The American army between world wars after World War I had virtually disintegrated. It was a very small force, given largely to practicing cavalry charges on western outposts.

Almost everything about American society is affected by World War II: our feelings about race; our feelings about gender and the empowerment of women, moving women into the workplace; our feelings about our role in the world. All of that comes in a very direct way out of World War II.

I had the first integrated Army band in World War II.

Even I had no opportunity to conduct very many concerts after World War II.

Culturally, the First World War is the war that stands in for other wars.

World War I broke out largely because of an arms race, and World War II because of the lack of an arms race.