Politics of Veteran Benefits in the Twentieth Century

Martin Crotty is Associate Professor of History at the University of Queensland and author of Making the Australian Male.Neil J. Diamant is the Walter E. Beach '56 Chair in Political Science and Professor of Asian Law and Society at Dickinson College. He is author of Revolutionizing the Family and Embattled Glory.Mark Edele is the Hansen Chair in History at the University of Melbourne and author of, among others, Debates on Stalinism, The Soviet Union, and Stalin's Defectors. Follow him on X @EdeleMark.

• Introduction: Veterans in Comparative Perspective1. Victors Victorious2. Victors Defeated3. Benefits for the Vanquished4. The Politically Weak5. The Politically PowerfulConclusion: Veterans Past, Present, and Future

This insightful text contains fascinating discussions of various forms of power (or lack thereof) wielded by veterans during immediate and later postwar efforts in both victorious and defeated countries following different conflicts in the 20th century. An astute work. Highly recommended.(Choice) The writing is by turn learned, acerbic, impressively lucid. The authors have produced a clear and compelling argument, and they are to be applauded for staring down the challenges of interdisciplinarity and tackling such an enormous topic with confidence.(Australian Book Review) This book gives inspiring leads for anyone working on veterans.(Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies) By providing historians with the theoretical framework necessary to make sense of a diverse range of accounts, and by connecting their scholarship with the larger social science literature on welfare and social movements, this groundbreaking work will make it easier for scholars interested in veterans both to form a more coherent subfield and to make a compelling case for the broader relevance of their work.(Journal of Military History) The Politics of Veteran Benefits in the Twentieth Century is a relevant, informative, and accessible book with insights relevant for academics working in various disciplines – namely, history, political science, and sociology – as well as for politicians, practitioners, activists, veterans, veterans' organizations, and the public.(International Sociology Reviews)