The Silent Generation is defined as...
...1939-1945
The Silent Generation had a great advantage: this generation had the lowest number of births of any generation (occurring in 1944 and 1945) due to World War II. This meant that the Silent Generation was better able to take advantage of the economic prosperity following the war. The Silent Generation was better educated than the previous generation, and integrated new scientific and technological advances into their everyday lives—advances like the television, ballpoint pens, and t-shirt, to name a few.
According to Wikipedia, "The label "Silent Generation" was first coined in the November 5, 1951 cover story of TIME Magazine to refer to the generation coming of age at the time, born during the Great Depression and World War II, including the bulk of those who fought during the Korean War. The article, (which defined the generation at the time as born from 1925 to 1945), found its characteristics as grave and fatalistic, conventional, possessing confused morals, expecting disappointment but desiring faith, and for women, desiring both a career and a family.
The Silent Generation was smaller than the WWI generation before them and the Baby Boom Generation afterwards due to the lower birthrate of the 1930s and '40s. As a result, members of the Silent Generation were uniquely poised to take advantage of economic opportunities, thanks to the reduced competition. Many of them went on to harness the scientific and technological advances of the Second World War, developing innovative inventions which laid the groundwork for even more technological progress in the late 20th century. The Silent Generation had a tendency to be better educated than the WWI generation because of not having their schooling interrupted by the Depression and the war."
*The below research outlines the cultural influences that were released during the birth time of the Silent Generation. Obviously, the Silent Generation members are also influenced by other generations. For more on other generations, go to our generations menu.