Edward J. Davies | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947 (age 77–78) U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Historian, author |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh |
| Academic work | |
| Era | 19th and 20th centuries |
| Institutions | University of Utah |
| Main interests | American history,historiography |
| Notable works | The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture |
Edward J. Davies (born 1947) is an American historian, author, and professor of history at theUniversity of Utah. He specialises in modern American history and has written several books on the subject. Davies is the author, together with fellow historianRonald Smelser, of the 2008 bookThe Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture.
Davies obtained his M.A. in history from theLehigh University in 1970 and his Ph.D. in history from theUniversity of Pittsburgh in 1977. In 1984, Davies was appointed an associate professor at theUniversity of Utah; he became a full professor in 2008.[1] Davies has served on the advisory board of theNational Geographic’sConcise History of the World.[2]
The 1985 book by Davies,The Anthracite Aristocracy: Leadership and Social Change in the Hard Coal Regions of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 1800-1930, focuses on the evolution of the social and economic structure of the American coal region. It explores the urban economics and social history of two towns,Wilkes-Barre andPottsville, both inPennsylvania.[3]
Together with fellow historianRonald Smelser of theUniversity of Utah, Davies is the author of the 2008 bookThe Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture. It discusses perceptions of theEastern Front of World War II in the United States in the context ofhistorical revisionism. The book traces the foundation of the post-war myth of the "clean Wehrmacht", its support by U.S. military officials, and the impact of Wehrmacht andWaffen-SS mythology on Americanpopular culture, including the present time. The book garnered largely positive reviews, for its thorough analysis on the creation of the myth by German ex-participants and its entry into American culture. Several reviews noted limitations of the book in its discussion on the myth's role in the contemporary culture and the extent of its impact on wide popular perceptions of theEastern Front, outside of a few select groups.[4][5]
TheForeign Affairs magazine called the book a "fascinating exercise in historiography", highlighting the authors' analysis of how a "number of Hitler's leading generals were given an opportunity to write the history of the Eastern Front (...) provid[ing] a sanitized version of events".[6] Military historianJonathan House reviewed the book forThe Journal of Military History, describing it as a "tour de force of cultural historiography" and commending the authors for "hav[ing] performed a signal service by tracing the origin and spread of this mythology". House recommends that military historians not only study the book, but "use it to teach students the dangers of bias and propaganda in history".[7]
