The Things Our Fathers Saw: The Untold Stories of the World War II Generation from Hometown, USA-Voices of the Pacific Theater by Matthew A. Rozell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What is seen in war can never be unseen much less talked about. During WWII, Glen Falls, New York was nicknamed Hometown, USA when LOOK Magazine wrote several articles about the homefront life while their young men (and women) were overseas. And what those soldiers saw was beyond unmentionable. Nearly seventy years later, the WWII veterans from Glen Falls, New York open up and tell their stories to high schoolers for a mass student history project.
32 veterans take turns sharing their own history of the second world war, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima. Some were still in school, some were in college, some were engaged to be married, some were already in the Pacific serving in the Navy. Wherever they were, when the Japanese bombed, they knew they were at war. Women answered the call to service volunteering in the WACs, WAVEs and Air Responders.
Some of the most hellish and nightmarish war experiences came from the Pacific Theater. The men who were already in the Pacific when Pearl Harbor was hit received the worst as they were herded into POW camps, receiving inhumane treatment that left them wishing for death. The Death March of Bataan was especially difficult to read through.
Along with the veteran's interviews, letter and journal excerpts were provided. Those tend to be my favorite, because it allows the reader to truly understand the mindset of the soldiers at that moment. Voices of The Pacific Theater was excellent. The war in the Pacific can be confusing because of the many smaller battles that were being fought on multiple islands. The immense casualty toll was unimaginable and the cruelty of the Japanese was second to none. However, these voices of soldiers, nurses and their families speak of absolute courage in a time when courage was most needed.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What is seen in war can never be unseen much less talked about. During WWII, Glen Falls, New York was nicknamed Hometown, USA when LOOK Magazine wrote several articles about the homefront life while their young men (and women) were overseas. And what those soldiers saw was beyond unmentionable. Nearly seventy years later, the WWII veterans from Glen Falls, New York open up and tell their stories to high schoolers for a mass student history project.
32 veterans take turns sharing their own history of the second world war, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima. Some were still in school, some were in college, some were engaged to be married, some were already in the Pacific serving in the Navy. Wherever they were, when the Japanese bombed, they knew they were at war. Women answered the call to service volunteering in the WACs, WAVEs and Air Responders.
Some of the most hellish and nightmarish war experiences came from the Pacific Theater. The men who were already in the Pacific when Pearl Harbor was hit received the worst as they were herded into POW camps, receiving inhumane treatment that left them wishing for death. The Death March of Bataan was especially difficult to read through.
Along with the veteran's interviews, letter and journal excerpts were provided. Those tend to be my favorite, because it allows the reader to truly understand the mindset of the soldiers at that moment. Voices of The Pacific Theater was excellent. The war in the Pacific can be confusing because of the many smaller battles that were being fought on multiple islands. The immense casualty toll was unimaginable and the cruelty of the Japanese was second to none. However, these voices of soldiers, nurses and their families speak of absolute courage in a time when courage was most needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comments : )
I love getting comments, long or short, whether you agree with me or not. .
Just be kind. I don't tolerate any rudeness at all. So just be careful with what you write and how you write it.