World War II was the Greatest Conflict in Human History

Over 50 Million people were killed. More nations were involved in the war than any other conflict in

human history

Civilians were targets as well as soldiers. The effects of the war

were enormous. The human cost was terrible. Over 46 million

people lost their lives.

Collectively the War was fought between the Axis and the Allies

Germany was part of the Axis

Japan was part of the Axis

Italy was part of the Axis

Great Britain was part of the Allies

France was part of the Allies

The Soviet Union (Russia) was part of the Allies.

China was part of the allies

These men all fought against the Japanese with the Flying Tigers unit of the Chinese Air Force

The United States led the Allies after remaining neutral initially

J. D. Salinger

Salinger’s youth and life before the war

• Salinger was born to a Jewish father and Catholic mother

• His father was a wealthy cheese merchant• Salinger grew up in New York City and had a

very privileged childhood• Salinger went to many different high schools

and often got into trouble, he ended up at Valley Forge Military Academy

Salinger’s youth and life before the war (continued)

• He wrote short stories which were well received by newspapers and magazines

• Between attending different colleges (NYU, Ursinus, and Colombia) he continued to write as well as work on a cruise Ship.

• His father wanted him to learn the family business, so he sent Salinger to Austria where his French and German were perfected

Salinger was drafted in 1942 into the U.S. Army

Salinger’s War Experience• Salinger served in the counter-intelligence

corps of the U.S. Army because of his strengths with words and German and French. He landed on Utah beach during the D-Day invasion of 1944.

Salinger suffered a wound or war illness in 1945

Salinger Recovers

• In a hospital in Nuremberg he recovered from his illness/wound. It is unclear what he suffered from.

The Baby Boom in the U.S.

8 Million U.S. Servicemen Returned from the War

• For the American soldiers returning, it was a struggle. They had to assimilate back into society after going through the war, the killing, and the death. Many of them had killed and seen others killed up close. They also faced a new American society, different values, different social milieu. It was a struggle for Salinger and most of all the rest of the soldiers to reintegrate back into the country.

Historical Context

• Being a soldier, fighting in the war, and returning home all contributed to Salinger’s work as an author. The first story we will cover is “A Perfect day for Bananafish.” It tells the story of one solder, Seymour Glass. The character as well as his family served as a basis of many Salinger Stories. Seymour is troubled because of his experiences in the war. This mirrors what many believe Salinger went through as well when he returned. It forms the context of the setting for each of the stories in Nine Stories.