Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-231) and index.
Contents
Preface -- Introduction : Worshipping -- War in America -- pt. 1. The first myth : the "Good War" -- 1. The killing of innocents -- 2. The moral dilemma of the combat infantryman -- 3. The impact of World War II on its soldiers -- pt. 2. The second myth : "The Greatest Generation" -- 4. On judging artistic interpretations of World War II -- 5. The World War II memoir -- 6. The World War II novel -- 7. An opportunity lost -- pt. 3. The third myth : "We won World War II largely on our own" -- 8. America triumphant -- pt. 4. The fourth myth : "When evil lies in others, war is the means to justice" -- 9. The Holocaust and the "evil" other -- pt. 5. Beyond the myths of World War II -- 10. New ways of thinking and acting -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Selected bibliography -- Index -- About the author.