War Letters

The PBS program "American Experience" showed a segment on "War Letters." It is a documentary-style film that features actors and actresses reading the real letters written to and from Americans serving during wartime, from the Revolutionary War to the Persian Gulf War.

I just watched the 52-minute film online, and I can tell you that it is heart-wrenching and, at times, heart-breaking. Additionally, some of the things they write about and some of the pictures and videos that accompany the letters show the graphic violence that is war.

I think the film also illustrates the importance of writing letters, especially to those at war, as well as the benefits of saving letters. Like few other formats, letters preserve what someone is thinking at a specific time and place. Reading them years later gives us more insight into history than the text books can possibly offer.

But, I think the lessons learned from the film can be carried over beyond soldiers and wartime. Writing,  saving, reading and re-reading letters from and about all aspects of life is something that our society needs to keep everyday life in perspective.

You can watch "American Experience: War Letters" online. There's also a website with additional video and interviews, a book, a related initiative to preserve correspondence from U.S. veterans — The Legacy Project, information about preserving your letters, and much more. Follow the links on the two main websites (PBS and The Legacy Project).