Echoes of war: a thousand years of military history in popular culture

Abstract

This work argues that living history, even if it is an incomplete depiction of the past, plays a vital role in stimulating the historical imagination. It examines how one of the most popular fields of history is portrayed, embraced, and shaped by mainstream culture. The text argues that symbols of war are of intrinsic military significance and help people articulate ideas and values. Though Custer may not have been the army' most accomplished fighter, he achieved the status of cultural icon. The public memory of the redcoated British regular soldier shaped American attitudes toward governments and gun laws. The 1863 attack on Fort Wagner by the black 54th Massachusetts regiment was lost to public view until racial equality became important in the late 20th century.