What's with kids these days?!? This was a phrase I heard but seldom understood why it was said until I read The Greatest Generation, by Tom Brokaw. The book explores the past and present lives of World War II veterans and others who live through that time period. I now realize what a waste to society Generation X must seem to be through the eyes of men and women forced to put their live on hold, and perhaps never return to them, to fight in defense of our countries beliefs. .
The book is not a novel, but more of a historic documentary. It is not about the war, but the people that were in it. Greatest Generation has seven different sections: Ordinary People, which shows the lives of citizens who contributed to the war and came home to lead normal lives; Home Front, about those who experience the change America went through as a nation at home; Heroes, both the decorated and the unsung of the war; Women in Uniform and Our, talks of the sacrifices of the mothers, wives, and girlfriends as they either supported the cause by filling spots in factories, or fought to get a taste of action as a nurse on the front line or as a WAVE; Shame, which addresses the disgraceful way that the minoritities, namely Negroes and Japanese were treated during the war; Love, Marriage and Commitment , tells the stories of the lost and found romances of the war, and the need for couples and families to stay together; Famous People show the lives of celebrities that served;!.
The Arena explores the world of politics and how it changed once veterans were put into position. .
It is obvious how the book relates to history. Although it is not about the war in itself, it was not the war, but the people that were made out of it that has shaped American society for the past 55 years. Tom Brokaw explains in the introduction that he wrote the book after chatting with veterans who had gone back to visit Omaha Beach many years after the D-Day invasion.
