Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania
Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Soldier from the War Returning: The Greatest Generations Troubled Homecoming from the Second World War
PROFILE
Thomas Childers
Guest
FROM Thomas Childers
Which Way, L.A.?
Coming Home from the Iraq War From the deep South to the Midwest to California and Washington State, military bases and surrounding towns are bulging these days with the last combat soldiers coming home from Iraq. "The returns are moments of celebration and relief, but tension and peril can lie ahead." That’s according to a report co-authored by James Dao in the New York Times.
To the Point
The Joys and Sorrows of Coming Home America's combat role in Iraq has ended, and tens of thousands of returning troops are repopulating military bases and nearby towns all over the country. But history shows that many joyous welcomes are bound to go sour with marital problems, crime and suicide likely to increase in the months to come. Are the military services and the Veterans' Administration ready to help so many people recover from wounds and shake off the mental burdens of combat? Will civilians recognize their sacrifice? Will ongoing controversy over the war itself tarnish the rewards of coming home?
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