I am enthralled with the latest film effort by Ken Burns entitled “The War.†This fifteen-hour saga on PBS tells the stories of troops from four American towns as they coped with the true ugliness of war, both on the battlefield and on the home front.
I have always been captured by Mr. Burns’ style, which draws you into the narrative and helps you understand the horrible toll of violent war, as well as the lighter moments, and the sheer boredom that the troops often faced.
One fact that alarmed me right from the get-go was how unprepared the US was to the growing threat from Germany and Japan in the late 1930’s. Even as Poland and France were annexed by the Nazi’s, the fighting force of the United States had a census of less than 200,000 men. It was only when Hitler began the blitz on Britain did Roosevelt engage the draft, and eventually 16 million Americans would wear the uniform through 1945. I can’t help but make the comparison of the isolationist 1930’s with the distracted 1990’s, when we had a President who “loathed the military,†and bombed aspirin factories instead of building up a terrorist defense infrastructure. It’s ironic to me that our government was as unprepared for 9/11 as we were for Pearl Harbor, and we lost about the same amount of citizens from both attacks.
The film also shows that even with excellent planning, and all the right intentions and motivations, things in war often go terribly wrong. Bombers miss their targets, boats get stuck on the sand bars, even sometimes rogue soldiers do unspeakable things to the dead or prisoners. Again the parallels are strong with current events.
What I already knew about the Second World War that “The War†confirms is that the country made extreme sacrifices for the freedom of the world. A striking statement is made in the first episode: the US didn’t have to go to Europe, but it did to liberate our allies and to ensure our freedom. I shudder to imagine what our world would be like if the US stayed out of the conflict. The cost to everyone was high, but the rewards from the sacrifice of those brave souls are unquestionably evident even now, 60 years later.
October 1st, 2007 at 11:53 pm
You might want to read a history book. Germany and Japan both declared war on the Unitied States prior to the US declaring war on them. Add to the fact that Germany for years had been sinking our ships so I’m not so sure that we went to Europe to just help our allies. History says differently.
And I doubt one single soldier has died in Iraq for American freedom.
How can anyone equate bombing an aspirin factory by mistake than invading a country under false pretenses and after invading because of incompetent leaders both in the military and in the civilian sector total failure and chaos occured. I’ll take the mistake of the aspirin factory any day. Clinton sent troops to Kosovo, which the Republicans were soundly against, and guess what, peace was reached without loss of one american life. dont be so quick to be critical of Clinton if you support Bush
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:42 am
Mr. Burns’s film series ‘The War’ has been excellent. What better way to convey the miscalculations, the chaos, and the horrors of war than to have the actual soldiers who fought in it tell their stories. We certainly owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much protecting us and our freedoms that some so thoughtlessly take for granted.
You might enjoy reading ‘Descending from the Clouds’ authored by Erie area resident Col. Spencer Free Wurst, USA (RET). The book is an excellent memoir of his combat experience as a proud member of the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division. In line with the film series The War, it was Col. Wurst’s intent that his book remind us all of the “high cost of freedom.â€
I had the honor of serving under Col. Wurst as a combat Infantryman when he was battalion commander of the 112th Inf., 42Inf. Div., PARNG. He is a true American hero.
October 2nd, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Dear U.C. Joe,
Bin Laden declared war on the U.S. multiple times in the 90’s and Clinton chose to ignore the threat. Bin Laden also attacked us multiple times prior to 9/11/01, Clinton, again, refused to defend our country. The Sudanese offered Bin Laden to the U.S. and Clinton, true to form, refused him. The sad fact is that the Clinton legacy is Ground Zero, and you have the nerve to say that “peace was reached without the loss of one American life”.
One more thing, Joe, Why is it that after eight years of the Clintons in the White House no one, including Bill and Hillary, knew what was going on in Iraq? We are in Iraq today because the Clintons totally ignored our nations security for eight years as they were “distracted” by interns in thongs and anything in a skirt.
October 4th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Why is it necessary to stretch the truth to support Bush?
Fact is, the WTC was bombed under Clinton, most of those responsible for that attack were captured, tried, and convicted and now serve time in a prison. Secondly Bush was not surprised by Bin Laden, he was presented with a document on Aug 6 2001 entitled, Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the US. YOU JUST IGNORE THAT because it doesnt fit your view? by the way, after receiving that document, Bush went on vacation to Texas.
Sandy Berger and Richard Clarke both attempted to brief the new Bush administration about the rising threat of terrorism and Bin Laden. They were virtually ignored and at times mocked. You ignore that also
Most of all you ignore the fact that after 6 yrs of Bush trying to capture Bin Laden, he has been an utter failure.
Why not be truthful? Thats how problems get solved. Clinton is not president now and 911 didnt occur on his watch. Why is Bush always defended in terms of Clinton? Bush is an incompetent boob and will be noted in history as the worst president ever, yet people still support him as if politics is some sort of game and people always root for the home team