What influenced Tom Brokaw to write The Greatest Generation?

Question

What influenced Tom Brokaw to write The Greatest Generation?

Answer 1

What is so great about a generation that did its best to destroy the environment?  That is doing its best to destroy the US now with its deficit spending?  That will vote for anyone as long as they get to keep the Social Security coming, even though they've already collected 10-20 times what they paid in?  That will vote to keep its prescription drug coverage, even though it's doubled the price the rest of us pay for medications?

The real 'greatest generation' is the one that will have to pay for the excesses of the past, money wasted on people who are all now in the safety of the grave.

Answer 2

He was inspired by the people he knew as he was going through life. He listened to their life stories from friends and relatives, much as I did and I became aware of the personal tragedies some of them went through dealing with the second world war, starting with the invasion of Poland to the atomic bombing of Japan. It is obvious some people need to read this book.

Answer 3

old age

Answer 4

I would guess it was his father and his father's friends -- who left South Dakota, fought a long way away, and then returned home. They didn't talk about those experiences with outsiders, and I bet Brokaw was curious.

Ken Burns did pretty much the same thing.

Answer 5

A big cash advance.

Answer 6

I don't think there ever existed a greatest generation  in our history. Each generation has been worse than its previous one.