TheGreatestGeneration

"Inthespringof1984,IwenttothenorthwestofFrance,toNormandy,toprepareanNBCdocumentaryonthefortiethanniversaryofD-Day,themassiveanddaringAlliedinvasionofEuropethatmarkedthebeginningoftheendofAdolfHitler'sThirdReich.There,Iunderwentalife-changingexperience.AsIwalkedthebeacheswiththeAmericanveteranswhohadreturnedforthisanniversary,menintheirsixtiesandseventies,andlistenedtotheirstories,Iwasdeeplymovedandprofoundlygratefulforalltheyhaddone.Tenyearslater,IreturnedtoNormandyforthefiftiethanniversaryoftheinvasion,andbythenIhadcometounderstandwhatthisgenerationofAmericansmeanttohistory.Itis,Ibelieve,thegreatestgenerationanysocietyhaseverproduced."Inthissuperbbook,TomBrokawgoesoutintoAmerica,totellthroughthestoriesofindividualmenandwomenthestoryofageneration,America'scitizenheroesandheroineswhocameofageduringtheGreatDepressionandtheSecondWorldWarandwentontobuildmodernAmerica.Thisgenerationwasunitednotonlybyacommonpurpose,butalsobycommonvalues--duty,honor,economy,courage,service,loveoffamilyandcountry,and,aboveall,responsibilityforoneself.Inthisbook,youwillmeetpeoplewhoseeverydaylivesrevealhowagenerationperseveredthroughwar,andweretrainedbyit,andthenwentontocreateinterestingandusefullivesandtheAmericawehavetoday."Atatimeintheirliveswhentheirdaysandnightsshouldhavebeenfilledwithinnocentadventure,love,andthelessonsoftheworkadayworld,theywerefightinginthemostprimitiveconditionspossibleacrossthebloodiedlandscapeofFrance,Belgium,Italy,Austria,andthecoralislandsofthePacific.Theyansweredthecalltosavetheworldfromthetwomostpowerfulandruthlessmilitarymachineseverassembled,instrumentsofconquestinthehandsoffascistmaniacs.Theyfacedgreatoddsandalatestart,buttheydidnotprotest.Theysucceededoneveryfront.Theywonthewar;theysavedtheworld.Theycamehometojoyousandshort-livedcelebrationsandimmediatelybeganthetaskofrebuildingtheirlivesandtheworldtheywanted.Theymarriedinrecordnumbersandgavebirthtoanotherdistinctivegeneration,theBabyBoomers.Agratefulnationmadeitpossibleformoreofthemtoattendcollegethananysocietyhadevereducated,anywhere.Theygavetheworldnewscience,literature,art,industry,andeconomicstrengthunparalleledinthelongcurveofhistory.Astheynowreachthetwilightoftheiradventurousandproductivelives,theyremain,forthemostpart,exceptionallymodest.Theyhavesomanystoriestotell,storiesthatinmanycasestheyhavenevertoldbefore,becauseinadeepsensetheydidn'tthinkthatwhattheyweredoingwasthatspecial,becauseeveryoneelsewasdoingittoo."Thisbook,Ihope,willinsomesmallwaypaytributetothosemenandwomenwhohavegivenustheliveswehavetoday--anAmericanfamilyportraitalbumofthegreatestgeneration."Inthisbookyou'llmeetpeoplelikeCharlesVanGorder,whosetupduringD-DayaMASH-likemedicalfacilityinthemiddleofthefighting,andthencamehometocreateaclinicandhospitalinhishometown.You'llhearGeorgeBushtalkabouthow,asaNavyAirCorpscombatpilot,oneofhisassignmentswastoreadthemailoftheenlistedmenunderhim,tobesurenosensitivemilitaryinformationwouldbecompromised.Andso,Bushsays,"Ilearnedaboutlife."You'llmeetTrudyElion,winneroftheNobelPrizeinmedicine,oneofthemanywomeninthisbookwhofoundfulfillingcareersinthechangedsocietyasaresultofthewar.You'llmeetMarthaPutney,oneofthefirstblackwomentoserveinthenewlyformedWACs.Andyou'llmeetthemembersoftheRomeoClub(RetiredOldMenEatingOut),friendsforlife.ThroughtheseandotherstoriesinTheGreatestGeneration,you'llrelivewithordinarymenandwomen,militaryheroes,famouspeopleofgreatachievement,andcommunityleadershowtheseextraordinarytimesforgedthevaluesandprovidedthetrainingthatmadeapeopleandanationgreat.