A Student's Guide to Writing World War II

Intended for anyone being introduced to historical analysis and the basics of clear historical writing, the book examines the process of writing history from two different perspectives. The first is in a series of thoughtful essays from Sylvie Murray on America's involvement in World War II and how it has subsequently been portrayed. Murray examines three periods - the build-up to war, the war effort on the home front, and the return to peacetime - trying to recapture the mixed emotions of each period and the larger forces shaping public opinion and the notion of citizenship. Her approach challenges traditional themes of "the greatest generation" and "the good war" to show how ordinary Americans responded to the call to arms and why views changed as the war effort progressed. She also examines the central role that propaganda played in mobilizing the public and excising dissent from the history of the war. The second perspective offers a look into the process of writing itself. At various points in the book, the noted historian Robert Johnston chimes in to critique Murray's prose, demystifying her analytical techniques while helping readers become more critical readers of all historical writing.