Description
Book SynopsisUnpacks the politics and processes of commemoration
Trade Review"Budreau's account of the American way of remembrance uncovers a neglected chapter in the disputatious political history of the 1920s. Examining dozens of archival collections, both public and private, she has recovered the voices of mothers and other relatives of the dead. Bodies of War is a thoughtful, sometimes poignant contribution to our understanding of America's Great War experience." -- Robert H. Zieger * Journal of American History *
"Bodies of War makes a strong and innovative contribution to the social and cultural history of Americas Great War. Budreau shows how Americans ambiguous understanding of the war interacted with their need to grieve and comprehend the loss of their sons in the nations first European war. Her powerful argument makes an important contribution to our knowledge not just of the war itself, but of the many ways that the war continued to impact America long after its conclusion." -- Michael Neiberg,editor of The World War I Reader
"A remarkable story of the three Rsrepatriation, remembrance, and returnone of the most poignant to appear in recent years about American participation in World War I. It has its moments in the work of what later became the funeral industry. The far wider importance, here for the first time, concerns the nationalizing of grief." -- Robert H. Ferrell,author of Woodrow Wilson and World War I, 1917-1921
"Budreaus book is a monument to the power of civil society in framing American commemorative practices. She brings Gold Star Mothers back where they belong, into the center of the story of war and its aftermath. Through her study, we can still hear their voices, full of dignity and sadness. Here is a fine contribution to the history of American memory culture." -- Jay Winter,author of Remembering War: The Great War between Memory and History in the Twentieth Century
"Budreau offers an insightful perspective on how the US dealt with the aftermath of the Great War as officials sought to commemorate those who died in faraway places... For those with interests in the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era, or military, ethnic, and gender history, this book is a must... Summing Up: Essential." * Choice *
Table of Contents"Pilgrims," from Rhymes of a Red-Cross Man Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Map of ABMC Cemeteries and Monuments Introduction Part I Repatriation 1 The Journey's End 2 Origins 3 A Daunting Pledge 4 Charon's Price 5 A Problem of Policy 6 Make Way for Democracy! 7 Troubled Waters 8 Bringing Them Home Part II Remembrance 9 Republican Motherhood Thrives 10 A Star of Recognition 11 A Reluctant Giant 12 A Commission is Born 13 Sacred Space and Strife 14 We the People 15 Americans Make Waves Part III Return 16 A Country for Heroes? 17 Pilgrim or Tourist? 18 Commemoration or Celebration? 19 Pilgrims' Progress 20 Mothers and Politics 21 Mathilda's victory 22 Stars of Black and Gold 23 Highballs on the High Seas 24 A Personal Experience Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index About the Author
