Coming soon
Sometime in 2022...
This is Mythology of World War II, a newsletter about the reception of WWII.
WWII impacted popular culture, foreign policy, Hollywood, tourism, immigration, architecture and commerce. But there’s a lack of journalism or academic writing about this. Most scholarship about WWII regards to the war itself, including The Holocaust. This is of course, important. However, I see an opportunity to interrogate, and explore, the ‘mythology’ of WWII and how it shaped the contemporary world.
What is mythology?
Mythology refers to the knowledge, stories, folklore, beliefs and allegories regarding a particular culture or event. The point of studying mythology isn’t to make grand claims of ‘true’ or ‘false.’ Obviously, WWII and The Holocaust happened. Rather, I am interested in :
How WWII shaped contemporary lives
The storytelling of WWII
What lessons or narratives others believe
Perceptions of WWII
Although I have strong opinions about WWII, I aim for an educational tone. Topics I will discuss include: WWII movies, recent migration into Germany, the historiography of Ordinary Men, French tourism, Russian foreign policy and ANZAC Day.
On launch, I will publish a weekly post. There will be a paid version, with perks. Unsure what they are yet.
What makes you qualified?
A fair question. My name is Madeleine, and I have a B.A in Modern History from Macquarie University. This year, I studied a postgraduate unit in WWII history, earning a Distinction at Australian National University, where I’m currently completing a Graduate Certificate of Studies. I’ve also written essays, all earning high marks, on the public history of WWII. Much of my interaction of WWII outside of academic study comes from reading and tourism.
That said, I understand my shortcomings. I welcome any feedback.
Cool. When are you launching?
Hopefully, early 2022.