"In the immediate years after World War II, veterans provided powerful critiques of American society, which were often at odds with civilian prescriptions that urged ex-soldiers to quietly integrate back into civilian life. At the same time, a Cold War consensus culture was developing in America, supported by some returning veterans, but rejected by others. By taking on diverse topics such as disgruntled soldiers' views of the homefront, John F. Kennedy's race for Congress, the images of vets in film noir, and the activism of African-American veterans, Settling Down examines the critical voices of soldiers, which were so prevalent in the immediate postwar era, but that were altered or eliminated in later years."--BOOK JACKET.