The debate about the place of veterans in society has long raged in American politics and is in the spotlight in the current Presidential Campaign. The readings for this week focus on the experience of Russian and Australian soldiers after World War II. After WWII veterans across the world struggled to find their way back home and back into civilian life. While the veterans struggled to find their way the citizens of their home countries struggled to help them re-enter society. In many places such as the United States the government released legislation that offered more extensive benefits to veterans returning from war than had been allowed previously. This benefits package was signed into law by President Roosevelt who “wrote to Secretary of War Henry Stimson that he was “deeply concerned over the physical and emotional condition of disabled men returning from the war. The ultimate ought to be done for them.” Jarvis says that many american citizens in the post war era saw veterans rehabilitation programs and welfare as a way to repay society’s debt to the veterans of their country and wholeheartedly supported it.
As well as affording them a certain respect in society a mans veteran status made him a part of a very influential political group. After World War I in Australia a former Labor Party Prime Minister named Billy Hughes created the new Nationalist party with his base of support being the returned soldiers. The veterans knew that Hughes needed their support to win the 1919 election so they used this dependence to secure major concessions from the government. The veterans used their influence to create a welfare state where the old, sick, and those unable to support themselves would be supported by the government, thus revolutionizing welfare in the modern world.
I think that it was devastating the amount of veterans that were struggling after the war. I understand that having PTSD was not something many people understood but I think it is so sad that so many people were struggling to get their lives back to normal after such a devastating war. I think that it was good that the American people were agreeing to rehabilitation programs and such. It is interesting to me how the Australians created a welfare state. They knew what they needed to do so they just did it.
I like your point about how the people all agreed that rehabilitation programs were a way to repay the men for what they had sacrificed in the war. However, I find it ironic that though the people agreed that these rehabilitation programs were a good idea, most people were not willing to help veterans who suffered from psychological problems. Rather, they chose the question their manhood in many cases and this caused many veterans to turn to alcohol.