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Greatest Generation
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==Terminology== An early usage of the term ''The Greatest Generation'' was in 1953 by U.S. Army General [[James Van Fleet]], who had recently retired after his service in [[World War II]] and leading the [[Eighth United States Army|Eighth Army]] in the [[Korean War]]. He spoke to [[United States Congress|Congress]], saying, "The men of the Eighth Army are a magnificent lot, and I have always said the greatest generation of Americans we have ever produced."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4tBEAQAAMAAJ&q=war+%22greatest+generation%22 |title=Full Committee Hearing on Statement Made by Gen. James A. Van Fleet |year=1953 |access-date=2022-01-19 |archive-date=2023-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122014320/https://books.google.com/books?id=4tBEAQAAMAAJ&q=war+%22greatest+generation%22&dq=war+%22greatest+generation%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1nvHWyt3aAhUF0mMKHYFCD0wQ6AEIUTAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> The term was popularized by the title of a [[The Greatest Generation (book)|1998 book]] by American journalist [[Tom Brokaw]]. In the book, Brokaw profiles American members of this generation who came of age during the [[Great Depression]] and went on to fight in World War II, as well as those who contributed to the war effort on the home front. Brokaw wrote that these men and women fought not for fame or recognition, but because it was the "right thing to do".<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rQagD17IFS4C&q=the+greatest+generation |title=The greatest generation β Tom Brokaw β Google Boeken |access-date=2013-12-16 |isbn=978-0-375-50202-6 |year=1998 |last1=Brokaw |first1=Tom |publisher=Random House |archive-date=2023-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203081930/https://books.google.com/books?id=rQagD17IFS4C&q=the+greatest+generation |url-status=live }}</ref> This cohort is also referred to as the "G.I. Generation"<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FTGY-uoCCCoC&q=generations|title=Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069|first1=William|last1=Strauss|first2=Neil|last2=Howe|publisher=Harper Perennial|year=1991|isbn=978-0-688-11912-6|access-date=2020-10-17|archive-date=2023-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203081919/https://books.google.com/books?id=FTGY-uoCCCoC&q=generations|url-status=live}}</ref> and the "World War II Generation".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rose |first1=Kenneth D. |title=Myth and the Greatest Generation |date=2008 |publisher=Taylor & Francis Group, LLC |isbn=978-0-415-95677-2 |doi=10.4324/9780203941461 }}</ref>
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