Here at GraniteGrok, we are big believers in history (especially the "…doomed to repeat it" part. This posting will be the first of a series on a REAL war time reporter during WWII as retold by Ken, a new contributor to GraniteGrok! We hope that you enjoy it, and learn something from it. -Skip
And That’s The Way It Was…
Perhaps today’s journalism majors aren’t required to pass a course in American History. It seems that journalism schools don’t care about the past, at least not the war-time past. According to a report on FoxNews, five prominent journalism school deans said that The New York Times’ decision to publish sensitive – heretofore secret – details of a U.S. program to track terrorist financing with the cooperation of the financial industry-owned SWIFT organization was "in the public interest." And that made it a-okay…or so our future journalists are being taught. My question: When did "in the public interest" and "interesting to the public" become synonymous?
It wasn’t always this way.
Back during World War II (the other global war we waged against the adherents of a fascist ideology), reporters were routinely briefed on classified operations – and were trusted to keep it on the q.t. until given permission from the military to go public.
To cite but one example, here’s an excerpt from the memoirs of a United Press war correspondent (and distant cousin of mine) Henry Tilton Gorrell. Henry served in Europe from 1936 – 1945. I’m editing his memoir for publication next year. Henry wrote:
"I first met General Sir Bernard Montgomery on August 25th, 1942, a few days after he had taken over command of the Eighth Army. "Monty" sat on the steps of his mobile headquarters at Berg el Arab facing about twenty war correspondents, each of whom he appraised with a penetrating glance before he spoke a word. Then, with a determined snap of his jaw, he gave us his instructions:
‘The enemy will attack imminently. When fighting starts, I don’t want you to say or write anything – only when I give you the word, for he is looking for information and we’re not going to give it to him. History will show that this is a very serious phase in the war. But I am absolutely confident of the outcome – absolutely.’
He spoke a few more words, and concluded with:
‘You have now had a look at me, and I, at you. That is all, gentlemen.’"
Imagine The New York Times’ headline if such a briefing were given today: "Attack Imminent, Montgomery Says" or "As War Enters Serious Phase, Montgomery Confident." But not in 1942. Back then, journalists understood the stakes. Back then, journalists recognized the real dangers to liberty. Back then, one could call journalists "gentlemen" and keep a straight face.
A few months after this briefing with General Montgomery, Henry Gorrell received the Air Medal for saving the life of a crew member wounded by enemy fire while on a bombing mission in a B-24 over Italy. For reporters of that era, being "embedded" was part and parcel of the job. The award declared Henry’s courage “typical of representatives of a free press fighting for a free world.” It’s a shame that today’s representatives of a free press seem more interested in fighting for a scoop and a Pulitzer.