Living Memory and 20th Century History
by Cory Franklin | June 5, 2024
The 80th anniversary of the D-Day Normandy invasion approaches, the number of surviving soldiers who were on the beach that day dwindles, and the event is vanishing from living memory. In terms of important historical events, what does the phrase “living memory” mean? How long does it take for a living memory of an event to disappear from society?
Technically, living memory means everyone who was alive when a specific event occurred is now dead, so living memory could be considered 100-plus years. But simply being alive when something happened obviously does not mean remembering it; conscious memory generally goes back only to age five or six and memory for the details and significance of distant events often fades in an individual’s ninth and tenth decades. The stock market crash of 1929 can no longer be considered a part of living memory.
When there are only a few alive who remember an event and those people are very old, a society’s living memory starts to fade around 60 years after the event and generally does not extend to much more than 80 years. A small number might be able to recall events more than 80 years old, but at that point accounts start becoming sporadic and unreliable.
Consider Pearl Harbor, arguably the seminal event in 20th century American history. The 1941 Japanese attack that brought the US into World War II is barely a part of living American memory; the last living survivor of the attack on the USS Arizona died earlier this year.
There are still many in their eighties and older who were born before that date of infamy, but to remember it clearly, you’d have to be at least 90 today and even then, you would have experienced it as a child. With fewer than 1% of the World War II veterans still alive and all of them in their upper nineties or older, the war itself is quickly disappearing from living memory. It will soon seem to us like the Civil War seemed to people in the 1940s.
Every baby boomer who was at least ten years old in 1963 can remember where he or she was when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Along with the moon landing in 1969, it was the most noteworthy US historical event of the second half of the 20th century. So, it was worth pointing out that on the 60th anniversary of the assassination last year when a Secret Service agent confessed that he had found a stray bullet in the presidential limousine, it barely raised an eyebrow. For decades after 1963, an admission like that, which might or might not be true, would have sent shock waves through the country either way. It indicates the JFK assassination, once seared in the public memory, is fading.
Within a decade, memories of the moon landing, too, will become indistinct. And expertise about events dies sooner than general awareness. In an obituary coincidence, two of the expert pathologists who examined all the forensic evidence in JFK assassination died recently, less than a month apart. Dr. Cyril Wecht and Dr. Werner Spitz both examined the same evidence and came to opposite conclusions – Wecht believed a second shooter was present, Spitz was convinced there was only one shooter (the other pathologists who examined the evidence were in near-unanimous agreement with Spitz.) Now with the death of both men, first-hand knowledge of the JFK forensics – a kind of living memory- is vanishing. (The last Dallas police homicide detective to investigate the assassination also died last month.)
As living memory disappears, society loses knowledge, much of which is inconsequential (dialing a rotary phone) but some of which is essential. Columnist Russell Baker described the unrealistic notions of the Nazis – some comical, some romantic – that have arisen as a result of popular culture. He once wrote, “Sitcoms have portrayed them as comical bunglers. Film has spread a romantic taste for those smashing Nazi uniforms. Those beautiful ankle-length leather coats! Those fantastic red-and-black armbands… The Nazis were not entertaining, they were not comical and not bunglers.
“They were fine soldiers and dangerous, terrifying, dreadful people. In their enchanting red, black and leather, they were as romantic as the machine-gunning of a mass grave.”
With the invention of the printing press and the advent of public education, a living memory has lost much of its importance. Once knowledge of an event came from those who experienced it, later it became possible to read about or learn about it from others who weren’t there. An advance, but not without costs.
Ironically, the computer age means living memory takes on a new significance. From the internet and especially the use of artificial intelligence, we can learn much more about distant historical events than ever before, but that technology leaves us susceptible to misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda. Google’s new AI features have already demonstrated how it can shape-shift the truth and reconfigure the past to conform to a particular ideology. Living memory is a necessary counter to that pernicious trend.
Assuming no medical miracles are discovered that extend life and restore recall in the interim, sometime around the end of the 21st century the 9/11 tragedy will disappear into the annals of history like the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and the COVID pandemic will slip imperceptibly over the historical horizon. Reading that today, it seems unimaginable – won’t we always remember 9/11? – but as Willie Nelson once wrote, “Gee, ain’t it funny how time slips away.”
-30-
Cory Franklin was director of medical intensive care at Cook County Hospital in Chicago for more than 25 years. An editorial board contributor to the Chicago Tribune op-ed page, he writes freelance medical and non-medical articles. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Jerusalem Post, Chicago Sun-Times, New York Post, Guardian, Washington Post and has been excerpted in the New York Review of Books. Cory was also Harrison Ford’s technical adviser and one of the role models for the character Ford played in the 1993 movie, “The Fugitive.” His YouTube podcast “Rememberingthepassed” has received 900,000 hits to date. He published “Chicago Flashbulbs” in 2013, “Cook County ICU: 30 Years of Unforgettable Patients and Odd Cases” in 2015, and most recently coauthored, A Guide to Writing College Admission Essays: Practical Advice for Students and Parents in 2021. Dr. Franklin is the author of the forthcoming book, “The COVID Diaries 2020-2024: Anatomy of a Contagion As It Happened.”
