I am reluctant to get involved in this discussion of PC vs. actual history, but I do think some important things are being overlooked.
First, my credentials. I am a veteran of WWII, 83 years old; spent 7 mos. in combat in France and Germany prior to VE Day, May 8, 1945, and another 10 mos. in the Army of Occupation in Germany after the war ended. For most of that time, I was fully expecting to be sent to Japan, but was saved by the A-bomb.
I was a demolition specialist in the 14th Armored Division, 125th Armored Engineer Batallion, 3rd Army (Patton) from the time we crossed the Rhine until the War ended. We were not in the Battle of the Bulge, but just south of that epic battle in Alsace. We were,however, involved in Operation Nordwind, Hitler's counterattack to the south after the Bulge had failed. We saw extensive fighting in the two little towns of Hatten and Rittershofen, which were literally wiped off the map. A few weeks later, we captured the huge POW camp (130,000 prisoners, if memory serves me right) at Moosburg, which served as the model for the movie "Stalag XVII." And at the end of the war, units from our Division took part in the liberation of the first Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, just a few miles from Munich.
I must say that I approve of Ken Burns' portrayal of war. The constant sense of unreality and fear. Of course, he is using mostly actual footage from the War, but his narrative and exceptional editing has resulted in conveying the actual taste and feel of combat better than any other production I have ever seen. I think he can be forgiven a few extra PC commentaries. They are not overdone; they are based on history.
I must agree with King Brown, who said "better respect for them than remorse."
Bill
