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Over Here: How the G. I. Bill Transformed the American Dream
An analysis of the purpose and legacy of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 profiles it as the twentieth century's most transformative bill, discussing how it provided a wealth of veteran benefits, from home loans and health care to job counseling and educational funding, while proving pivotal to the careers to such figures as Norman Mailer, JFK, and Paul Newman.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2006
23 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Edward Humes
21 books282 followersEdward Humes is a Southern California author, journalist and writing teacher whose most recent nonfiction book is “The Forever Witness.” His next book, “Total Garbage: How to Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World,” will be published in time for Earth Day 2024. He shares his home office with a pair of rescued racing greyhounds, Valiant and Dottie.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 28, 2019
Over Here is about the GI Bill of Rights passed to help with the transition to peace time after WWII. The author uses individual stories to explain the impact of the GI Bill had not only on individuals but the nation. Humes explains the struggle in Congress to pass the law and the role of the American Legion to get it passed. Unfortunately, while the bill itself was unbiased towards minorities often times local officials failed to implement and enforce it’s provisions during the segregation days of the 1940s - 1960s. The GI Bill had the impact of bringing millions of people up to middle class status mainly through a college education and home ownership. The author also identifies the many leaders that emerged due to the GI Bill. Humes also criticizes the flaws in the program especially the fact that it only applied to the WWII generation. Humes makes a strong case at the end of the book for a similar type program today. Yes, it would cost but it is an investment in the future as President Clinton said, it was not “a hand out but rather a hand up.” Statistics show that for every dollar spent on the GI Bill seven dollars was earned, a pretty good return. While the GI Bill helped realize the American Dream for a generation, “the tragedy is that young people today do not enjoy anything close to the advantages that the WWII GIs received - not in health care, not in home ownership, not in education, not in jobs, not in income. This is the untold tragedy of the GI Bill.” A good read.
November 2, 2020
I have benefited from the G.I. Bill. It helped me buy my first house. It helped me earn a graduate degree. My spouse, also a veteran, has used her G.I. Bill to earn her Bachelors degree and it helped us buy our second house. However the G.I. Bill today has benefited America not one iota of the benefits that the original Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill) did! This book is subtitled, How the G.I. Bill Transformed The American Dream. In his final chapter, author Edward Humes states, "...the cost to the government of sending every G.I to college who wanted to go after World War II amounted to 51 billion dollars. The return on that investment was found to be 260 billion dollars in increased economic output from those educated G.I.'s ...Another 93 billion in extra taxes paid on that income rolled in...Seven dollars earned from every dollar invested is a pretty good return (Humes, p.p. 306-307).
Mr. Humes tells the stories of World War II veterans who used the G.I. Bill to not only improve their lives but also to contribute to the American society. He begins with Allan Howerton registering for classes at the University of Denver. Howerton whose job prior to Army service was working for White Castle, decided that he needed to go to college. It was a dream of his for as long as he could remember. He never had to money although he had good grades. He was drafted and the Army sent him to the Army Specialized Training Program because of his good grades and he was to begin studies in engineering. The fighting needed replacement soldiers and the program was cancelled and he was sent to the front as an infantryman. Surviving the war, he decided to go back to college. Author Humes goes on to explain how the Bill came about, was passed and what successes it had and why it did not fulfill its original intent. Again he uses veterans who became educated and/or who bought houses and how they grew the economy, the suburbs, medicine, science, the arts, every aspect of American life. The G. I. Bill made possible fourteen Nobel Prize Laureates, three Supreme Court Justices, three Presidents, a dozen Senators, two dozen Pulitzer Prize winners, 238,000 teachers, 91,000 scientists, 67,000 doctors, 450,000engineers, 240,000 accountants, 17,000 journalists, 22,000 dentists along with a million lawyers, nurses, businessmen, artists, actors, writers, pilots and other occupations (Humes, p. 6). The author does not shy from pointing out the faults in the final bill nor in assigning blame for the faults. Congressman John Rankin of Mississippi gets the original blame as Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Legislation. He