Comments 24
Excellent article: can you clarify this sentence? “Living memory means everyone who was alive when a specific event occurred”— so far so good— but the rest of the sentence says “is now dead, so living memory could be considered 100-plus years.” This doesn’t follow; it feels like part of the sentence is missing. Living memory is generally considered about 80 years.
Thank you Dr. Franklin. This article reminds me of the July 4th parades in our community. 20 yrs ago in the parade, the local VFW had approximately 40 men and women all of whom were WWII veterans, walking the parade route. It alway brought a tear to my eye watching these brave men and women walk the parade. As the years passed by, 40 became 30, 30 became 15, 15 became 4. At that point, the veterans were no longer walking, but riding in an antique car, waving at the parade goers. Eventually, they were all gone, but, my memory of them still stays strong, and every parade thereafter, I am reminded of those brave men and women who served our country so proudly. I will never forget their sacrifice and courage. Thank you to all our veterans who served during peace and conflict.
@Jeff Grabil:
My experiences growing up mirror yours, but 60 years or so prior. We had Spanish-American war vets riding in the old cars, the WWI vets mostly still walking but the numbers starting to narrow down, the WWII vets in full force, and a few younger guys recently returned from Korea. This was mostly for Memorial Day parades, but also on July 4.
My parents were both active in the local VFW. One of the duties for all the kids of those members was to visit cemeteries and set out American flags for all the veterans we could find. It doesn’t seem that’s done very much any more…
My Dad and I reconstructed his older brother’s WWII record. He landed in a glider behind enemy lines at Normandy. My Uncle seldom talked about it, but when he was dying he told me about the glider experience. The first three kids out of the Glider were gunned down. He hid, survived – and told me how he had to kill German children to survive. Anyway we pieced it all together from many sources. My Grandmother (My Dad’s Mom) used to repeat herself when I brought her home from the nursing home, because the stories she was telling were so important to her life. The top two, the depression and “when the breweries opened back up” – which after some time I finally figured out was when prohibition ended in Milwaukee.
Story telling is living memory. Books help, stories are the bomb. You can truly live both large, and well, and well beyond your own lifetime by passing down stories
80 years ago my dad was among the men massed and awaiting the go order from Eisenhower. He would land as a medic and fight to proceed to set up an aide station. All of my life I thought he went in on a glider as a member of the Screaming Eagles. It was not until just before my mom passed and Private Ryan came out that she told me he actually crossed the beach at D+1/2. His company was detached from the gliders and PIR to tend to the wounded and dying at an aide station behind Utah. Colleagues of I met at a reunion a decade later appear in a book on the 101st and D Day although his pix is not seen. I now know exactly where he was for a period of time after the landings. I will visit in the next year. Thank you as always for a great column.
Thanks, John. My dad was at the landing at Utah Beach as well. 90th Div. Texas/Oklahoma
The very interesting examples of living memory are a little bit eerie, for lack of a better word. But my earliest clear memory is of my christening in church at age 5. That was in 1951, 73 years ago! It’s chilling to think that memory might soon fade away, along with many happy childhood memories. Thank you for a very interesting and informative article.
Yawn!
If your yawn was in reply to my comment, it was rude. Just making a thoughtful comment. Maybe you were just tired…
Just curious, how long will it take for the memory of Joe Biden to fade away. It can’t be soon enough.
Robert- Also let’s hope the memory and influence of Trumpism fades fast.
Bobby baby….. suspect that will take longer than you think or want. Remember DJT has done a lot more for you and every American in his 4 years. Bet you enjoy your DJT tax cuts as we sure did! No matter who wins, every renter in America gained a nice tax cut due to the Increased Std Tax Deductions! Hope they can keep them?
Interesting read. When my Dad reached his later years he increasingly became concerned the nobody will remember what his generation accomplished in WWII. I tried to reassure him that people would remember with all the books that were written and movies made. Because of his concern I frequently remind people about the accomplishments of “The Greatest Generation”, which I’m sure some people wish I would stop, but I feel I owe it to Dad. Unfortunately he probably was right for the reasons you discuss in your column but we can always hope. Now, let’s talk about the memory retention of the Vietnam War veterans – sorry, I’ll stop now.
As usual, an enlightening essay by Dr. Franklin. On a collateral point, I found his comments on the forensics related to the JFK assassination remarkable. I don’t believe anyone can look at the medical evidence and conclude that there was not a massive coverup going on, e.g., checkout this 2015 book: https://www.amazon.com/Kennedy-Autopsy-Jacob-G-Hornberger/dp/1890687235. After JFK’s body was illegally removed from Dallas to Bethesda, the autopsy was conducted by two Navy doctors who had never conducted a gun-shot wound autopsy before, and who were directed by higher-ranking officers as to how to conduct the autopsy. And, of course, the body had been tampered with prior to the start of the autopsy.
Rick, I worked various executive protection details during the 1980 presidential campaign. Some of the Secret Service agents I encountered were holdovers from the JFK era. They told me it was their belief that multiple shooters were involved in the assassination of the President, and that Oswald was not primary among them.
