Docu-Fictions of War: U. S. Interventionism in Film and Literature

Historical writing and fiction are not the same thing, though historians often creatively manipulate material in imposing plot structures, selecting starting and ending points, and fashioning compelling literary characters from historical figures. In __Docu-Fictions of War__, Tatiana Prorokova argues that the opposite is also true—war fiction offers a kind of history that both documents its subjects and provides a snapshot of the cultural representation of the United States’ most recent military involvements. She covers a largely neglected body of cinematic and literary texts about the First Gulf War, the Balkan War, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War to open a fresh analysis of cultural texts on war. Prorokova contends that these texts are not pure fiction, but “docu-fictions”—works of imagination that can document their subjects while disclosing the social, political, and historical link between war and culture during the last three decades. __Docu-Fictions of War__ analyzes how these representational narratives have highlighted a humanitarian rationale behind American involvement in each war, whether the stated goals were to free the oppressed from tyranny, stop genocide, or rid the world of terrorism. The book explores the gap between history—what allegedly happened—and the cultural mythology that is both true and inexact, tangible and sensed, recognized and undocumented. Frank Hamilton Cushing's 1896 excavations at Key Marco revealed astonishing carved and painted objects of wood rarely seen by archaeologists. The chapters in this book explore new discoveries and revisit existing museum collections, asking new questions or employing innovative analytical techniques. While we might reach a different conclusion today, it's clear that ancient Florida is difficult to comfortably place within the Southeast or Caribbean and that much of that difficulty arises from the iconography born of Florida's watery landscapes "Docu-Fictions of War examines contemporary cinematic and literary texts that, contrary to their designation, are not pure fiction but rather 'docu-fictions'--works of imagination that document their subjects while disclosing the social, political, and historical link between war and culture during the last three decades"-- Provided by publisher Introduction: war as/in culture: U.S. interventions in film and literature -- Conceptualizing (war) docu-fictions -- The first Gulf War -- The Balkan -- The War on Terror part I: the Afghanistan War -- The War on Terror part II: the Iraq War -- Conclusion: afterthoughts on war docu-fictions and new trends in U.S. war narratives. Argues that war fiction offers a kind of history that both documents its subjects and provides a snapshot of the cultural representation of the United States' most recent military involvements. Tatiana Prorokova covers a largely neglected body of cinematic and literary texts to open a fresh analysis of cultural texts on war.