Document Type
Class Paper
Publication Date
12-12-2014
Abstract
The events of World War I and World War II will always be remembered by people throughout the world. You didn't have to directly experience the wars to realize what a devastating impact they had on the history of mankind. The two world wars have continued to affect our world to this day. To explain why the wars affect us and how they do so would take many more pages than I have been given to write. What I can explain is the experience that one individual had in the war. This man's name was Adlai Stevenson Turner. Turner grew up in a small town in Arkansas and went to college at the University of Arkansas. As soon as he met Dorothy McNutt, he knew he wanted to get married to her. They were married in November of 1917. Turner registered for the Army reserves and commissioned as a 1st Lt. in August of 1917. He actively participated in both WWI and WWII as an officer in the Army and retired as a Colonel in 1950. During the war, Turner wrote letters back home to his wife and son. He addressed these letters "My Sweets" and "Sweetheart". His family was important to him and that meant staying in contact with them while he was at war was crucial. His experiences in war add a personal touch to the realities of the conflict. To gain a complete perspective of the two world wars, we must look at the battles and the individuals that fought in the battles. Through the letters that Turner wrote to his family we can gain a better perspective on the war through the eyes of a soldier and apply that to the greater events of both of the world wars.
Recommended Citation
Rose, Lana, "In a Different Light: The World Wars in the Experience of Adlai Stevenson Turner" (2014). History Class Publications. 3.
https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/history/3
Comments
World at War