We can find the ultimate example of the Good Man in the Greatest Generation.
[This] is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced. Tom Brokaw
From the beginning of my high school years, I have been on a journey of historical exploration. There have been so many generations and stories to enjoy, I find it hard to ignore them. I found records of men who stood as pinnacles of honor in times of dismay, and looked for more. As my search for heroes continued, I began to wonder about whether there had ever lived men who represented excellence and goodness as a group, and as a generation. Every time has has its standouts, but they also have men of low character. I thought, of all of the times in history when the tide changed, wars were won, countries were founded, when society was revolutionized by new ideas, science, and art, there must be a generation that created these things, and could be regarded, as a whole generation, as people who had stood for something great.
The first generation to come to my mind was that of the American Revolution. George Washington and my personal hero, John Adams, have always been the first men I think of in their time. However, as I dug through tomes and biographies on these men, I found that while they led in a judicious and honorable way, they were also men whose pride and arrogance caused them to stumble and fall. Some of their actions were costly and not at all admirable.
British bishop Brooke Westcott once said that “Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men.” Westcott’s belief inspired me to look at the conditions in which a generation finds itself, rather than for great individuals as markers of a perfect standard. I began to ask questions like, What was the personality of this generation? What did they stand for? What did they represent?
Tom Brokaw was one of the most notable television journalists and TV anchors of the 20th century. In the 80s, Brokaw took time to record and report the stories of his fellow men and women, and named his book about them “The Greatest Generation” in light of their historical endeavors.
The Greatest Generation was born into opportunities for social and political growth in the United States. The people born in the US in the 1920s and 30s, during the Great Depression, had no where to go but up. It was a time when families that managed to exist did so on the barest essentials. People knew what it was like to be poor.
But then horror arrived in the form of World War II. At first, the rest of the world was fighting amongst themselves, and America could only watch. Many men desired to fight, but political and social obstacles kept the Army from actively engaging in the struggle in Europe for two years. After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor stirred the United States to enter the war, millions enrolled in the army, and fought for four hard years to destroy the Nazi threat. It’s been estimated that over 12 million Americans were in uniforms in 1944, a year before the end.
After the war, men returned with a sense of hope, and a load of opportunities to turn their dreams into solid futures. The US government offered free college tuition to the many returning soldiers, an offer taken by over half of those qualified. This investment in education allowed many Americans to improve their poor financial situations permanently.
This rise in education opened up doors and opportunities for the next 50 years. We see leaders like Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter leading America into a greater society. Academics like Joseph Campbell and Howard Zinn stretched our understanding of our past. Aviators like Chuck Yeager and John Glenn led the race for space, and were directly involved with the development of NASA and the Air Force. And these are only a few of the heroes and leaders that encapsulated this amazing generation.
We could go on and explore the many stories of this time period, but I believe that there was a few key areas that this “Greatest Generation” really embodied.
A sense of hope and purpose: When we look at the GG’s history, we see them living in extreme poverty. Then they are thrown into one of the toughest and most complex wars of all time. This taught them of the worst possible circumstances. This history of despair would cause the GG to want something more; to want to grow and have a better lifestyle than his predecessors.
A code of honor and respect: The military training of World War II built a shared code of honor into American soldiers, and trained them to respect and honor their country, their community, and themselves. It set a higher standard of excellence than what the boys had learned.
A respect for education: Before the GI Bill, most people didn’t even consider college. Now, because of the rise of student enrollment, almost three-quarters of American youth attempt to go to college. The GG prepared and established that trend, and encouraged their children to educate themselves to improve their lives.
The Greatest Generation, born into the Depression and forged by World War II, strode forth into a new way of life and broader ideals of liberty. They fought for something so hard, that they actually changed the world. Through their efforts came developments like the nuclear reactor, the United Nations, and the space program. They jump-started American development, and took us to the stars.
When I looked for a “generation of goodness,” I wasn’t able to find it everywhere. But I discovered the driving attributes of men of the WWII generation: the aptly-named Greatest Generation. They were not perfect, but their circumstances allowed them to be Great.
