Aaron Hiltner contributes to open access archival source on US soldiers in World War II

17 December 2021

The team behind The American Soldier in World War II project is delighted to announce the launch of its open access website. This site contains over 65,000 pages of handwritten responses from soldiers in WW II that have now been categorised and transcribed by a team of historians, digital humanists, data scientists, and over 7,200 citizen-archivists over the past six years. All the survey data and sources are fully searchable and tagged. Visitors to the site can browse and search over 65,000 pages of uncensored, open-ended responses handwritten by servicemembers, view and download survey data and original analyses, read topical essays by leading historians, and access additional learning resources. The site also features 15 introductory essays that analyse several different themes and parts of soldier's lives (e.g. medical care and mental health, women and gender, and readjustment and postwar life). The Institute's Aaron Hiltner authored the essay on Discipline and Military Justice, which utilises the research from his book Taking Leave, Taking Liberties: American Troops on the World War II Home Front.

Dr Aaron Hiltner is a historian of the United States, focusing on empire, ecology, the military, foreign relations, and masculinity. He completed his PhD in History at Boston University in 2018. His dissertation received honourable mention from the SMH Coffman Prize. He previously taught at Boston University, Fitchburg State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is Lecturer (Teaching) in United States History at UCL Institute of the Americas.

Links:

The American Soldier in World War II project | link to project website

Dr Aaron Hiltner | academic profile

Taking Leave, Taking Liberties: American Troops on the World War II Home Front | Link to Dr Aaron Hiltner's book webpage

Image:

Logo of The American Soldier in World War II research project