Watching the first episode, I was struck by Burns’ myopic view of the war.
His view is the by-now standard postmodern approach of applying current standards to what time has rendered into a foreign country: the United States in the early 1940s.
Perhaps the most egregious bit was one veteran proclaiming that it wasn’t patriotism that motivated the young men to join the service, it was the wish to change their lives.
There’s no doubt that many farmboys, miners, factory workers and others, saw a chance to leave what might have looked like a permanent Depression behind. But I’ve known more than a few veterans, and love of country was right at the top of any list of their reasons for joining the fight.
I’m not going to waste any more time with Ken’s opus. So far, the absolute best view of WWII in all of its glory and horror remains the adaptation of Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers.
