Archives: World War II

Bill Mauldin, the voice of the grunt

October 30, 2018 | By Jim Stovall | No Comments | Filed in: history, journalism, newspapers, writers.

Those who served in the United States military as enlisted men and women — particularly from World War II through Vietnam — have a particular affinity for Bill Mauldin. Mauldin was an artist whose cartoons depicted, with brilliant perception, brutal honesty, and insightful humor, the life of the everyday “grunt,” the guy who dug the ditches, • Read More »

The surprising source of the first news of D-Day

June 6, 2018 | By Jim Stovall | No Comments | Filed in: journalism.

Every June 6 (which came and went this week) American news media faithfully observes the Normandy invasion by Allied forces during World War II. It’s an important anniversary because it marked an important point in the defeat of Nazi Germany. But how did America first learn of the Normandy landings? The first news came from • Read More »

Winston Churchill’s World War II saga (part 1): Motive and opportunity

March 20, 2018 | By Jim Stovall | 1 Comment | Filed in: writers, writing.

Winston Churchill caricature

More than a few times, Churchill expressed the sentiment that “history will be kind to me for I will write it.” Through his life and particularly in his later years, Churchill would say that, sometimes as a threat to others but usually just as a comfort to himself.

But Churchill went much farther than other famous people in an attempt — futile as it is — to make that happen.

Three Dead Americans: Life’s famous World War II photo

November 29, 2013 | By Jim Stovall | No Comments | Filed in: Civil War, First Amendment, history, Home, photojournalism.

Americans waited nearly two years before the news media printed a combat photograph that showed a dead U.S. serviceman. The reasons for that wait were that such producing such photos are too shocking for the friends and families of the deceased and that the public’s morale and support for the war might be diminished.

The story of the Life magazine photo is an interesting one and demonstrates the controversy surrounding photographing the deceased, particularly those who have died in combat.

Below is a set of photographs of soldiers killed in battle during the Civil War.