The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945

I started reading Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns' book, The War, after I had started viewing the companion miniseries, and I finished it before the miniseries was concluded. They are, in every sense, two peas in a pod. The book has more material, and the miniseries, of course, has the video clips. However, the stories told by the townspeople in America, and the soldiers from those towns, is consistent. The War is not like the majority of other nonfiction accounts of WWII. Lacking are the meticulously researched campaigns, descriptions of weapons, and lists of... everything, from casualties to cannons. Instead, this is a story of the war from the perspectives of common soldiers. Not the generals. Not the journalists. And not the politicians. What do you experience when you surrender in the Philippines, get forced into the Bataan Death March, and get shipped over to Japan to be a slave worker in a factory. Then you get home, but your parents had been told you were dead. What is it like to be a sergeant, shot in the abdomen, and still kill German soldiers with a machine gun and grenades, until only you are standing, gun in your left arm, and your right arm destroyed? What are those perspectives in the war? These perspectives are THE perspectives in The War, by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns. You are lulled into a sense of peacefulness, with Americana of the 1930s and 40s, then you turn the page, and are shocked with the horrors of war. The soldiers comment not on the victories ( and losses), but on the shock to the senses, the decomposing and putrid bodies, and the loss of their friends and acquaintances. They remember how tired they were, and wet, and dirty. You really get a feel, I believe, of the immensity of this war. It was a colossus of a war. It shook the world. It will shake the reader. It will make you humble... the men (and many women) who served gave so, so much. And that becomes obvious in The War.

Without any doubt, The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns is a worthwhile read in and of itself. That the book is a companion to one of Burns' documentaries is even better. Like other reviewers I am a huge fan of Ward and Burns having purchased and read the companions to the Jazz and Baseball programs. The War is organized roughly chronologically. It focuses on four towns and four families and four veterans and tells the story of the war through their stories. There are interesting explorations of ancillary subjects, but the book always comes back to the same pattern. Written for the average person, The War is sure to add to the pleasure of the television program. I have it on my lap while I'm watching The War on television. This is a worthy addition to your personal libraries.

The photographs alone are worth the price of this book, covering all theaters of war, all branches of the service, and the american homefront. I have seen many of these photographs published in other books, and many I have not see before, but to have them all in one book is something special. The illustrations are also well done. The writing is powerful, easy to read and easy to understand. From an account of a man who was 17 years-old and living near Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941; to Ernie Pyle walking on the beach after D-Day, looking at items left behind by the dead - stationary that would never be written upon, or photographs looking up from the sand. The book itself is a heavy, handsome hardcover. It would make an excellent addition to anyone's personal library. I highly recommend it.

I have read several of Geoffrey C Wards books, specifically his companion books to the Jazz, Mark Twain and Baseball documentaries but I have to say Mr Ward has outdone himself here. He has refined his writing style and more than ever clearly and concisely tells a story while blending it seamlessly into a historical context. He puts a human face on the past making it very real and vivid for the reader. This book tells the story of 4 American cities and their citizenry and how they weathered WWII. It is a page turner. There were numerous photos I had never seen before which add immeasurably to reading experience. I cannot wait to see the show on PBS. Ward, with an assist from Ken Burns, has penned (computered?) another great read.

Following in the tradition his previous books on the Civil War, Jazz, and Baseball, Ken Burns has written another compelling and informative volume, this time on the Second World War. This book is loaded with photographs, maps, and testimonials from civilians and service people alike. It encompasses both the European and Pacific theaters of war, as well as the home front. The narrative is rich and easy to read, and the photographs show just what it was like to be in battle or work on an assembly line back home. The personal accounts from the front add an element of actually being in the fighting to the book. Of particular interest to me was the story of the Army's 442nd infantry. This unit was composed entirely of Japanese-Americans who fought in the European theater. Other points of interest include an informative section on the movement of Japanese-Americans to relocation camps inside the United States, war bond drives conducted throughout the war, and, mainly, the brutality of combat in both the European and Pacific theaters. I've read Burns' books on Baseball and the Civil War, and I've seen the companion video series to them as well. Burns has a knack for bringing out the "human" side to a particular event or situation, and he maintains this quality with the personal stories and historical narrative contained in this book. The excellent photographs and maps add a true sense of what it was really like at home and overseas during World War II. I give this fine book my highest recommendation. Ken Burns has written a terrific piece of military history which will remain a staple of the genre for years to come. This book is a must read for World War II readers.