Free a Man to Fight: Women Soldiers of World War II

Free A Man to Fight stands alongside the groundbreaking 1980 documentary film The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter in giving women of the "greatest generation" their long overdue say and cleverly reversing a deeply-ingrained American social myth in the process. Answering their government's call to join the military in 1942, some 400,000 women would courageously serve in all branches of the United States military during World War II, challenging negative stereotypes and a suspicious public to successfully work in over 200 positions previously reserved for men--from cryptographers and gunner mates to aviators and mechanics. As chronicled in this engaging documentary, which previously aired on the History Channel, their stories challenge the social stereotypes that persisted for women well after the war. Ranging from lighter reminiscing (including a delightful roundtable recollection among a group of veterans about wartime dating and fashion) to the obstacles they faced in the wake of wildly shifting U.S. political and social policies both during and after the war, the variety and candor of the personal narratives here seem deliciously ironic when portrayed against the now-familiar backdrop of World War II combat footage, propaganda-laden training films and 1940s-era music. After 1945, the glut of returning soldiers caused government and industry to turn its back on female service personnel just as it did on female workers on the home front. But while the film makes a pointed statement about this post-war reversal for women, its rightful focus is the palpable esprit de corps, pride and empowerment these women share in their collective memory. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (A. Cantú)