ensured that local control remained over who could get college educations and housing loans. In that way it limited the benefits for Blacks and women veterans. The bill guaranteed the home loans. It did not loan the money directly from the federal government as originally intended so banks easily refused loans to minority and women veterans. College counseling was also left to local VA counselors who steered most Black veterans to trades or lessor paying college degrees. The American Legion gets a lot of credit for the original G. I. Bill but it gets its share of the blame for not doing enough to make the Bill color and gender blind. The stories of the individuals in this book are both enlightening and informative about the impact of the G. I. Bill. As for Mr. Howerton, he ends the book. He got his bachelor's degree and went on to a Civil Service career in the Office of Personnel Management. He and his wife had three children who all went to college - a ripple effect of the G.I. Bill. Although the G.I. Bill was important in his life, he thinks that his generation has not done enough to fulfill the promise of democracy. "...a living standard that cannot be sustained and a political class in both parties reluctant to take on the challenges that confront us" (Humes, p. 302). Mr. Humes does call for a new G.I. Bill actually a bill that would give significant benefits in return for government service even non-military service. The only thing lacking in passing such a bill is will power! This is a good read!
Mr. Humes tells the stories of World War II veterans who used the G.I. Bill to not only improve their lives but also to contribute to the American society. He begins with Allan Howerton registering for classes at the University of Denver. Howerton whose job prior to Army service was working for White Castle, decided that he needed to go to college. It was a dream of his for as long as he could remember. He never had to money although he had good grades. He was drafted and the Army sent him to the Army Specialized Training Program because of his good grades and he was to begin studies in engineering. The fighting needed replacement soldiers and the program was cancelled and he was sent to the front as an infantryman. Surviving the war, he decided to go back to college. Author Humes goes on to explain how the Bill came about, was passed and what successes it had and why it did not fulfill its original intent. Again he uses veterans who became educated and/or who bought houses and how they grew the economy, the suburbs, medicine, science, the arts, every aspect of American life. The G. I. Bill made possible fourteen Nobel Prize Laureates, three Supreme Court Justices, three Presidents, a dozen Senators, two dozen Pulitzer Prize winners, 238,000 teachers, 91,000 scientists, 67,000 doctors, 450,000engineers, 240,000 accountants, 17,000 journalists, 22,000 dentists along with a million lawyers, nurses, businessmen, artists, actors, writers, pilots and other occupations (Humes, p. 6). The author does not shy from pointing out the faults in the final bill nor in assigning blame for the faults. Congressman John Rankin of Mississippi gets the original blame as Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Legislation. He ensured that local control remained over who could get college educations and housing loans. In that way it limited the benefits for Blacks and women veterans. The bill guaranteed the home loans. It did not loan the money directly from the federal government as originally intended so banks easily refused loans to minority and women veterans. College counseling was also left to local VA counselors who steered most Black veterans to trades or lessor paying college degrees. The American Legion gets a lot of credit for the original G. I. Bill but it gets its share of the blame for not doing enough to make the Bill color and gender blind. The stories of the individuals in this book are both enlightening and informative about the impact of the G. I. Bill. As for Mr. Howerton, he ends the book. He got his bachelor's degree and went on to a Civil Service career in the Office of Personnel Management. He and his wife had three children who all went to college - a ripple effect of the G.I. Bill. Although the G.I. Bill was important in his life, he thinks that his generation has not done enough to fulfill the promise of democracy. "...a living standard that cannot be sustained and a political class in both parties reluctant to take on the challenges that confront us" (Humes, p. 302). Mr. Humes does call for a new G.I. Bill actually a bill that would give significant benefits in return for government service even non-military service. The only thing lacking in passing such a bill is will power! This is a good read!
September 21, 2024
A very interesting read, this book is an impassioned examination of the history and outcomes of the GI Bill, originally known as the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944. What to do with millions of servicemen returning home from war? After a failure to deal with this question in previous wars, this legislation supported by conservatives became “the most successful piece of socially uplifting legislation the world has ever seen.”
