Title
What Soldiers Do: Sex and the American GI in World War II France,Used
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How do you convince men to charge across heavily mined beaches into deadly machinegun fire? Do you appeal to their bonds with their fellow soldiers, their patriotism, their desire to end tyranny and mass murder? Certainlybut if youre the US Army in 1944, you also try another tack: you dangle the lure of beautiful French women, waiting just on the other side of the wire, ready to reward their liberators in oh so many ways.Thats not the picture of the Greatest Generation that weve been given, but its the one Mary Louise Roberts paints to devastating effect in What Soldiers Do. Drawing on an incredible range of sources, including news reports, propaganda and training materials, official planning documents, wartime diaries, and memoirs, Roberts tells the fascinating and troubling story of how the US military command systematically spreadand then exploitedthe myth of French women as sexually experienced and available. The resulting chaosranging from flagrant public sex with prostitutes to outright rape and rampant venereal diseasehorrified the warweary and demoralized French population. The sexual predation, and the blithe response of the American military leadership, also caused serious friction between the two nations just as they were attempting to settle questions of longterm control over the liberated territories and the restoration of French sovereignty.While never denying the achievement of DDay, or the bravery of the soldiers who took part, What Soldiers Do reminds us that history is always more usefuland more interestingwhen it is most honest, and when it goes beyond the burnished beauty of nostalgia to grapple with the real lives and real mistakes of the people who lived it.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'What Soldiers Do'? A: The main theme of 'What Soldiers Do' explores the complex relationship between American soldiers and French women during World War II, highlighting issues of sexual exploitation and the military's role in shaping this narrative.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'What Soldiers Do' is Mary Louise Roberts, a historian specializing in modern European history.
- Q: How many pages are in the book? A: The book contains 351 pages.
- Q: What is the binding type of 'What Soldiers Do'? A: This book is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: When was 'What Soldiers Do' published? A: The book was published on May 17, 2013.
- Q: Is 'What Soldiers Do' suitable for academic research? A: Yes, 'What Soldiers Do' is suitable for academic research as it draws on a wide range of historical sources and provides a critical analysis of World War II.
- Q: What categories does this book fall under? A: The book falls under the category of Sexuality.
- Q: Does 'What Soldiers Do' include illustrations? A: Yes, the book is an illustrated edition, which includes images that complement the text.
- Q: What historical sources does the author use in the book? A: Mary Louise Roberts uses news reports, propaganda materials, wartime diaries, and official military documents as sources in the book.
- Q: What are the key issues discussed in 'What Soldiers Do'? A: Key issues discussed include the sexual predation of American soldiers, the impact on French society, and the military's exploitation of the myth surrounding French women during the war.