They Drew Fire: Combat Artists of World War II

Through the eyes of seven World War II artists, They Drew Fire shows an intimate and often startling look at combat, and the task of transforming the horrors of war into stark, revealing, enduring works of art. Soldiers, sailors, and airmen created more than 12,000 works of art. The artwork, commissioned by the U.S. government, has been hidden away in dusty military archives and basements, unseen since the war, until now. Most of the artists were trained for combat and carried weapons. They stormed the beaches in the South Pacific, accompanied our men into Normandy, and fought with the ground troops in France and Italy. Narrated by Jason Robards, They Drew Fire was directed by Pulitzer Prize winning photo journalist Brian Lanker. "With words and pictures," says Lanker, "...they speak from the heart about the experience of war, and they show us the images that come from their unique perspectives - the artists' outlook."