Our Fathers' War: Growing Up in the Shadow of the Greatest Generation

by Tom Mathews

It is fair to say that Tom Mathews’s relations with his father, a veteran of World War II’s fabled 10th Mountain Division, were terrible. He came back from the war to a young son he’d barely met and proceeded to bully and browbeat him—for his own good, he thought. In the course of puzzling out almost fifty years of intermittent conflict, Mathews came to understand that their problems were not simply personal, they were generational—and widely shared by millions of other baby boomer sons. And so, to write this powerful book, which traces the kinetic effect of the war on the men who fought it, their sons, and their grandsons, Mathews has uncovered nine other dramatic and telling father-son tales of veterans in some ways missing in action and how internal war wounds shaped their lives as fathers. These include a combat infantryman whose life was saved by the fabled Audie Murphy, and a black member of the storied Tuskegee Airmen corps. In a moving final chapter, he and his father return together to Italy to revisit scenes from the war—and attempt, at long last, to forge their own separate peace.

In a very real sense, Our Fathers’ War tells the secret history of World War II and its echoes down the years and generations. In the course of doing so, it offers a portrait of evolving styles of American manhood that many, many fathers and sons have been needing and awaiting.

Genres: Nonfiction, War

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the format of the book as the multiple different stories tied together common themes. I can not begin to imagine what combat veterans of any war have gone through, but this book touches that reality and helps the reader internalize the causes of the outcomes that we have all been exposed to.

[Edward Potts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book. Gave interesting insight into father/son relationships post-ww2.

[David W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me.
Speaks to the relationship between war veterans and their sons.
As the son of a WW11 veteran I had lots of questions.
some of them were answered in this book
I got both of my brothers to read it as well
Why did my dad not talk about the war? Seems nobody did.
My dad had PTSD all of his life - nightmares until the day he died.
But how lucky was I? Many of these veterans were alcoholic, and very abusive to their sons.
For many there was no communication at all - or worse yet no communication and extreme violence.
Thank you Dad for dealing with your issues, and not resorting to violence or silence
Thank you for showing me what a "gentle man" is.
You inspire me every day.

[Sabur76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. What I found unusual was that most of the people interviewed, the children of the men who fought the war, were men. Why not women?

[Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome book made the first generation after the war realize much of their father's behavior. A must read for those who are now gray headed who had father's in the war.

[Russell Macphail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book!