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I have always wondered if others felt that America's first and largely unsung "Greatest Generation" where those that made it through the Great Depression" and the Dustbowl. I remember when I first heard the title of Tom Brokaw's book (Greatest Generation) I remember automatically thinking at the time that he was doing a book on those who got the country through the Depression.
I guess I felt that way because of what I knew about my mothers parents.Tough as nails "hill people" from Upstate SC ( which back then was as rural as you could get) that lived off the land , had 6 kids and who got through those times by hunkering down and by saving what money they had and from what I know not worrying much about the future. I am convinced it's people like them (and those from cities too-think "Cinderella Man") from that time that made the "steel core"of America. Even before WW2 they passed the trait of perseverance on to their children that Brokaw called the "Greatest Generation".
My mother seems to be pretty unaffected from that time and she says they had more money that most families and they never wanted for basic things and my grandfather always had "cash" in his pocket and was able to stay employed (working in the cotton mills and later quitting the mill to buy a farm to be his own man). One thing that not many people know about now is that before the technical start of the Depression in 1929 the South was hit hard early on in the 20s because of a near collapse of cotton prices after WW1.So people in the South had to endure not just the 30s but most of the 20s as well.
Mod comment: Please note that two threads on the same topic have been merged into this one thread. If some posts seem out of order, that is why.
Ironically, reading about America's Homefront WW2 in the rather lightweight Time-Life Books History of WW2 is replete with examples of Americans behaving in an UnGreatest Generation manner- Corruption, draft evasion, rioting, striking, emotional weakness,etc.
I never cared for the title as well.
Any reading on that war will show soldiers for the same reason others do- for each other and because there is no one else to do the fighting.
Ironically, reading about America's Homefront WW2 in the rather lightweight Time-Life Books History of WW2 is replete with examples of Americans behaving in an UnGreatest Generation manner- Corruption, draft evasion, rioting, striking, emotional weakness,etc.
I never cared for the title as well.
Any reading on that war will show soldiers for the same reason others do- for each other and because there is no one else to do the fighting.
It's not in my nature to be the biggest flag waver in the room but nonetheless I think your post demands a response. I think it's clear that regardless of the sins of a few people (and yes being from the South I am not oblivious to the terrible racism of the time) the overall culture of sacrifice and perseverance is what defined the times. Also please reread my op .The post is not about the WW2 Generation. Its about their parents and their largely forgotten efforts to keep the country going through hard times and how they passed the best of their qualities onto their children who fought WW2.
Examples from cinema that show what I am talking about include movies such as "The Grapes of Wrath", more recently "Cinderella Man" and though it take place after WW2 I would include "Coal Miners Daughter". And best of all "The Waltons" and the TV movie that preceded the show "The Homecoming".
Last edited by senecaman; 02-05-2015 at 05:16 AM..
I was not referring to racism or I would have mentioned it above. I refer to other activites. Truman Committee findings are eyeopening as to the war profiteering occurring. Reminds me of some of the reports from the U.S. Civil War regarding how the Federal Gov't was scammed by individuals and companies.
Do not know what you are referring to except The Waltons. Have never seen any of the others mentioned. I read history books instead of television or films for knowledge.
Obvious I was responding to the most recent post above mine you but in any case
born 1901-1924 is Greatest Generation.
born 1883- 1900 Lost Generation.
A GG born in 1901 and a few years after would be in their 30s during the GD. Prime working years.
I was not referring to racism or I would have mentioned it above. I refer to other activites. Truman Committee findings are eyeopening as to the war profiteering occurring. Reminds me of some of the reports from the U.S. Civil War regarding how the Federal Gov't was scammed by individuals and companies.
Do not know what you are referring to except The Waltons. Have never seen any of the others mentioned. I read history books instead of television or films for knowledge.
Obvious I was responding to the most recent post above mine you but in any case
born 1901-1924 is Greatest Generation.
born 1883- 1900 Lost Generation.
A GG born in 1901 and a few years after would be in their 30s during the GD. Prime working years.
"tough but unrecognized" I would label the Lost Generation. They were the only generation ever in US history that received less schooling than the predecessor as they largely had to raise themselves. They never got any support in their lifecycle and had to fend for themselves. The Greatest Generation had the public wind in their back from the get-go as in the Progressive Era children became the public focus and many laws were passed for their protection. They were very civic-minded and brought to pass many massive public advancements though, which created their label "Greatest".
I was not referring to racism or I would have mentioned it above. I refer to other activites. Truman Committee findings are eyeopening as to the war profiteering occurring. Reminds me of some of the reports from the U.S. Civil War regarding how the Federal Gov't was scammed by individuals and companies.
Do not know what you are referring to except The Waltons. Have never seen any of the others mentioned. I read history books instead of television or films for knowledge.
Obvious I was responding to the most recent post above mine you but in any case
born 1901-1924 is Greatest Generation.
born 1883- 1900 Lost Generation.
A GG born in 1901 and a few years after would be in their 30s during the GD. Prime working years.
I am not sure why but you seem to be ignoring the point I was trying to make. The post is not about the WW2 Generation or about anything that happened during the war. Its about the parents of the WW2 Generation and their largely forgotten efforts to keep the country going through hard times and how they passed the best of their qualities onto their children who fought WW2.
In the op I gave a little about my mother's parents who were from the Deep South and were among the people that preceded the generation that fought WW2.
The point of starting this thread was that in my opinion those people(the parents of the WW2 generation) are unsung heroes who held the country together during the Depression and the natural disaster of the Dustbowl but whose sacrifices became obscured by WW2 and the prosperity that followed.
Obvious I was responding to the most recent post above mine but in any case
born 1901-1924 is Greatest Generation.
born 1883- 1900 Lost Generation.
A GG born in 1901 and a few years after would be in their 30s during the GD. Prime working years.
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