The story of World War II has been well-mined by historians over the past 80 years. It’s hard to provide a new angle on the action, yet this series of podcasts does just that. While many histories focus on stories of foreign battles, this history tells America’s domestic challenges around the war. It does so using audio footage of interviews from people at the time. While I’ve heard some of these narratives before (e.g., women undertaking industrial work), many of the episodes covered ground that was new to me. Compiling these stories concisely in one place will be an asset to readers in future years.
This series of podcasts gather original source information from disperse archives, each with its own angle on the war. Thus, it can say, through primary sources, what it was like to live in America during World War II. Many accounts of domestic life are whitewashed with a strong, but false sense of united patriotism. This account avoids that by sharing the anxiety and hardships firsthand in observers’ very words and voices.
America transformed because of the war. Racism and sexism were exposed. The infrastructure of scientific research changed. American isolationism, prevalent after World War I, receded. The military grew dramatically and remained large even after V-J Day. Each of these storylines is handled with care using first-hand accounts. Yes, you’re able to hear the voices of people in that time expressing their thoughts on then-current events.
Again, a broad take on the domestic narratives of the war is one that has not been well explored in prior accounts. Each episode’s main storylines has been explored, but this rendition weaves them together and preserves them for future generations. This is a real contribution to American historians, to students learning about the war, to writers of historical fiction, and to curious Americans. The first-hand accounts convey a sense of uncertainty that is often not shared when telling the story of World War II. They show how our society has grown because of the war and how we risk relapse if these lessons in the future aren’t conserved.
The Home Front: Life in America During World War II
Executively Producer: Martha Little
Series Producer: Dan Gediman
Narrated by Martin Sheen
Copyright (c) 2017
Audible Originals
ASIN B08DDFM19L
Length: 8:13
Genre: American History
www.amazon.com