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'The War' Forged Great Generation

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 23, 2007

Tonight marks the debut of PBS documentarian Ken Burns' seven-part, 14-hour film 'The War,' which tells the story of World War II through the personal accounts of men and women who lived through it. It was six years in the making, and it's expected to have the scope and power of his landmark series, 'The Civil War.'

The death last year of my Uncle Dewey, who was a veteran of the war, reminds me of why this documentary is so timely. He was one of what Tom Brokaw calls 'The Greatest Generation,' the 16 million citizen-soldiers who survived the Great Depression only to be confronted the task of saving the world from fascism. We're losing them at the rate of 1,000 a day, so it's urgent that they tell of their experiences for the generations to come.

The World War II generation endured long separations from families, including spouses and children. The deaths of relatives, friends and peers were common occurrences.

Based on today's thinking, such trauma is supposed to result in antisocial behavior and low self-esteem. But it didn't happen to them. After the war they started families and helped make the United States the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world.

Burns Burned By Hispanic Groups
Despite being such a worthy undertaking, 'The War' encountered controversy months before it aired. Burns went to four geographically diverse towns - Waterbury, Conn.; Mobile, Ala.; Sacramento, Calif.; and the tiny farming town of Luverne, Minn. - and asked individuals from each place to relate experiences that altered their lives.

Though it wasn't his intent, Burns failed to find any Hispanics to interview. The likely reason is the demographic composition of those towns during the 1940s. Regardless, some Hispanic groups demanded the series be revised. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus asked PBS President Paula Kerger to withdraw 'The War' 'until this omission is corrected.'

Burns decided to end the controversy by adding additional footage of interviews with Hispanic veterans at the end of and during breaks in the film. His original film, however, is still intact.

'The premise of the film was not to be a survey of different ethnic groups' involvement in World War II,' said PBS programming executive John Wilson. 'So the notion that particular groups had been left out wasn't in the foreground. Ken was following his instincts.'

Besides, Hispanics were 'mainstreamed' in the armed forces during World War II, unlike my uncle, who served in a segregated unit while fighting European fascism.

They Changed The World

'I'm glad you finally understand what I've been telling you all these years,' Uncle Dewey said to me one of the last times I saw him.

He was referring to how, after much study, I finally figured out what he meant when he used to tell me, 'We (black soldiers) had to fight two wars,' referring to the fight against Nazi Germany and Jim Crow.

'The War' should help us all better appreciate the sacrifices of the War II generation. Even civilians endured shortages of food, gas, metal and other essentials, something Americans today can't fathom.

Kudos to Ken Burns for letting us hear these stories.

Joseph H. Brown is a Tribune editorial writer.

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