Television Programs Help Commemorate Memorial Day
Editor's Note: The following is a "rerun" of a popular column I did spotlighting television programs devoted to the armed forces and those who died in battle. Next week we begin our look at the new fall television schedules for the six broadcast networks. Don't miss it!
To some, Memorial Day is merely the first official weekend of Summer - a time to fire up the family barbecue and dust off the lawn furniture. In reality, however, Memorial Day is a very solemn day. It is a holiday set aside by the United States Congress to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice - fighting and dying for their country.
Over the years, American television has presented many programs that have examined the horrors of war and the sacrifices made by these brave men and women. Some of these programs have been regular television series. The more somber programs have usually been documentaries and mini-series.
This article spotlights some of the best of these programs. All of the programs featured in this article are available on home video for purchase or rental. Many of them are often repeated on broadcast and cable television - some will even run this Memorial Day Weekend.
We begin with programs spotlighting the Civil War because Memorial Day was originally created to honor those who fought and died in the so-called "war between the states."
THE CIVIL WAR, originally aired in 1990 - The ultimate television documentary is the multi-award-winning PBS program entitled THE CIVIL WAR. Produced by noted documentarian Ken Burns, the series contains some of the most moving scenes ever shown on television. The program contains nine episodes of various lengths. Here we spotlight two that are particularly appropriate for this holiday.
Episode Five - "THE UNIVERSE OF BATTLE" - 1863 is the most compelling of the entire series. It tells the bloody story of the turning point in the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg.
Over 150,000 men lost their lives during this three-day battle - considered the greatest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere. Casualties on both sides were overwhelming and the course of the battle changed more than once. Ultimately, fate smiled upon the north, but both sides paid a terrible price. Many of these men died in hand-to-hand combat.
Appropriately enough for our Memorial Day event, the episode closes with the dedication of the Union cometary at Gettysburg and Lincoln's infamous Gettysburg address. If you watch no other program recommended in this article, I strongly urge you to watch this one.
Latest Articles