The Witness to War project is not about the set piece movements
of armies, the military strategies of generals, nor the geo
political nuances that led to war. Instead, it is about the
‘foxhole’ view of combat as seen by the soldiers
who experienced it. It is about the fear, the emotions, the
training, and the previously untapped wells of personal strength
that enabled ordinary individuals to survive, and in some
cases thrive, under extraordinary pressures and almost unimaginable
danger.
The Witness to War Foundation is dedicated to understanding,
as much as possible, what it was like to ‘be there’.
The project has the following primary mission:
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Capture the oral histories of combat veterans and preserve
them for their families and for future generations.
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Make the stories accessible to the general public to
promote interest in military history and to encourage
a greater appreciation for the sacrifices made by these
humble warriors.
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Encourage others to capture oral histories of veterans
in their families and their local areas.
All of the content collected by the Witness to War Foundation
will be donated to the Library of Congress Veterans History
Project and other non-profit organizations with a similar
preservation focus. Veterans and their families are provided
free copies of the full length interviews.
With the launch of the website, the initial mission is
fulfilled although interviews continue and many more clips
will be added regularly. Moving forward, the mission could
be expanded into several areas:
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Assist individuals interested in collecting oral histories
by providing guidance on everything from setting up a
video shoot to finding local veterans. Provide interview
guides and a place to present the resulting stories.
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Serve as an access point for other similar oral histories
collected by other groups or individuals whose content
would otherwise be less accessible to the general public.
The video and content databases are built to be scalable.
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Expand the Witness to War interview team to enable
a higher volume of interviews in our region.
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Over time, focus on veterans of other
wars and conflicts, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam
War, the Gulf Wars, and perhaps even conflicts that have
not involved the United States.
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Develop content for use in school education programs.
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