The experiences of surviving World War II: Memories, attitudes, and motivation in engaging a World War

This study seeks to understand through qualitative interviews the experience of World War II male veterans, ages 79-84. The study explores the World War II veterans' memories, attitudes, and motivations in engaging in this war that involved the entire world. The primary reason that the United States engaged in World War II was to stop the spread of dictatorial rules of the Axis Powers and to protect the independence of our democratic way of life. Unlike the current war in Iraq, the United States experienced a total and united effort on both the homefront and the warfront.;Most reflective literature on World War II focuses on the history and culture during that time. There are very few studies on the personal experiences and accounts of our soldiers. The literature discusses how the great depression effected the American economy and what we had to do to survive through this difficult time. The attack on Pearl Harbor forever changed American history and is remembered as "a day, which will live in infamy." The literature of this dissertation also surveys our culture during World War II and what we did to help keep the economy afloat and supported a massive war effort on the homefront.;There are about 3.5 million World War II veterans still living today and it is estimated that approximately over 370,000 will die every year. These World War II veterans made many sacrifices and endured many hardships fighting the war that kept our freedom alive. Having served our country with honor, they deserve to have their memories and legacy recorded for future generations.