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The Changing Face of War in Textbooks: Depictions of World War II and Vietnam, 1970-2009

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Title: The Changing Face of War in Textbooks: Depictions of World War II and Vietnam, 1970-2009
Language: English
Authors: Lachmann, Richard, Mitchell, Lacy
Source: Sociology of Education. Jul 2014 87(3):188-203.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2014
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Information Analyses
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Textbooks, War, Asian History, United States History, Armed Forces, Military Personnel, Personal Narratives, Activism, Hidden Curriculum, Individualism, Military Service, Death, Textbook Content, Content Analysis, Textbook Research
Geographic Terms: United States, Vietnam
DOI: 10.1177/0038040714537526
ISSN: 0038-0407
Abstract: How have U.S. high school textbook depictions of World War II and Vietnam changed since the 1970s? We examined 102 textbooks published from 1970 to 2009 to see how they treated U.S. involvement in World War II and Vietnam. Our content analysis of high school history textbooks finds that U.S. textbooks increasingly focus on the personal experiences of soldiers, rather than presenting impersonal accounts of battles, and are increasingly likely to focus on soldiers' suffering rather than glorify combat. This shift is greater for Vietnam than for World War II. We also find increasing attention in textbooks to the fact, but not the substance, of protests against the Vietnam War. These changes provide more support for theories that view textbooks as sites of contestation or expressions of a world culture of individualism rather than purveyors of a hidden curriculum of nationalistic militarism. Future research on textbook production and comparisons of U.S. versus other countries' textbooks might show how much of the change is particular to the United States, perhaps due to the Vietnam War, or attributable to global changes in military conscription, tolerance for casualties, and attitudes toward individual rights and group obligations.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 28
Entry Date: 2014
Accession Number: EJ1030627
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Changing Face of War in Textbooks: Depictions of World War II and Vietnam, 1970-2009
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lachmann%2C+Richard%22">Lachmann, Richard</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mitchell%2C+Lacy%22">Mitchell, Lacy</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Sociology+of+Education%22"><i>Sociology of Education</i></searchLink>. Jul 2014 87(3):188-203.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 16
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Information Analyses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Textbooks%22">Textbooks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22War%22">War</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asian+History%22">Asian History</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States+History%22">United States History</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Armed+Forces%22">Armed Forces</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Military+Personnel%22">Military Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Narratives%22">Personal Narratives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Activism%22">Activism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hidden+Curriculum%22">Hidden Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individualism%22">Individualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Military+Service%22">Military Service</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Death%22">Death</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Textbook+Content%22">Textbook Content</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+Analysis%22">Content Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Textbook+Research%22">Textbook Research</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vietnam%22">Vietnam</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/0038040714537526
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  Data: 0038-0407
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: How have U.S. high school textbook depictions of World War II and Vietnam changed since the 1970s? We examined 102 textbooks published from 1970 to 2009 to see how they treated U.S. involvement in World War II and Vietnam. Our content analysis of high school history textbooks finds that U.S. textbooks increasingly focus on the personal experiences of soldiers, rather than presenting impersonal accounts of battles, and are increasingly likely to focus on soldiers' suffering rather than glorify combat. This shift is greater for Vietnam than for World War II. We also find increasing attention in textbooks to the fact, but not the substance, of protests against the Vietnam War. These changes provide more support for theories that view textbooks as sites of contestation or expressions of a world culture of individualism rather than purveyors of a hidden curriculum of nationalistic militarism. Future research on textbook production and comparisons of U.S. versus other countries' textbooks might show how much of the change is particular to the United States, perhaps due to the Vietnam War, or attributable to global changes in military conscription, tolerance for casualties, and attitudes toward individual rights and group obligations.
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  Data: 2014
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1030627
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1030627
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        Value: 10.1177/0038040714537526
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 188
    Subjects:
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: War
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      – SubjectFull: Asian History
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      – SubjectFull: Personal Narratives
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      – SubjectFull: Activism
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      – SubjectFull: Hidden Curriculum
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      – SubjectFull: Military Service
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      – SubjectFull: United States
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      – SubjectFull: Vietnam
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      – TitleFull: The Changing Face of War in Textbooks: Depictions of World War II and Vietnam, 1970-2009
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