Description
Book SynopsisWhat happened to veterans of the nations involved in the world wars? How did they fare when they returned home and needed benefits? How were they recognizedor notby their governments and fellow citizens? Where and under what circumstances did they obtain an elevated postwar status?
In this sophisticated comparative history of government policies regarding veterans, Martin Crotty, Neil J. Diamant, and Mark Edele examine veterans'' struggles for entitlements and benefits in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan, the Soviet Union, China, Germany, and Australia after both global conflicts. They illuminate how veterans'' success or failure in winning benefits were affected by a range of factors that shaped their ability to exert political influence. Some veterans'' groups fought politicians for improvements to their postwar lives; this lobbying, the authors show, could set the foundation for beneficial veteran treatment regimes or weaken the political forces proposin
Trade Review
This insightful text contains fascinating discussions of various forms of power (or lack thereof) wielded by veterans during immediate and later postwar efforts in both victorious and defeated countries following different conflicts in the 20th century. An astute work. Highly recommended.
* Choice *
The writing is by turn learned, acerbic, impressively lucid. The authors have produced a clear and compelling argument, and they are to be applauded for staring down the challenges of interdisciplinarity and tackling such an enormous topic with confidence.
* Australian Book Review *
This book gives inspiring leads for anyone working on veterans.
* Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies *
By providing historians with the theoretical framework necessary to make sense of a diverse range of accounts, and by connecting their scholarship with the larger social science literature on welfare and social movements, this groundbreaking work will make it easier for scholars interested in veterans both to form a more coherent subfield and to make a compelling case for the broader relevance of their work.
* Journal of Military History *
The Politics of Veteran Benefits in the Twentieth Century is a relevant, informative, and accessible book with insights relevant for academics working in various disciplines – namely, history, political science, and sociology – as well as for politicians, practitioners, activists, veterans, veterans' organizations, and the public.
* International Sociology Reviews *
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Veterans in Comparative Perspective
1. Victors Victorious
2. Victors Defeated
3. Benefits for the Vanquished
4. The Politically Weak
5. The Politically Powerful
Conclusion: Veterans Past, Present, and Future
