This is an I-Heart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

And we return to our American stories.

Up next, a story from Kara Dixon-Vick, a professor of war, conflict, and society

at Texas Christian University. She's also the author of The Girls Next Door, bringing the home front

to the front lines. Let's get into the story. Take it away, Kara. At a United Service Organization's benefit in October 2008,

George W. Bush boldly declared, the moment things began to turn around in Iraq is when the

U.S.O. deployed Jessica Simpson. When I saw that quote, I thought that's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard in my life.

Right.

You know, like how in the world could a pop singer have anything to do with military success

or anything related to military strategy.

And what I found out is that actually a lot of military officials have taken entertainment provided by women very, very seriously.

It has a lot to do with soldier morale, the morale of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.

But in other ways, it's less obvious. The military desperately wants women abroad to help sort of police men's behavior, you know,

that they're not running out, you know, getting drunk and acting like crazy people. But they're also worried about keeping soldiers from prostitutes.

If you look at medical issues in World War I, short of the flu,

the influenza is by far the largest medical issue.

After that, it's venereal disease, which couldn't be treated yet

with a quick shot of penicillin. And so it really did cost the military man hours and was a very

serious concern. And so what does Jessica Simpson or what does Emma Young Dixon in World War I

or what do any of these women with the Salvation

Army or the YMCA, what do they have to do with the war?

...