War
March 4, 2008 - Members of the Minnesota 8, anti-war activists who were sentenced to prison for destroying draft files during the Vietnam War, join Midday to discuss their story, which is the subject of a play at the History Theater, titled Peace Crimes: The Minnesota 8. The two guests, Bill Tilton and Frank Kroncke, also answer listener questions.
October 7, 2008 - Midday presents an American RadioWorks documentary titled "What Killed Sergeant Gray?" Sergeant Adam Gray made it home from Iraq only to die in his barracks. Investigating his death, American RadioWorks pieces together a story of soldiers suffering psychological scars – because they abused Iraqi prisoners.
September 9, 2009 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer chats via phone with Minnesota DFL Congressman about his latest visit to Afghanistan and the war effort there. Walz also discusses President Obama’s upcoming speech on healthcare debate.
September 29, 2009 - America faces difficult choice in Afghanistan, to send more troops there or not. The U.S. has been in Afghanistan nearly eight years, and yet the situation there is increasingly unstable. With debate brewing over further troop increase, Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with U.S. Representative Tim Walz about the path that lies ahead. Walz also answers listener questions.
December 2, 2009 - Morning Edition gets a Democratic perspective on President Obama's new Afghanistan strategy from DFL Congressman Tim Walz. Walz went to Afghanistan on a fact finding mission in September. Walz is also a military veteran, serving 24 years in the Army National Guard and retiring with the rank of command sergeant major.
March 10, 2010 - Midday features a rebroadcast of two Voices of Minnesota stories about women in World War II. Program includes the profiles, interviews, and a brief NPR report on Women Airforce Service Pilots.
June 10, 2010 - Journalist and best-selling author Sebastian Junger speaks at the UBS Forum about his book, titled War. The book follows a platoon of soldiers in Eastern Afghanistan and explores the psychological and social effects of combat in one of the most dangerous regions of the country.
July 29, 2010 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann gets perspective from Congressman Tim Walz on why he approved the $59 Billion dollar plan towards the war effort in Afghanistan.
September 20, 2010 - As part of MPR's Youth Radio Series, Youth Radio reporter Mara Kumagai Fink explores her family’s memories of internment camps for Japanese Americans during WWII. Mara spent the summer visiting these camps and uncovering what happened to her family during the war.
April 4, 2011 - When soldiers find out they may deploy to a war zone, leaving their affairs at home in order for themselves and their loved ones becomes top priority. In just a couple months, nearly 24-hundred citizen soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard's 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls will be shipped to Kuwait as part of the U.S. drawdown phase in Iraq. For one soldier from Dodge Center, the uncertainty of a deployment meant scrambling to plan his bride's dream wedding ... in less than a week.