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Well, perhaps the WWII generation is the greatest. It suffered through a depression that wasn't their fault and then fought and won WWII. The depression was suffered through because no one had another choice. Then, the depression was ended, not by anything done in the U.S. but by the onset of WWII. After the end of WWII, America, being virtually the only major power in the world untouched by the war, became the industrial engine and breadbasket for the world - had a captive market so to speak. Then the "Greatest Generation" ran for various offices, including congress, and passed laws to ensure that their sons would not be drafted and serve in Vietnam; such as college deferments, national defense deferments, deferments for congressional aides, etc. The one deferment that was available to "everyone" was eliminated in 1965. This was the "marriage deferment". One didn't need in political pull, power, or privilege for this. So, being available to everyone, it was done away with. bottom line; you can label these people the "greatest generation" if you want, but frankly, I don't buy it.

I wouldn't label them as the greatest generation (that was Tom Brokaw), but they did their generational duty. I would fault them on several points:

1. Most WWII'ers were children in the Great Depression. To their parents goes the just mantle of weathering those days. No doubt many WWII'ers suffered as children (my father, for one, went without food on many occasions) but their experience was largely that of children. Even so, that era tempered them and taught some dire lessons. Later on in life, when times were good, that early privation lulled many into a trusting state that allowed true corruption to take root and flourish. Vigilance is the eternal price of liberty.

2. That generation had been raised with earnest trust in our nation's leadership. The legacy of the Democratic Party as the party of the 'little guy' was deeply ingrained via FDR's liberal policies and the show-stopping initiative of putting bread (welfare bread, but bread nontheless) on plate and beer in their cups. So, for a mess of pottage, the birthright of Americanism was secured by the RAT party. The RAT party was a shell party without a clear cause. As the pro-slavery party of the 19th century, they had been ineffectual at recovering power. Socialist reformers of the inter-war period seized on the social goody-bag strategy to regain influence. The simple historic ploy of opening the national storehouse to buy votes was understandable to a hard-pressed and hungry time, but allegiance to that master through life put principles and Americanism on the wane. To brainlessly pull the lever for treasonous scum because your of a free meal in a CCC camp 70 years ago is completely wrong.

3. The hubris (and in some ways it was just that) of being the big winner in WWII bred some bad things. Some examples, in my mind, would be the adoption of European tactics in national foreign policies. Like Britain, we embraced pragmatism and emulated our allies in cloak and dagger compromise. This led directly to much of our excesses in the Cold War and fueled the resentment of boomers when called up for Vietnam. Another failing was the arrogance of many veterans from this generation that ostracized VN veterans when coming home. If you'll recall, there was an attitude in some quarters that VN veterans hadn't won "their" war and were drug addicted weaklings. Recent times (Reagan onward) seems to have healed this gap, but it was there during the VN war.

These are a few things that I feel this generation failed in. I think it is also true that they directly contributed to conditions favorable for the destructive forces unleashed by my g-g-generation, the boomers. Nonetheless, the WWII'ers stood foursquare and shoulder to shoulder in their faith and allegiance to America - however delusional that misplaced faith may have been at times. There in NO question that these people actually suffered privation, loss and death in defense of their homeland. Their mistakes, while grievous, are the stuff of humanity. Their idealism and sacrifice is what made them great.

Boomers, as a whole, did no such thing. Aside from those that followed their parental lead and served their country, obeyed the laws and followed the American code of personal initiative and responsibility, this generation was a wash. Following their impulses and gratifying themselves was/is a g-g-generational trademark. If it feels good - do it sums this pathetic g-g-generation perfectly.