1930s and 1940s America’s Greatest Generation

Every generation has a number of people who wholly live the painting of manliness. In the book Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw argues that this generation is composed of “heroes and heroines who grew up in the period of great depression and during the time of Second World War.” Evidently, this generation went out to the battlefields to fight for their nation and later, after the victory, returned home to reconstruct and rebuild their lives and the economy of their country. The word’s sacrifice was well known to them, and they sacrificed their material possessions and blood sweat. This generation is considered to be the most humble, even after all the victories they brought to the country. They were loyal, level-headed, and patriotic. They were joint, not only for a similar purpose, but also by universal values. They cared most about such values like honor, love of family, courage, duty to protect the country, and, above all, accountability/responsibility for oneself. The 1930s and 1940s America’s greatest generation is the largest group, known to have existed even to date, according to American history. 

I wholly support and agree with Brokaw that this was the largest generation in America, even up to date. This generation though seen to grow up in the periods when the Second World War and depression were ongoing, many achievements were put into the record at that time, as men and women were privileged in several areas. These people were not different and was not formed of any different substance from the current ones, but they were faced with larger challenges and hardships and efficiently rose to the occasion . They fought for their country and state of depression and created the new America for all of us. They shed their blood, sweat and tears due to losing their loved ones in the war. However, they never gave up. Further, they fought till they got back their freedom. They left their families, at times in their lives when they were supposed to be together, having an adventure, love, and learning the world, they found themselves in the most primitive conditions, fighting for the freedom of their country. They responded to the call to save humanity and the world from the two most ruthless and powerful armed machines, ever brought together, gadgets of invasion in the hands of the authoritarian maniac. They faced significant changes and a slow beginning, but they did not object to it. They were successful on every front and later, won the combat and saved the world. Besides, they returned home to joyful and short-lived celebrations and instantly started the mission of transforming their lives and the world to what they wanted. They built the foundations of the American economy and the current changes and developments celebrated today are the toil and sacrifice of their and families’ lives. This only confirms that they are the greatest generation in American history. 

In addition to the above-mentioned facts, these generations worked in unison, they were loyal and patriotic. They collaborated with a common purpose and goal and, above all, they were responsible for oneself. Sacrifice was a true meaning to them, they were determined through the sword, bloodshed or loss of lives to win back their country and live into what they wanted. The courageousness and manliness of this generation display it as a distinct and great for its work, and the fruits are the outcomes individuals enjoy today. In Great Boom, 1950-2000: How a Generation of Americans Created the World’s Most Prosperous Society by Robert Sobel, it is historically seen as the generation that married in large numbers and produced a generation that was also distinctive – the baby boomers . It is this generation that enrolled their children in colleges for education more than any other society ever had. This has brought a new change in economic strength, literature, industry, new science and art, all of which are supreme in the elongated curve of history. Their perseverance through hard times and the extraordinary actions at the periods of war and peace and shared values and responsibility made them win and overcome the war, thus making America a better place to live. Those who participated in this war are known as heroes, whether living or dead. They brought a significant growth and development to the America, as a country, as well as its economy.

Unfortunately, it is totally contrary to today’s generation – no one is willing to sacrifice and face suffering as the great generation did for the safety of their world. From my perspective, today, everything has changed, and generations are fighting for own individual security. The unity that was a basic and master to winning the war in the great generation era is a history today. Unity is a dream, and no one is willing to sacrifice their families, love adventures for the safety of their nations. The great generation embraced responsibility for any matter and was ready for the consequences of decisions they made, whether bad or good. Today’s generation is not willing to take any responsibility, and they are full of excuses and have no pride in it. Unlike the great generation, where individuals were seen fighting and living in primitive landscapes to fight back and receive what is theirs and what they want, currently, people want to live in mansions and wait for everything to take its cause . No joint efforts and, worse, no common purposes or goals. Each has their way of doing things for their individual betterment. The manliness of those times is extraordinary and lacking in today’s generation. People are cowards afraid of voicing out what they want, and they are not ready to shed blood, sweat or for the fight for their freedom and peace. They are stuck in the life of modernity, where technology advancements are their best friends who they spend time with. 

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Very little, if any concern, is there for the country, its changes and progress. Today’s people do not know the meaning of sacrifice, as they live and still want to continue living on the sacrifices of others, yet not considering their efforts and sacrifices towards the life and freedom they enjoy. This is what has caused today’s people more pain and suffering than the great generation, as they are not willing to sacrifice and suffer for the betterment of their lives and generations’ lives  . They have lived in oppression with no freedom. Changing and decreasing economies have become a cry of everyone every day, but the cry goes unnoticed or unconsidered, as no determination or sacrifice to show that they are willing to fight for their country. The largest generation is also considered to be loyal, especially in their marriages, marriage a commitment and divorce was considered optional. It is contrary to today’s generation where marriage has become the cry of every day .

In conclusion, the great generation is a significant exception to the current generation. A lot more is there to be said about this generation, their sacrifice and  its benefits. This generation was bound by love, unity, patriotism, personal responsibility, common purposes and values. It is the generation that is unique, worth praising and deserves the great name generation because of sacrifices and dedications they gave to the achievement of today’s America. The birth of new America and much economic growth are attributed to this group. They lost their loved ones, left their families, good housing and adventures to the field to battle with the enemy and get what they wanted. These cost them their blood, sweat, tears, families and even lives, but were felt responsible for the consequences and did not turn back until they accomplished their mission of winning the war and going home to start rebuilding their country. Contrary to the great generation, the current generation is not willing to suffer or sacrifice for changes. Their manliness is compromised to unity, responsibility, loyalty or love. Indeed, the people of the 1940’s deserve to be named the greatest people.