American higher education is nearly four centuries old. But in the decades after World War II, as government and social support surged and enrollments exploded, the role of colleges and universities in American society changed dramatically. Roger Geiger provides the most complete and in-depth history of this remarkable transformation, taking…

The Servicemen's Readjustment Act, nicknamed the "GI Bill of Rights," influenced a social change in America and its higher education system that could be compared to that caused by the Industrial Revolution. Making college a realistic expectation for many Americans, it also made future generations look upon a college education as an…

The original World War II GI Bill fully subsidized education or job training for 7.8 million veterans, making college a realistic expectation rather than an impossible dream, and enabled millions to move to and develop the suburbs. This caused a true social revolution and fueled the longest economic boom in history. (MSE)

This history of the GI Bill of Rights, enacted in 1944, describes how its provisions affected 16 million veterans. The legislative history of the Bill reflects how support and criticism grew from the various political views in Congress and the nation during and immediately after World War II. Through the GI Bill, 7.8 million veterans received…

This book examines the impact of World War II on college campuses and how the large military influence during that period affected such areas as the emergence of new fields of study, the role of the professor, and the social utility of higher education. Specific chapters examine Army, Navy, and Army Air Forces College Training Programs; how…