When I was younger I thought that the sense of getting older would be from from physical changes and deterioration. Now that I’m there, those symptoms do remind me I’m in this stage of life. But, what really makes me feel older is when I speak of an event back when Kennedy was in, or even up through Reagan and I see that look on others saying, “you were alive back then?” It’s then that I realize the importance of knowing history.
Excellent as always Doc. Thank you and JK.
They are sanitizing history, events of great magnitude, are just a summary in a few paragraphs. I was talking to the neighbor kid who just graduated high school, i compared the Oct 7th massacre in Israel to the Crusades. He asked me what was with the Crusades.
My mothers three brothers where in WW ll, they never talked about it, my uncle said he nearly drowned, every one he was with died before hitting the beach.
Even now, i fly a 9/11 remembrance flag, and have a statue depicting New York firemen displayed by my front door..
Now i get told by my neighbors to let it go, it was long ago. Why remind people of bad memories. Five thousand souls died, and with every one of those deaths, how many more thousands of family members are affected until they die.
History needs to be remembered and taught to our next generations, its really sad to see events in my life time just summarized in a paragraph. I stand at Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, silently praying for the brave men and women under my feet that gave their lives or their time to our great country so that i was able to have a great life.
Dr Franklin.
I was in 2nd grade on November 22, 1963 and that day remains seared into my memory.
Last month I visited Dealey Plaza for the first time and I was struck by how small and compact the plaza was in contrast to the enormity of the event that took place that sad day.
I observed the people who were present there with me and noted that the great majority of them appeared to be baby boomers. I even remarked to one man that it appeared that we were all reliving our youth.
Meanwhile, there were others going about their day, seemingly oblivious to the significance of the plaza.
The cycle of life.
Doc Franklin sez: “won’t we always remember 9/11?”
An interesting question. Growing up, I was admonished to remember many things – mostly involving calls to arms.
“Remember The Alamo!” “Remember The Maine (And To Hell With Spain)!” “Remember Pearl Harbor!”. I would think most Americans would at least have heard two of those three references, but then, I’m an old guy.
Quebec Canada may have the right idea. It’s provincial motto is “Je Me Souviens”, which translates officially to “I Remember”, but I always (incorrectly) took it to mean “I Will Remember”. Now, what exactly *they’re* trying to remember is something else entirely…
Column and comments should cause us to consider our sources of information. History, science, religion etc. The guy writing history is using sources, he’s interpreting his sources, and passes on his take of that history. And it could be only ½ true !!
Thank you. Time is fleeting for all of us. I gave Memorial Day addresses every year I was in Congress from 1995-2003, Each year there were fewer and fewer vets that showed up. When the band would play the Armed Services Medley and sequentially the veterans would stand I would get a lump in my throat. The families would show up but the attendance would shrink, more empty chairs.
As for JFK the Dallas pathologist who was shoved aside by the Secret Service when they removed JFK’s body without an authopsy was subsequently a pathologist at the University of Iowa Medical School when I was a student there. Dr. Rose maintained that had he been allowed to do the autopsy rather than the two inexperienced doctors in DC he could have helped clear up the conspiracy theories. . .or maybe he would have confirmed the multiple shooters! Greg Ganske, MD
Greg:
There is general agreement the autopsy was botched. It was done by doctors with little to no experience with these type of cases under high pressure, rushed conditions late on a Friday night. That’s a fact. Explained by incompetence rather than some grand plan.
But the most experienced pathologists in the country who reviewed the findings later on virtually all concurred Kennedy was hit by two shots – one in the back and one in the back of the head and that they were from the same direction, type of bullet etc. The lone holdout being Wecht, who mistakenly placed JFK directly behind Connally (He wasn’t as photos show). Wecht’s explanations became increasingly incoherent later years.
After all these years no one can come up with a credible forensic explanation of multiple shooters. The two shots that hit JFK came from the Book depository from behind. The bullet that went through Connally had to go through JFk first. Botched autopsy not withstanding.
Historical things no longer taught or discussed in our educational systems tend to be forgotten so the remedy is do history. Out of sight, out of mind, The story of Christ’s crucifixion is well known to many Christians. The details of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln 159 years ago are not well known but if you asked the average American what happened to Lincoln I think most of them would know he was assassinated, but probably not the name of his assassin. As for 911 don’t give too much credit to good answers if you ask people who was President at the time. Nor would I bet on answers to who was FDR from people born in this country. In fact I would be willing to bet many immigrants know more about American history than the natives.
Good article. Should serve as a reminder how important it is to read history and ensure that the younger generations become familiar with events that were critical to Americans and to others no longer alive to provide personal memories and thoughts of such events. Think things that occurred in Russia, Germany and other parts of the world in past years can’t happen here? The control of the press by Joseph Goebbels during the rise of Adolph Hitler has some parallels today. Look at the complicit and dishonest media supporting Biden and the Democrat playbook today. Thankfully, there are individuals with a voice who expose the corrosive nature of left wing progressive policies.