He is angry at the fact the world has not changed and that the selflessness of his soldiers counts for nothing. This is the central conflict of the play- a belief of working only for the good of the immediate family versus a belief that one should work towards the greater good of humanity. This is dilemma that it universal, however much it might be exaggerated by the circumstances of the play.
The pressure to succeed, uncertainty of the future, and the question of individualism as faced in the play are universal dilemmas. Joe feels a pressure to succeed. He thinks that it's "only for Chris (15)- that he worked so hard so that his sons wouldn't have to start from scratch like he did. He believes that the means by which he made money are legitimate and justifiable. He also puts forward the point of no one "worked for nothing- and the world is all about "dollars and cents, nickels and dimes- (67) and that war is just a shadow passing over it. He also believes his sons are more important than society as a whole which motivates him to compromise his honour and integrity by shipping out defective parts. Unlike Chris, he does not see a universal human family which has a higher claim on his duty. Chris sees this as ridiculous, making a point of how he's "no better than most men- (67). To Chris this whole idea of individualism and working solely toward the prosperity of your immediate family is only a form of egoism. He feels "wrong to open the bank-book, to drive the new car, see the new refrigerator (31)."" He believes "that it came out of the love a man can have for another man- (31) and so there's blood on it, making him feel guilty about all of his possessions. There is also a certain air of uncertainty in the play. Chris cannot decide upon what to do with his life and he cannot find a purpose or goal to work towards. He wants to change the world but realises that even to change his family is a massive task.