What did it feel like to be an American during World War II and in the years that immediately preceded and followed it? There are no easy answers to this question because no two Americans experienced the turmoil of these years in exactly the same way. Differences existed between civilian life at home and at work, between civilian and military life, and between life in each of the major armed forces branches. National issues were also significant in determining individual experiences. Despite the differences, by the time the war years were behind them and the process of rebuilding had begun, there was an overwhelming sense among many Americans of having shared an unforgettable experience. "An Eyewitness History of World War II" provides hundreds of first-hand accounts of the period - from letters, speeches, and newspaper articles - that illustrate how important historical events appeared to those who lived through them. Among the eyewitness testimonies included are those of Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Charles Lindbergh, James Farmer, John Steinbeck, George Marshall, James A. Michener, Douglas MacArthur, and Audie Murphy.
In addition to the first-hand accounts, each chapter provides an introductory essay and a chronology of events. Appendices include excerpts from such informative documents as the Neutrality Act of 1937; Franklin Delano Roosevelt's address to Congress, December 8th 1941; the Preamble to the Charter of the United Nation; and the Nuremberg Trials Final Report, as well as capsule biographies of more than 55 key figures and a look a the issue of refugees.
- ISBN10 0816044856
- ISBN13 9780816044856
- Publish Date 1 July 2003 (first published 1 January 2003)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 25 February 2014
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Facts On File Inc
- Format Paperback
- Pages 496
- Language English