Web Letters: Burns's War: What Is It Good For?

By Eric Alterman

This article appeared in the October 29, 2007 edition of The Nation.

October 11, 2007

Write a Web letter about this article.

What's a Web Letter?

Web Letters are continuously published e-mails from real people, signed with their real names. No registration is required. Each article page on The Nation includes a Web Letters link.

Read the best Web Letters on this page.

We're committed to publishing your comments as they are received. We place a red star () on the best submissions and may edit your e-mail for length or content. Your e-mail address will not be published or shared with any third party without your consent.

If you prefer, you may submit a letter to the print edition only.

We look forward to hearing from you.

  • It became obvious to me about halfway into Episode II of the series that Burns's focus would be limited to the first-hand accounts of soldiers, their families, others who served and those who suffered from and during the war. (Aren't we sick of hearing about the generals anyway? All that has been well documented. I want to hear from those who fought.) Burns is a television documentarian, not a historian; therefore, it is perhaps appropriate that he not deal in historical analysis. (How could be expected to cover all the prescient questions anyway without leaving something out?) There is nevertheless a great deal to be learned from the series. For example, the army pilot's tales of strafing Nazi transport and the psychological torment he suffered as a result raises questions on the morality of soldiers' actions during combat. To take this point even further, one can apply the lessons of the internment of Japanese-Americans to the potential (and likely) treatment of Americans of Middle Eastern descent if there ever were to be a second 9/11. The questions are there, Mr. Alterman, if you take the time to look for them.

    Chris Castle

    Columbus, OH

    10/15/2007 @ 4:36pm


  • Paul Tibbets was the Enola Gay pilot, earlier he was a bomber pilot in North Africa and sometime personal pilot of Amercian leaders when in North Africa.

    Ian Divertie

    Rochester, MN

    10/12/2007 @ 03:20am


Advertisement
Advertisement

Blogs

» Act Now!

Coal Country | "This is a civil war."
Peter Rothberg
Posted at 10:52 ET

» The Notion

A Blow to Privatization in Israel (and Perhaps Beyond) | A potentially historic ruling on prison privatization, in Israel.
Eyal Press
8 Comments
Posted at 9:48 ET

» The Dreyfuss Report

Can China Help on Afghanistan? | Beijing wants a broader role in the Middle East and South Asia. Will Obama bring them in?
Robert Dreyfuss
8 Comments
Posted at 8:50 ET

» Editor's Cut

Around the Nation | The week we went Rouge. Plus, Moyers on Afghanistan.
Katrina vanden Heuvel
60 Comments

» The Beat

Health Care Bill Advances, as Harry Reid Trumps Sarah Palin | The death panelist-in-chief rallied her followers to "KILL THE BILL." But 60 senators decided to follow the real leader.
John Nichols
73 Comments

» Altercation

Slacker Friday | The "Second Amendment" sale; the raving paranoids of the right.
Eric Alterman