The American
West: A Twentieth-century History - Michael P. Malone and Richard W.
Etulain
The thesis is that WWII was a pivotal event in the
history of the 20th century West. Before the war, the West relied on the
extractive industries (agriculture, mining, petroleum) and lived as a colony of
the East. After the war, however, the West came to depend on a military economy
based on defense installations and federal contracts. The book also
considers environmental problems, the importance of minority groups, and the
role of culture and reclamation projects. The book also discusses the growth of
the Republican Party and the move to the right in Western politics since WWII,
which is especially interesting in this election year. The West
started many trends for the rest of the nation (car culture, suburbs, hi-tech
industries etc.). Finally, this book, written for university students, is easy
to read, with smooth phrasing.
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