[ReignOfError]

The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz — all excellent. If Michael Moore is the example of what a documentarian shouldn’t be, Ken Burns is nan example of what they should. If anyone can summarize WWII in a mere 14 hours, Burns is that man. I’ve set the DVR to record the series.

My one and only gripe with Burns is that he gives, in my view, too much weight to the “color line” as the main thread in American history. In the Cilvil War, Baseball and Jazz, the main theme is always race. And black folks certainly did a lot of hard work for little credit during WWII — it’s a story that needs telling. But its not the only, or even the main, story. I hope Burns keeps it in perspective.

[kidd]

In the Civil War, Baseball and Jazz, the main theme is always race.

To be fair to Burns it would be impossible to accurately describe any of these three topics without race as a central issue.

OTOH - WWII was largely a fight between nations with significant white-on-white religious persecution. Japanese-American internment camps should be presented (breifly), but I see little reason to give black-white segregated units any more than a brief mention.

It will be a challenge for Burns to describe history WITHOUT a significant racial theme.

[af_vet_rr]

And black folks certainly did a lot of hard work for little credit during WWII — it’s a story that needs telling. But its not the only, or even the main, story. I hope Burns keeps it in perspective.

A friend pointed out that WWII led directly to the Civil Rights movement of the '50s and '60s, and in that instance, race becomes very important.

How? Because the War led directly to the integration of the military (which the Democrats fought tooth and nail against). The job done by black units was recognized by senior military leaduers, and by many white soldiers in the lower ranks. It changed the opinions of many folks, some of whom, up until WWII, had never really been around blacks or who held certain opinions that were changed by the War.

Of course, the liberals would never want to admit that the military led the way in integrating our society....