Paul Fussell obituary

Summary

Fussell is unusual for an academic in that he also served in WW2 as an infantry Lieutenant. His best-known book, The Great War and Modern Memory, provides a picture of the horrors of WW1. Key points:

• He outlines the cold stupidity of WW1 leaders.

• And looks at the different myths, themes and literature of WW1.

• Argues that romanticising the war ended up creating a sense of disillusion and distrust of authority.

• He was influenced by his own experiences in WW2 where, on his first morning on a battlefield, he awoke surrounded by corpses.

• Wounded, awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

• Convinced only those who had experienced battle could write military history.

• The Great War and Modern Memory has parallels with the Vietnam War.

• One of his most famous essays is: Thank God for the Atom Bomb.

• During WW2, Fussell's unit had fought through Germany and suffered considerable casualties.

• His unit had been warned out for deployment to the Pacific to prepare for the invasion of Japan.

• Such an invasion was expected to result in enormous casualties for American troops and British troops. 

Other works from Fussell include:

• Bad: Or, the Dumbing of America.

• Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War.

• The Boys Crusade, The American Infantry in Northwestern Europe, 1944-1945.

References

• Aug 1981 The New Republic - Fussel - thank god for the atom bomb
• Aug 1989 The Atlantic he Real War 1939-1945 - The Atlantic
• May 2001 JSTOR Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory: Twenty-Five Years Later
• Nov 2011 Kirkus Book Review The Great War and Modern Memory