The Greatest Generation

I am currently reading Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation." It is a collection of stories that he has gathered as he captured different WWII first-hand experiences down on paper. He takes each person's tale and demonstrates how the effects of the war motivated and contributed to their success in life after the war. Each person's story has impacted me in different ways. It is fascinating to hear about the first hand war soldier's encounters and heroic episodes, however, it has been even more interesting and remarkable to hear about the women's struggles to find a place to contribute in a male-dominated society. Their achievements were astounding and encouraging. These people each contributed something to society as it is today in how they lived their lives with standards and principles. They each lament about their disappointment with today's young generation and how as a whole they do not work for anything and expect everything to come with easy accessibility. I am completely embarrassed that I hold that mentality. They worked their butts off for everything in life, if they couldn't afford it, they figured out how to make it work. They were inventors and critical thinkers. Tom Brokaw has written several books about this generation. He has been traveling the country to collect as many personal stories as possible, before these heroic and innovative individuals pass on. They are all in their upper seventies and eighties by now and they are dissappearing at rapid rates. I found these photos to share that captured some of these amazing and critical times during WWII. {How did the women manage to always look so refined, no matter what work they were doing?} As much as hard times should not be wished on anyone.. I almost long for the opportunity to learn how to manage the bare minimum and learn how to fend for myself without the excess of today's society. In conclusion of these thoughts, if you have not read the book.. I highly recommend it!!

photos via archives.gov