The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Jewish Identity
How do identity politics work in extremis? The resistance in the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising had to both suppress and amplify their Jewishness.
Casablanca at 75
On the 75th anniversary of the premier of Casablanca, let's revisit the art and politics of this venerable American classic.
What Rum and Cokes Have to do With War
What could be more American than a sugary soda mixed with a liquor made from sugar? The origins of rum and Coke is more problematic than you might expect.
The Inequality Hidden Within the Race-Neutral GI Bill
While the GI Bill itself was progressive, much of the country still functioned under both covert and blatant segregation.
The Wartime Origins of Farmers Markets
In 1943, the idea of a farmers market at which produce was sold directly to the customer was nearly unheard of, a relic of the distant past.
How the Nazis Created the Myth of Stalingrad
The battle of Stalingrad was the first major defeat of the Nazis in World War II, and presented the Nazis with a propaganda quandary.
Why Women Burned Their Stockings in the 1930s
The average 1930s American woman bought up to 15 pairs of silk stockings a year—until, that is, women boycotted the fabric behind an essential garment.
The Singing, Dancing Hormel Girls Who Sold America SPAM
SPAM was introduced 80 years, but it was a military-style corps of singing women that helped the canned meat skyrocket in the years after World War II.
Amelia Earhart Taught America to Fly
Amelia Earhart taught America to fly. How Earhart and other women pilots of her day helped overcome Americans’ skepticism about flight.
The Making of the American Diner
Today's diners would surprise a 1940s patron. These restaurants were once vulgar boy’s clubs before becoming today's family-friendly establishments.