014 |
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 |