The Greatest Generation Essay

One generation being dubbed the greatest is certainly a lofty notion, but I think that this one fit it well. They lived through one of the worst economic times in American history, their ingenuity led to major technological advances, and they took down Hitler and fascism. I think that calling this particular generation the greatest is well deserved, their resilience and courage lead America to new heights and out of the depression. They lived through the Great Depression where unemployment reached 25%, the dust bowl ravaged the Great Plains, and people went without for almost a decade. Their aptitude led to color TV, the microwave, and the atomic bomb. They also fought in the most ‘justifiable’ war in American history. They fought to defend

They beat Hitler and Hirohito in the biggest war the world has ever seen. Without the United States, England and the Soviet Union would have likely fallen to Germany and Japan. Those two countries did horrible things during the war including the Holocaust, the Bataan Death March, Japanese Cannibalism, burying people alive, sexual slavery, perfidy, and executing POW. If this generation didn’t win this war the world would be massively different. The world would be an evil place ruled by fascism and militarism. These countries did some of the worst things imaginable, they exterminated people because of their religion/race, raised the white flag but actually ambushed enemies, they tortured people, ate prisoners, and forced women into sexual slavery. This generation and their president had to drop the atomic bomb, but ending the war with the people who committed these atrocities is no brainer. The men and women of the greatest generation were expected to go to war or help on the home front wherever they could. They rationed and consumed less to help with the war effort. “U.S. workers played a vital role in the production of war-related materials. Many of these workers were women with tens of thousands of American men joining the armed forces, women began securing jobs as welders, electricians and riveters in defense plants. Until that time, such positions had been strictly for men only”