History of World War II Nursing in Vintage Movie: The Army Nurse DVD (1945)
This fascinating an important film which shows many scenes of life as an army nurse in World War II. It documents their entire journey through military nursing, from basic training to their work in field hospitals caring for the wounded. The gender of the women is somewhat idealized, "In her there is the tenderness of all women, of mother and sister and friend. Her voice and touch lend encouragement, instill hope." There is an amazing amount of real WWII footage here, showing the nurses in many activities. They are shown helping surgeons dress, laying out instruments, and generally assisting the doctors. They are also shown caring for men in convalescence, including transporting them in "flying hospitals" to interior hospitals. They build and tear down mobile field health centers. There are even sequences showing the many uses of the GI helmet, including as dishpan, washbasin, and cooking pot. Really, the wealth of historical information about women's roles in World War II is too great to properly enumerate here. The sacrifice of these courageous women is often overlooked and spreading the valuable contents of this film will help to alleviate this disparity.