What makes this book interesting is the stories of individual veterans whose lives were changed by the bill, through access to college education and low-cost home ownership. Engineer, salesman, teacher, doctor, film director, physicist, civil rights investigator, senator, presidential candidate … These are poignant stories, about growing up during the depression and then going to war and then finding their way back into civilian society. All of them credit the GI Bill with their ability to pursue their education and career.
The ripple effect was huge. Millions of soldiers came home and accessed these benefits and in doing so, changed America. As millions could buy homes, huge new suburbs were created. With tuition covered, colleges and universities expanded their enrollments dramatically. As the middle class expanded and more people than ever could participate in the American Dream, the economy boomed as well to meet their needs. The children of these veterans also benefited. (These stories really hit home with me, as my father was a veteran whose education and home were made possible by the GI Bill. I grew up in one of the new suburbs described, Lakewood.)
The author also exposes some flaws in the outcomes, as women and blacks had more difficulty accessing the benefits due to a conservative requirement for local rather than federal administration. And he argues that the cutting back of benefits for following generations marked the decline of the middle class.
More than a history lesson, the book is also an opinion piece, arguing that the GI Bill more than paid for itself in its benefit to the nation and the economy as a whole. It advocates a new ‘GI bill’ offering broad benefits, accompanied by a national service, requirement and criticizes the “Greatest Generation” for being conservative and not ensuring the same benefits for following generations.
What makes this book interesting is the stories of individual veterans whose lives were changed by the bill, through access to college education and low-cost home ownership. Engineer, salesman, teacher, doctor, film director, physicist, civil rights investigator, senator, presidential candidate … These are poignant stories, about growing up during the depression and then going to war and then finding their way back into civilian society. All of them credit the GI Bill with their ability to pursue their education and career.
The ripple effect was huge. Millions of soldiers came home and accessed these benefits and in doing so, changed America. As millions could buy homes, huge new suburbs were created. With tuition covered, colleges and universities expanded their enrollments dramatically. As the middle class expanded and more people than ever could participate in the American Dream, the economy boomed as well to meet their needs. The children of these veterans also benefited. (These stories really hit home with me, as my father was a veteran whose education and home were made possible by the GI Bill. I grew up in one of the new suburbs described, Lakewood.)
The author also exposes some flaws in the outcomes, as women and blacks had more difficulty accessing the benefits due to a conservative requirement for local rather than federal administration. And he argues that the cutting back of benefits for following generations marked the decline of the middle class.
More than a history lesson, the book is also an opinion piece, arguing that the GI Bill more than paid for itself in its benefit to the nation and the economy as a whole. It advocates a new ‘GI bill’ offering broad benefits, accompanied by a national service, requirement and criticizes the “Greatest Generation” for being conservative and not ensuring the same benefits for following generations.
Read
June 8, 2024“Over Here” is nothing short of inspiring. The narration is engaging and the topic, while it may sound rather bland, is highly important for the country today and a fascinating topic to read about. Just one excerpt from the book may give a good impression of how important the G.I. bill was for Americans who served in the military in World War II:
“Duplicating the G.I. Bill first requires understanding its enduring success and the reason why it has been more positively viewed than traditional welfare programs: It was inclusive, not exclusive. That is the essential difference. Anyone, rich or poor, urban or rural, blue collar or white collar, could benefit. There was no means test, which Americans despise, and it gave the appearance of being completely self-directed, which Americans love—the individual G.I., not the government, picked the college, the neighborhood, the job, the vocational school, the paint color of the garage.”
“Duplicating the G.I. Bill first requires understanding its enduring success and the reason why it has been more positively viewed than traditional welfare programs: It was inclusive, not exclusive. That is the essential difference. Anyone, rich or poor, urban or rural, blue collar or white collar, could benefit. There was no means test, which Americans despise, and it gave the appearance of being completely self-directed, which Americans love—the individual G.I., not the government, picked the college, the neighborhood, the job, the vocational school, the paint color of the garage.”
