The Greatest Generation, also known as the G.I. Generation and the World War II generation, is the demographic cohort following the Lost Generation and preceding the Silent Generation. Members of the Greatest Generation grew up during the Depression and fought during World War II. The term is thought to have been coined by former NBC Nightly News anchor and author Tom Brokaw in his book by the same name. The generation is generally defined as people born from 1901 to 1927.