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Rapid loss of veterans, knowledge led Burns to create 'The War'
By Michele Steinbacher
msteinbacher@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON — Filmmaker Ken Burns said two disturbing news items relating to World War II inspired him to research the subject that led to his latest PBS documentary series, “The War.” | Video

“After doing the ‘Civil War’ I vowed never to do another war film,” he said Thursday to a group crowding the main floor of Illinois Wesleyan University’s Hansen Student Center.

But learning that World War II veterans were starting to die at a rate of 1,000 per day made Burns realize their oral histories quickly were slipping away, he said.

That, combined with reports that an alarming number of high school students mistakenly thought the United States fought with Germany against the Russians in the war, changed Burns’ mind.

“It was seven years ago when I was shocked by those statistics,” he said.

The seven-part series is airing now on Wednesdays on most public television affiliates.

Burns appeared in the Twin Cities as the Adlai E. Stevenson Memorial Lecture Series speaker. The series, created in 1965 at the time of Stevenson’s death, honors the Bloomington-raised statesman. The series is cosponsored by Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State universities.

His afternoon question-and-answer session at the IWU site was followed by an evening lecture and book signing at ISU’s Bone Student Center. The later event also was part of ISU’s sesquicentennial speaker series.

During his IWU stop, Burns answered questions for more than an hour.

Among dozens of questioners, one person asked how Burns researched veterans’ stories and the four U.S. communities spotlighted in the film.

Burns said he set out to understand the war from the bottom up. Instead of talking to generals or famous people of the time, he sought to tell how the war affected life in U.S. communities. The research evolved from spending time in the communities of Waterbury, Conn., Mobile, Ala., Sacramento, Calif., and Luverne, Minn.

He also wanted to capture some of the reality of oral history before too much time elapsed and sentiment and nostalgia erased the national memory of a horrific time, draping it instead in a myth of “a good war.”

Burns’ recounted the response of one teen after viewing an early screening of “The War.”

“He said ‘60 million people died? I thought it was 6 million’,” said Burns.

Both Central Illinois Public Television affiliates — WTVP in Peoria and WILL-TV in Champaign — will show the next episode of “The War,” at 8 p.m. Wednesday. For more information visit online at www.pbs.org/thewar

Burns said he’s now working on a six-part film documenting the history of the national parks, describing the idea of setting apart land to be owned and used by everyone “a truly American idea.”



Ken Burns

Occupation: Documentary filmmaker

Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Home: Walpole, N.H.

Most-known work: His epic documentary “Civil War” attracted 40 million viewers with its broadcast in 1990 and won 40 major awards

Some of his other films: “Baseball,” “Jazz,” “Brooklyn Bridge,” “Mark Twain,” “Frank Lloyd Wright,” “Lewis and Clark,” “Thomas Jefferson,” “The West,” “Huey Long.”

Take a look
Ken Burns speaks Thursday (Nov. 1, 2007) as part of the Stevenson Lecture Series for Illinois State University's sesquicentennial celebration at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. Burns answered question about his latest documentary, "The War," a seven-part television program on World War II running nationally on PBS. (Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA)
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Reader comments on this story - 16 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

One Robin doesn't make Spring Part 2 wrote on Nov 2, 2007 10:03 PM:

" My comment about Burns sticking to his expertise wasn't meant as a condemnation...simply that doing a documentary doesn't qualify a person as an expert in the subject. I've seen most of Ken's documentaries and as a professional media person, I can only wish I was as good at it as he is. That's about the highest compliment one professional can give another and the suggestion he stick to film making is the same advice I give myself. I've reported on hundreds of different subjects and produced as many documentaries as Burns and know from experience that I'm not an expert on the subjects I covered. We see the experts relevant to the material. Burns got the best experts possible for the thrust of his doc...ordinary people directly affected by the war. He doing a fine job as a filmmaker and deserves all the awards he has gotten and will get in the future. Frankly, there are some documentarians equal to him, but none better! "

One robin doesn't make Springtime. wrote on Nov 2, 2007 9:50 PM:

" Ken Burns does wonderfully well producing documentaries and should stick to filmmaking and not act like an expert on war. One civil war and one WW2 Documentary does not make Burns an expert on war in general and the war against terrorists in particular. Of course he's entitled to his opinion but we're entitled to judge the source. Is he an explorer, baseball player, humor writer,architect, bridge builder,musician, Louisiana Govenor or park ranger? His expertise is exquisite in film making and he should stick with that and leave the political commentary to the real experts. "

BN Republican wrote on Nov 2, 2007 4:37 PM:

" So we can thank the lack of ability on the part of History Teachers. For Ken Burns doing this documentary. Thank You Teachers! "

To How Sad wrote on Nov 2, 2007 2:37 PM:

" Nice Red Green reference. "

From to How Sad wrote on Nov 2, 2007 1:53 PM:

" I wont't de drawn into this 'sophomoric' argument with you on guilt. You will believe what you believe. I just have to say, how sad for you... "

To: to "Very Sad"..... wrote on Nov 2, 2007 1:28 PM:

" Somebody feels guilty. Your very response of trying to shift the blame to the parents tells a lot about you. If you did not feel guilty you would not feel the need to shift the blame. "

minuteman wrote on Nov 2, 2007 11:42 AM:

" my mother went to see him today, I have seen the series on PBS "

to "Very sad" and is band of merry men wrote on Nov 2, 2007 11:05 AM:

" As a teacher is is really ignorant to make such a blanket statement about what teachers do and dont know. The "leftist" comment is really disturbing. Right wings seem to push reponsibility of science/creationisim and sex onto the family as their respoinsibility to teach, but God forbid the teachers fail to reach the students in history. Perhaps parents should spend more time making sure homework was done and that their kids are not ignorant and less time rabble rousing on the Pantagraph's rantagraph. "

re:Very SAD wrote on Nov 2, 2007 10:14 AM:

" Bingo! "

Heck! wrote on Nov 2, 2007 10:13 AM:

" Half of the teachers think the same thing! That we fought Russia aiding Germany. "

My mom - wrote on Nov 2, 2007 9:26 AM:

" Saw this whole series and thought it was done very well. Good job Mr. Burns. :-) "

Very SAD wrote on Nov 2, 2007 8:59 AM:

" That schools and teachers spend so much time teaching leftist ideology that they fail to teach Americal History! "

re:shocked wrote on Nov 2, 2007 8:44 AM:

" Statistically no....but have you ever watched "Jaywalking" on Jay Leno?? That's the norm instead of the rarity! Apparently teens think it's "cool" to be ignorant of history....and we wonder why it keeps repeating itself. "

re: How Sad wrote on Nov 2, 2007 8:41 AM:

" I sub in a high school. I can believe he was shocked, as I am shocked daily at the flippant attitudes of the kids. We try to teach them and they have an "I don't care" know it all attitude. It's like they strive for ignorance. Dear Americans, many of you would be shocked and outraged if you ever took the time to question high school students about history or current events......it's just sickening. I don't know who dropped the ball (as I know my co-workers and I present the material in many different ways so all learner types will be reached) but someone has. I fear for the future of this country because there are more students who would rather not know than those who would. "

shocked... wrote on Nov 2, 2007 7:46 AM:

" Anyone know what exactly those statistics were that said teens thought we fought with Germany? Geez, any moron should know better than that! Anyways, did anyone see him speak at IWU or ISU? It sounded good, but we didn't make it by. "

How SAD wrote on Nov 2, 2007 3:56 AM:

" Reports that an alarming number of high school students mistakenly thought the United States fought with Germany against the Russians in the war. Perhaps he should have attended a Possum Lodge meeting. "
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