August 6, 2023
Detailed and entertaining
I loved the conversational style of writing. It worked by introducing and using various individuals from different backgrounds to reveal the realities of their war and to follow their lives through their experience of the G.I. Bill. A wonderful read.
I loved the conversational style of writing. It worked by introducing and using various individuals from different backgrounds to reveal the realities of their war and to follow their lives through their experience of the G.I. Bill. A wonderful read.
October 20, 2023
Excellent history of the GI bill. How it came about, and almost didn't, to the ways it transformed the US.
Examples of the people it helped, and the people it didn't.
A fascinating study.
Examples of the people it helped, and the people it didn't.
A fascinating study.
Read
April 18, 2009 Those of us who grew up after the debut of MTV are long accustomed to associating the struggle for justice with self-expression: the protest song, the march on the Mall, the bumper sticker, the standard tools of protest since the Vietnam War. The more people get involved, get aware, get active, we think, the closer we come to a just society.
But what was arguably America’s most influential social justice initiative was not the result of a nationwide movement or even a really great rock anthem. It was instead the prosaically named Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944—better known as the G.I. Bill—and like any piece of complex legislation, it was the child of late-night compromises between strange bedfellows. Most of the public had no idea the bill was passed. Many soldiers would not learn of their potential benefits until long after they came home. Yet the outcome, as detailed in Edward Humes’ book Over Here: How the G. I. Bill Transformed the American Dream, was the sort of equality of opportunity Americans still think they stand for and an economic and cultural renaissance we have yet to fully appreciate.
For more, see http://www.campusprogress.org/soundvi...
But what was arguably America’s most influential social justice initiative was not the result of a nationwide movement or even a really great rock anthem. It was instead the prosaically named Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944—better known as the G.I. Bill—and like any piece of complex legislation, it was the child of late-night compromises between strange bedfellows. Most of the public had no idea the bill was passed. Many soldiers would not learn of their potential benefits until long after they came home. Yet the outcome, as detailed in Edward Humes’ book Over Here: How the G. I. Bill Transformed the American Dream, was the sort of equality of opportunity Americans still think they stand for and an economic and cultural renaissance we have yet to fully appreciate.
For more, see http://www.campusprogress.org/soundvi...
Want to read
March 31, 2009Before reading:
I'm so happy to find this book (lost, until today, in my "to-read" list). As I read recently about the G.I. Bill in the FDR biography, No Ordinary Time, I couldn't help but think that the flood of educated/skilled workers entering the workforce, consequent to the benefits of the G.I. Bill, probably was largely responsible for the strong and sustained economic growth of the post-war era. I'm glad that this subject is explored in this book. I look forward to reading this book, and I hope that America will invest in, and take advantage of, higher education so that we can have a strong future.
I'm so happy to find this book (lost, until today, in my "to-read" list). As I read recently about the G.I. Bill in the FDR biography, No Ordinary Time, I couldn't help but think that the flood of educated/skilled workers entering the workforce, consequent to the benefits of the G.I. Bill, probably was largely responsible for the strong and sustained economic growth of the post-war era. I'm glad that this subject is explored in this book. I look forward to reading this book, and I hope that America will invest in, and take advantage of, higher education so that we can have a strong future.
April 22, 2010
Really enjoyed the stories from men and women who truly wanted better for themselves and took advantage of the great opportunity that was presented to them without any sense of entitlement. Good old fashioned hard work and integrity.... really wish this generation could repeat itself. Loved it.
October 5, 2012
A great description on how a gov't program can change the nation for the better. Created the middle class. For every dollar spent, the gov't gained back 7 in higher GDP and taxes.
February 28, 2014
I haven't rated many books a 5 but this one is outstanding. A great American history lesson that I never learned in any schools. A must read for all
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews