Watching M*A*S*H, Watching America: A Social History of the 1972-1983 Television Series

It has been said that M*A*S*H was a show set in the 1950s which reflected the shifting values of the 1970s and early 1980s. Hawkeye Pierce, Radar O'Reilly, Trapper John McIntyre, Sherman Potter, Margaret (Hot Lips) Houlihan, B.J. Hunnicutt, Frank Burns, Charles Emerson Winchester, Max Klinger—these and the many other characters who populated the MASH 4077 used the Korean War as a backdrop to comment on many of the social issues of their day.

Using a unique blend of comedy and drama, the sho...