Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America

Name: Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America
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Book Synopsis: Just as World War II transformed the United States into a global military and economic superpower, so too did it forge the gun country America is today. After 1945, war-ravaged European nations possessed large surpluses of mass-produced weapons, and American entrepreneurs seized the opportunity to buy used munitions for pennies on the dollar and resell them stateside. A booming consumer market made cheap guns accessible to millions of Americans, and rates of gun ownership and violence began to climb. Andrew C. McKevitt tells the history of this gun boom through the dynamics of consumer capitalism and Cold War ideology, the combination of which resulted in a vast number of Americans arming themselves to the teeth and centering their political identity on their guns.

When gun control legislation emerged in the 1960s, many Americans, accustomed to the unregulated postwar bounty of cheap guns and fearful of Soviet invasion, domestic subversion, and urban uprisings, fiercely challenged it. Meanwhile, gun control groups were diverted from their abolitionist roots toward a conciliatory, fundraising-focused strategy that struggled to limit the stockpiling of firearms. Gun Country recasts the story of guns in postwar America as one of Cold War and racial anxieties, unfettered capitalism, and exceptional violence that continues to haunt us to this day.

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Are you fascinated by the history of America's gun culture? Dive deep into the captivating story of how World War II transformed the United States into a global military and economic superpower, forging the gun country America is today. In the book "Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America," Andrew C. McKevitt takes you on a riveting journey through the dynamics of consumer capitalism and Cold War ideology, revealing how a combination of these factors led to a surge in gun ownership and violence.

After the war, war-torn European nations found themselves with surplus mass-produced weapons, and American entrepreneurs seized the opportunity to purchase them at incredibly low prices. This led to a booming consumer market, making affordable guns accessible to millions of Americans. As rates of gun ownership soared, Americans began to center their political identity around their firearms.

When gun control legislation emerged in the 1960s, a significant divide emerged between those fiercely opposing it and gun control groups attempting to limit the stockpiling of firearms. McKevitt uncovers the Cold War and racial anxieties, unfettered capitalism, and exceptional violence that influenced these contrasting perspectives. By exploring this gripping history, "Gun Country" not only sheds light on the past but also helps us understand the present-day challenges surrounding gun control.

Join us on this fascinating journey through America's gun country by getting your hands on a copy of "Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America." Discover the untold stories, the complex dynamics, and the lasting impact of the gun boom that continues to shape our society. Embrace knowledge, unravel mysteries, and expand your horizons today.

Ready to dive into the pages of "Gun Country" and gain a deeper understanding of America's gun culture? Order your copy now at product_title.

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