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Military Victory Parades in New York City 1899-1946

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

1 Performative Preliminaries ………………………………………………………………… 14

1.1 Public Celebrations in Recent Historiography ……………………………..15

1.2 Identity in Question: Text or Performance? …………………………………21

1.3 Performances: Actors, Interpretations, and Materiality ………………..33

2 Case Study: the ‘Harlem Hellfighters’ on Parade (February 1919) ………………………………………………………………………41

3 Setting the Stage: the Organizers of Parades………………………………………73

3.1 Military Prep Work ……………………………………………………………………… 74

3.2 Civic Prep Work ………………………………………………………………………….. 85

3.3 Getting Excited in the Press ……………………………………………………….100

4 On Stage: America’s Conquering Heroes …………………………………………114

4.1 The Strong Heroes ……………………………………………………………………..116

4.2 Machines of War: ‘Promises’ of an Awe-some Modernity? ………..141

4.3 ‘One-legged Pals’-Wounded Soldiers in the Parade ……………….149

4.4 ‘Flags, Handkerchiefs and Tears’-Dead Soldiers…………………….161

4.5 Beyond Perfect Discipline and Americanism ……………………………..169

5 Masses, Power, Excess: Mere Spectators? ………………………………………..188

5.1 Being Part of a ‘Sensory’ Spectacle……………………………………………..190

5.2 An ‘Ideological’ Spectacle …………………………………………………………..201

5.3 Excess, Transgression and Deviant Behavior……………………………..206

5.4 Following the Parade Routine? …………………………………………………..214

5.5 Holding on to the Parade After the Curtain’s Down ………………….222

6 WELCOME HOME , BOYS !

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………………237

Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………………………246

Works Cited …………………………………………………………………………………………..248

Illustrations ……………………………………………………………………………………………273

Index ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..274