thedrifter
09-17-06, 08:21 AM
Cronkite kicks off World War II exhibit
September 17, 2006
By STEPHEN SEITZ Staff Writer
MANCHESTER — World War II was captured on film by news photographers who worked on the front lines alongside soldiers under fire.
Their photographs are a testament to their courage and commitment to documenting the horrors of the war.
Some of the most memorable images from the war, taken by Associated Press photographers, have been brought together for the exhibition, "Memories of World War II: Photographs from the Archives of the Associated Press."
The exhibit opened at the Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester on Saturday.
Walter Cronkite, the legendary CBS Evening News anchor, was on hand for the opening.
Cronkite, who wrote the forward for the exhibition catalog, was a correspondent for United Press International during World War II.
He called the front line photographers the journalistic heroes of the war.
"Unless you were there, it is hard to appreciate the horror that is war," Cronkite said. "Those of us in the writing press got in next to the soldiers in the foxholes to get the story, but we never faced the dangers the photographers did.
"We could stay down in the foxholes, dug in most of the time. But the photographers had to get out in front for their story. They were the real heroes of the free press."
"Imagine if there had been photographers with the Green Mountain Boys," said Cronkite. "What an exhibit that would have made."
A procession of World War II veterans marched in formation during the exhibition event, and Gov. James Douglas praised their wartime service and sacrifice.
"They expressed a willingness to die for their country, and many of them did," Douglas said. "We wouldn't be aware of their sacrifices without the sacrifices of the photojournalists who were by their sides, the courageous sacrifices and love of country of the soldiers and journalists of World War II."
The more than 150 war photographs in the exhibit of were taken between 1939 and 1945.
There are many photos of battle scenes, and iconic images of the war, including Joe Rosenthal's famous photo of Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, the horrors of Nazi death camps, and the atomic mushroom cloud rising over Nagasaki that marked the end of the war.
The leaders of the Allied forces – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and Gen. George S. Patton – and the Axis Powers – dictators Adolf Hitler of Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy – are also well-represented in the show.
"Memories of World War II: Photographs from the Archives of the Associated Press," runs through Nov. 1.
Contact Stephen Seitz at stephen.seitz@rutlandherald.com.
Ellie
September 17, 2006
By STEPHEN SEITZ Staff Writer
MANCHESTER — World War II was captured on film by news photographers who worked on the front lines alongside soldiers under fire.
Their photographs are a testament to their courage and commitment to documenting the horrors of the war.
Some of the most memorable images from the war, taken by Associated Press photographers, have been brought together for the exhibition, "Memories of World War II: Photographs from the Archives of the Associated Press."
The exhibit opened at the Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester on Saturday.
Walter Cronkite, the legendary CBS Evening News anchor, was on hand for the opening.
Cronkite, who wrote the forward for the exhibition catalog, was a correspondent for United Press International during World War II.
He called the front line photographers the journalistic heroes of the war.
"Unless you were there, it is hard to appreciate the horror that is war," Cronkite said. "Those of us in the writing press got in next to the soldiers in the foxholes to get the story, but we never faced the dangers the photographers did.
"We could stay down in the foxholes, dug in most of the time. But the photographers had to get out in front for their story. They were the real heroes of the free press."
"Imagine if there had been photographers with the Green Mountain Boys," said Cronkite. "What an exhibit that would have made."
A procession of World War II veterans marched in formation during the exhibition event, and Gov. James Douglas praised their wartime service and sacrifice.
"They expressed a willingness to die for their country, and many of them did," Douglas said. "We wouldn't be aware of their sacrifices without the sacrifices of the photojournalists who were by their sides, the courageous sacrifices and love of country of the soldiers and journalists of World War II."
The more than 150 war photographs in the exhibit of were taken between 1939 and 1945.
There are many photos of battle scenes, and iconic images of the war, including Joe Rosenthal's famous photo of Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, the horrors of Nazi death camps, and the atomic mushroom cloud rising over Nagasaki that marked the end of the war.
The leaders of the Allied forces – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and Gen. George S. Patton – and the Axis Powers – dictators Adolf Hitler of Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy – are also well-represented in the show.
"Memories of World War II: Photographs from the Archives of the Associated Press," runs through Nov. 1.
Contact Stephen Seitz at stephen.seitz@rutlandherald.com.
Ellie