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War Veterans in Postwar SituationsA Veteran’s Challenge: From the Test of War to the American Dream

War Veterans in Postwar Situations: A Veteran’s Challenge: From the Test of War to the American... [What is it like for a war veteran to return to a peaceful and prosperous civilian society? This question is particularly relevant in Canada. Far from the massive operational theatres of both world wars, Canadians experienced these events in a schizophrenic mode: some were caught in the turmoil of the front lines, others remained unharmed on a relatively secure home front. The resulting cultural clash between veterans and civilians was inevitable. How did the veterans experience their return? What were the outward signs of their crises? Veterans told us that after signing their discharge they were asked to abandon their warrior habitus on the spot and pursue the American Dream. It was assumed that the emerging welfare state would create a peaceful and well-ordered life for veterans. However, it neglected to take into account the symbolic dimensions of “civil-ianization.” At best, the community commemorated its heroes’ ultimate sacrifice, but paid little attention to those who had survived, taking it for granted that they were back to “normal.” Thus, because the community offered no “re-aggregating” rituals, which might have helped veterans evacuate the hubris imbued in them by the nation at war, returning soldiers were left to find their own way of repressing their “dark side” and coming to terms with the loss of their brothers-in-arms. Some managed better than others. But does one ever come back from war?] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

War Veterans in Postwar SituationsA Veteran’s Challenge: From the Test of War to the American Dream

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References (6)

Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan US
Copyright
© Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Nature America Inc. 2012
ISBN
978-1-349-34417-8
Pages
117 –136
DOI
10.1057/9781137109743_6
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[What is it like for a war veteran to return to a peaceful and prosperous civilian society? This question is particularly relevant in Canada. Far from the massive operational theatres of both world wars, Canadians experienced these events in a schizophrenic mode: some were caught in the turmoil of the front lines, others remained unharmed on a relatively secure home front. The resulting cultural clash between veterans and civilians was inevitable. How did the veterans experience their return? What were the outward signs of their crises? Veterans told us that after signing their discharge they were asked to abandon their warrior habitus on the spot and pursue the American Dream. It was assumed that the emerging welfare state would create a peaceful and well-ordered life for veterans. However, it neglected to take into account the symbolic dimensions of “civil-ianization.” At best, the community commemorated its heroes’ ultimate sacrifice, but paid little attention to those who had survived, taking it for granted that they were back to “normal.” Thus, because the community offered no “re-aggregating” rituals, which might have helped veterans evacuate the hubris imbued in them by the nation at war, returning soldiers were left to find their own way of repressing their “dark side” and coming to terms with the loss of their brothers-in-arms. Some managed better than others. But does one ever come back from war?]

Published: Nov 3, 2015

Keywords: Combat Veteran; Moral Economy; Civilian Life; American Dream; Military History

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