David Nasaw Uncovers the Silent Suffering of World War II Veterans
David Nasaw, distinguished professor emeritus and noted historian at the Graduate Center, explores the emotional and social burdens borne by those who won a brutal war. Growing up on Long Island during the 1950s and ’60s, Nasaw was acutely aware of the psychological scars World War II left on veterans, especially his own father.
Nasaw’s father served as a medical officer in Eritrea during the war. After a medical discharge, he returned home struggling with heavy drinking— a habit he eventually overcame—and smoking, which persisted. Despite a successful legal career, he relied on pills to fall asleep and wake up, and he died at age 61 from a second heart attack since the war.
“As a child, teen, and young man, I tried to find out what had happened to him in Eritrea, but with no success,” Nasaw shared with the Graduate Center. “So, to find out more about him and pierce the silence, I had to study his generation of veterans.”
This personal journey inspired Nasaw’s latest book, The Wounded Generation: Coming Home After World War II. It offers a detailed examination of the largely unspoken suffering experienced by millions of servicemen and women who returned from an unprecedented conflict to a society unprepared to address their complex needs, even while publicly honoring their sacrifices.
His work reveals the hidden costs of war, emphasizing the enduring impact on veterans and their families.
Author's summary: David Nasaw’s research sheds light on the overlooked emotional struggles of World War II veterans returning home to a society unready to support them, revealing a wounded generation's silent pain.