WWII Generation

When I was thinking of a person in particular who I believe should be deemed a hero, many people, not just one person came to mind. This particular group of men and women placed their lives on hold. Without any hestitations, they sacrificed all they knew for a cause. That cause was freedom, and the people are those of the World War II generation.

I am considered a "Generation X"er. I was born in 1971. I've read that Xers may resent these so called Traditionalists, those born between 1900-1945, because of their unwillingness to change, as well as pass the torch. If my generation and others after me, knew more of what our grandmothers and grandfathers and possibly great grandparents experienced, we may understand their hesitations and frustrations. As a world history teacher I was interested in all European history, but what struck me most ferverently were the Americans who lived through WWII. These were people I could still see and touch and most importantly, talk to. They are the people quietly aging in nursing homes throughout the United States. These people blindly paved the way for future generations to live. After reading many books written and watching many documentaries and movies about WWII, I grew to truly appretiate and even admire this generation. The generation that went without. The generation that put their personal lives second, and placed the life of their country first. A country, no doubt, full of immigrants from the very countries responsible for all the trouble of the time. Hundreds of thousands of young men dropped what they were doing and proudly strapped on uniforms to fearlessly defend their country. High school graduations and impending marriages were sidestepped, so that their calls to duty were answered loud and clear.

When I look around the rooms in my home, I wonder what it would be like if my husband were off at war, and the only form of communication was the occasional letter from the postman. No calling cards or television cameras to possibly catch a sight of our loved ones on the t.v. What if the only appliances in my kitchen were the basic stove, refrigerator, oven and sink. Washers and dryers, dishwashers and the ever beloved microwave were luxury items with the latter not even a possibility. "Meatless Mondays" and "Victory Gardens " were growing in abundance during the war years. No large grocery stores with limitless amounts of breads, cheeses or vegetables. "Only the bare neccessities please, gotta keep our boys over there well fed so the Nazi's and the Japs don't get them!" This comment was spoken quite often during those times according to my Grandmother. To think that young men barely 18 were signing up for military duty to places possibly never heard of, instead of enrolling for their fall semester at their state college, just an hour or so away. Hosiery, much to the chagrin of the stylists today, was a main part of an ensemble for ladies before WWII arrived on the scene. However, women from all walks of life happily and some reluctantly gave up their nylons so soldiers could have silky, lightweight, parachutes when they jumped out of aircraft flying over enemy territory.

If a child was born in 1923, they lived some good years until they were at least six and that's when the bottom dropped out. When the Great Depression hit in October of 1929, the next ten years were some of the darkest days our country ever experienced. There were soup lines and bread lines and wrinkle lines of worry as to where the next bit of money was to come. Going to school was most times overlooked, so that when able, the older boys and girls of the families went to work, if there was any. By 1941 the financial state of the country was growing from simply unbearable to somewhat tolerable. The war raging over in Europe was helping the American economy rise up somewhat. Then Pearl Harbor, things went from bad to worse. Immedialely, war was declared and young boys and men were off to war. Women were forced to support the family financially. People did what they had to do. Women boldly and somewhat apprehensively stepped into the traditional role of their husbands, fathers or brothers. Only to realize, life outside the home was not so bad. Thus giving life to "Rosie the Riviter". Children pitched in with school drives by collecting old rubber tires and scrap metal for the Army. After dinner at night, Mothers collected the grease from the dinner for the Army to make use out of it. Anything asked of the country by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was done, no questions asked. After the war was over, men and women returned as heros of our nation, as defenders of Democracy! At the ripe old ages of 22 and on, this generation married their sweethearts, settled down into the newly formed suburban life eager to begin their futures but humble enough to honor the past.

We come from an era of "me,me,me". What can be done for me, what is in it for me? Our lives have been ones of priviledge and ease. I worry, that as each year goes and another group of Traditionalists pass on, future generations will not know how much was sacrificed. They will not know all the blood shed and dreams lost on the battlefields in Europe and in Asia. They will not understand what it truly means to "go without". The heros of today need to teach tolerance, respect, goodness and purity so that future generations will look to the past as a guide as to what not to do. I believe the Traditionalists are the "greatest generation" as Tom Brokaw calls them, because they were asked to do the impossible, and they didn't ask, "what's in it for me?".