World War II Dominates.

The 1940s were dominated by World War II. This was as true for the media as it was for other areas of American life. From 1941 until the majority of the troops returned home in 1946, newspapers and radio concentrated their coverage on the war. From small-town newspapers reporting the content of letters received from hometown soldiers to reports on the latest battle, the war was the overwhelming event of the decade. The newspaper war correspondent, epitomized by Ernie Pyle, became the lifeline for citizens who could not experience the valor and horror of war. Margaret Bourke-White, as a photographer for Life magazine, brought images of the war and the world to Americans and became a celebrity herself.

Military Media.

Thirty-seven American newspeople, among them Pyle, lost their lives in World War II. At the scenes of conflict, the men and women in uniform were kept...