cavanami Posted July 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 ...counted old cars, motorbikes, sticks and stones! I had some pics of "body counts" from way back when... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 For a different take on Cronkite, a professor of mine was 13 years old and living in Hamburg during WWII. He couldn't stand listening to Cronkite, because of all his propaganda during the war. Cronkite kept reporting the Allies were bombing rail lines when the truth was they were fire bombing the city of Hamburg trying to start a firestorm! I don't think USA citizens would have appreciated knowing the military was frying civilians as a way to end the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I had a friend (now deceased) who was a young radioman / waist gunner on a B-17 flying out of England. He said when they reported to the USAAF for their training, one of the sergeants told them straight out: "Don't think you're heroes. You're going to be killing women and children." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I had a friend (now deceased) who was a young radioman / waist gunner on a B-17 flying out of England. He said when they reported to the USAAF for their training, one of the sergeants told them straight out: "Don't think you're heroes. You're going to be killing women and children." What was his reply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Looking back I see how much Uncle Walter influenced me. I grew up with Walter Cronkite as the the voice of authority. If he said it, it must be true. Trite sounding, but very true. Obviously, that wasn't always the case, but we knew that if it wasn't true it wasn't because Cronkite was carrying some hidden agenda or blindly following conventional wisdom for social or careerist purposes. He was a professional journalist who saw his job as being important to the functioning of democracy. Too bad that's a trait that has been long gone now. I've recently been thinking that it was interesting that the man who everyone saw as the *straightest of establishment straights* during the 60-70s had morphed 30+ years later into someone whom the current political establishment would have put on the far left if it had been anyone but him. But it wasn't he who'd changed. The truth is that he knew what his job was and understood the job of a citizen as well. And listening to this, I think his commentary was more sophisticated than I remember; I guess being older gives you insight to the nuance. Godspeed WC! Thank you. Mak mak. You helped make me the man I am today. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSTEACH Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 Damn good post SD!! To bad the broadcasters of today have forgotten what truthfullness and character mean in broadcasting. Godspeed Walter........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 << You helped make me the man I am today. >> Jeez, Cronkite has a lot to answer for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 Nice one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.