Divided by Terror: American Patriotism after 9/11

Americans responded to the 9/11 attacks with patriotism, but this was not universal. Some supported a war-based patriotism, while others demanded an empathic patriotism that would witness the death and suffering. Twenty years later, the war still simmers, and both forms of patriotism continue to shape historical understandings of the legacy and political life of the nation. John Bodnar's history explores how honor, brutality, trauma, and suffering have become contested in commemorations, congressional correspondence, films, soldier memoirs, and works of art, concluding that Americans are deeply divided over the War on Terror and how to define their allegiance.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 320 pages
\n Publication date: 24 May 2021
\n Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
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Amidst the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the United States witnessed an overwhelming display of patriotism, though not everyone expressed it in the same way. A war-based patriotism drove millions of Americans to wave flags and rally behind a brutal War on Terror, leading to military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. At the same time, a call for empathic patriotism emerged, urging Americans to bear witness to the devastating consequences of the attack and the pain experienced by those affected.

Twenty years later, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq continues to simmer, and both forms of patriotism continue to shape historical interpretations of the 9/11 legacy and the political landscape of the nation. In his insightful history, John Bodnar shifts the focus of America's War on Terror from the battlefield to the realm of political and cultural conflict. He explores how concepts of honor, brutality, trauma, and suffering have become highly contested in commemorations, congressional correspondence, films, soldier memoirs, and works of art. Bodnar's conclusion is that Americans remain deeply divided over the War on Terror and the terms of their allegiance, a fissure that has deepened as American politics has become increasingly polarized in the twenty-first century.

This book offers a valuable perspective on the complex and multifaceted nature of patriotism in the aftermath of 9/11. It sheds light on the ways in which individuals and communities have grappled with the challenges posed by the war and its impact on American society. By examining the competing narratives of patriotism, Bodnar helps us to better understand the ongoing divisions and conflicts that shape our nation's political landscape.

\n Weight: 584g\n
Dimension: 165 x 242 x 28 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781469662619\n \n