You Can Take it With You: U.S. Army Souvenir Weapon Regulations in World War II

In response to GIs’ demands during World War II, the U.S. Army permitted widespread souvenir hunting and even looting, although these practices contravened both the Articles of War and, in some cases, international law. This article argues that although the War Department tried to reduce the number of captured guns that entered the United States, it declined to ban them because soldiers and officers disregarded regulations that deprived them of war trophies. This article proves the centrality of material rewards to soldier morale in World War II and establishes the difficulty of regulating the conduct of citizens drafted and sent to fight in foreign countries.