简介：WalterCronkitewasthemanwhogaveusthenewsfortwotumultuousdecadesinthelate20thcentury.Ashistorian,journalistandauthorDavidHalberstamsaysinpraiseofthegreatCBSnewsman:"MostAmericansreallylearnedoftheeveningnewsandlearnedofVietnamandlearnedofthecivilrightsmovementandlearnedofWatergatewithWalterCronkiteasthemanwhoushereditintotheirhomes.AnddiditwithgreatprofessionalismoveraverylongtimeandwasIthinkabsolutelytruetohimself."InAMERICANMASTERSWalterCronkite:WitnesstoHistory,adocumentarynarratedbyKatieCouric,historians,fellowjournalistsandCBScolleaguesappraisethecareerofthemanwhowascalled"themosttrustedmaninAmerica."CBSwriterandcommentatorAndyRooney,legendaryproducer/directorDonHewitt,correspondentsMikeWallace,MorleySafer,LesleyStahlandBarbaraWalters,columnistsMollyIvinsandHelenThomas,SenatorJohnMcCainandPresidentJimmyCarterguidetheviewerfromCronkite'searlydaysasaforeigncorrespondentinWorldWarIIthroughhisthirty-yearcareeratCBSNews.ThefilmopenswithCronkite'sbeginningsasajournalist-hisdecisionattheageoftwelvetobecomethebestpossiblereporterhecouldbe.HisambitionwashonedduringhisearlyyearswiththeUnitedPresswireservice.Battlingconstantdeadlines,hedevelopedakeensenseofcompetition-andakeensenseofwhatmatteredtotheAmericanpublic.Inthenascentyearsoftelevision,wheneventhenetworksweren'tsurewhatthemediumcoulddo,Cronkitewasamongthefirsttoshine-asanewsmanandasthehostoftheenormouslypopularYouAreThereseries.ChosentoanchortheCBSEveningNews,Cronkitewouldbecomeinvolvedineverymajoreventofthepost-waryears:theassassinationofJohnF.Kennedy,theVietnamwarandtheanti-warmovement,theracetospaceandthemoon,theWatergatescandalandtheimpeachmentofRichardNixon,theCampDavidpeaceaccordsbetweenEgyptandIsrael.Whenheretiredfromtheanchordeskin1981,thepressviewedtheeventasthepassingofaniconandanera.OnemagazineeditorwrotethatWalterCronkiteleavingtheairwas"likeGeorgeWashington'sfaceleavingthedollarbill."WrittenbyLeslieClark…