Works
Following the Front: The Dispatches of World War II Correspondent Sidney A. Olson
As a war correspondent covering the final months of WWII in Europe, Sidney A. Olson witnessed the best, and the worst, of humanity. His dispatches for TIME and LIFE, cabled from the battlefront back to the Time Inc. offices in New York, describe scenes both wrenching and beautiful, where death and destruction merge with culture and beauty. Olson’s job was to record what he saw to the best of his ability while attempting to mute his personal, and sometimes emotional, reactions. He risked his life on more than one occasion. Years later, he wrote in his diary: “A question to ask myself repeatedly: where did I get my courage?” His dispatches, combined with personal letters, reflect all the issues of the day; they also provide us with vital context for present times.