Routledge Reagan's Boys and the Greatest Generation History

Explore the complex history of American memory in Reagan's "Boys" and the Children of the Greatest Generation. This book provides a deep look into how U.S. World War II memory was constructed during the 1980s and 1990s. It examines how aging Baby Boomer parents sought to honor their parents' wartime achievements through the specific label of "The Greatest Generation." This work is the first to trace the full timeline of this cultural movement. It follows the origins of this memory starting with U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and the simultaneous promotion by newscaster Tom Brokaw. The narrative continues through 1994, tracing how the concept gained academic weight from historian Stephen E. Ambrose and achieved cultural visibility through the filmmaking of Steven Spielberg. For students of military history and American culture, this Routledge publication offers a detailed account of how a specific historical narrative was built and maintained in the late 20th century.