World War II had an immense impact on Connecticut and its people.

Approximately 210,000 men and women from Connecticut served between 1941 and 1945 in the conflict that spanned the globe. About 4,500 Connecticut men between the ages of 16 and 49 were killed in action or died of combat wounds; approximately 1,000 others died of illness or in accidents. Aircraft and submarine manufacturers, already stalwarts of the defense industry, revved up to meet growing demand. Factories and mills that had turned out toys and silk fabric were quickly transformed - churning out bullet casings, uniform buttons, parachutes and thread for those parachutes, and much more - all to feed the fighting machine.

To honor those who fought on the battlefront and those who labored on the home front, and to pass the light of understanding on to a new generation, CPTV has developed a yearlong initiative built around the new PBS program, "The War," a Ken Burns documentary series directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Part one of The War premieres Sunday, September 23, 2007, on CPTV.

The Second World War was fought in thousands of places, too many for any one accounting. The War is the story of four American towns and how the experiences of their citizens. Waterbury, Connecticut, has the distinction of being one of only four communities in the country featured in this landmark series. The War will have a national television audience projected at 41.6 million cumulative viewers for its first week of airing, and the film has been chosen for inclusion in the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress. Especially significant for Connecticut, Waterbury's experiences during World War II will be brought to the forefront of national awareness.

As firsthand knowledge of World War II fades, it is essential that our younger generations understand what "the greatest generation" experienced during those difficult years and their legacy of accomplishment. We want to reach into as many homes and classrooms as possible to tell this story.

In addition to featuring The War, CPTV's programming lineup will include one or more programs each month that focuses on different aspects of World War II - from rare color footage of battles in the Pacific theater to the adventures of young women who flocked from around the country to become "government girls" in Washington, D.C.

Beyond the programs we're broadcasting, CPTV is taking part in the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. Our goal is to collect and preserve more of the World War II memories of Connecticut residents, both those who served in the military overseas and those who worked in the defense industry here at home.

We know we cannot collect or tell every story that ought to be told. But we hope you will watch and participate. Ultimately, we hope that you will find new ways to look at Connecticut's past... and new ways to understand history and war.