Beyond “The Greatest Generation” to the truth of the war

Readers of VFR know I’m no fan of hyper-neocon David Gelernter. But today, the 62nd anniversary of the Normandy landings, he has published a really good article about the horrible and heroic realities of World War II and the total phoniness of the liberals who have been unctuously celebrating “The Greatest Generation” these last several years. Except for a regrettable note about the “unforgivable” relocation of the Japanese on the West Coast (hasn’t Gelernter even heard of Michelle Malkin’s book on that subject?), everything in this article is right. It actually makes me feel fondness for Gelernter.

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Alan L. writes:

While I myself don’t like the “Greatest Generation” tag, I do not think that it is quite as bad or as insincere as Gelernter insists, even on the part of liberals. My attitude may be affected perhaps by recently glancing at Leonard Steinhorn’s book, “The Greater Generation” a self-praise of baby boomers at the expense of their inferior (politically incorrect) parents; after that even Tom Brokaw would seem bearable. By the way, Gelernter’s bloviating on the fact that modern day liberals conceal the fact that many liberals or left-wingers were isolationists (liberal historians of isolationism DID not do this as late as the 1960s) would be more moving if he himself did not repeat the myth that America First was a “right-wing” organization. It was in fact created by liberal Republicans, and was never explicitly conservative at all. Although its board was finally dominated by conservatives, Norman Thomas was welcomed at AFC rallies. Also, contrary to his statement, many WWII memoirs, including good ones, are still in print. I myself recently bought Ardery’s “Bomber Pilot” at my local Barnes and Nobles.

By the way, I should have remarked on this before,: I must disagree with your defense of Japanese-American internment.. I have not read Michelle Malkin’s book, but was not impressed by the excerpts I have seen. I have read a fair amount on this subject in the past, and the more I have learned, the dumber the whole operation seems. In fact, the official Army history makes it sound even dumber than any liberal account does, although of course, it is mercifully free of the hysterics that have become de rigueur in discussing this subject since the 1960s.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at June 06, 2006 11:38 AM | Send