The Good War: An Oral History of World War II by Studs Terkel
"The Good War: An Oral History of World War II" by Studs Terkel presents a multifaceted exploration of World War II through the voices of those who experienced it directly. The book is divided into four sections, each addressing different perspectives and experiences during the war. The first section highlights personal memories, including recollections of the Pearl Harbor attack and the experiences of soldiers and women on the home front, such as those symbolized by "Rosie the Riveter." The second section features perspectives from high-ranking military and civilian individuals, as well as those impacted by bombings in Europe and Asia.
Terkel's work also delves into the economic impacts of the war, featuring interviews with policy makers who discuss the implementation of rationing and price controls. The final section reflects on the concluding months of the war, the aftermath, and significant events like the atomic bombings and war crimes trials. By capturing a diverse array of voices, Terkel's oral history provides insight into the complexities and consequences of the war, appealing to historians, veterans, and newer generations interested in understanding this pivotal era. The book serves as both a personal and collective narrative, illustrating the profound and varied experiences of individuals from different backgrounds.
The Good War: An Oral History of World War II by Studs Terkel
Identification Collection of more than 120 interviews with veterans and other persons involved in World War II
Editor Studs Terkel (1912-2008)
Date Published in 1984
The Good War is historian Studs Terkel’s attempt to capture the memories and the impact of World War II. In this epic account of World War II, the author expanded his oral history approach to a global scale, producing a history that won him both critical acclaim and the Pulitzer Prize.
In The Good War, Studs Terkel used an approach similar to that of his earlier classic, Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression(1970), seeking to produce a history of the era by interviewing scores of Americans and others who had served either in the war itself or on the home front. The volume is divided into four sections, or books. The first section includes individual memories of the attack on Pearl Harbor; recollections of subsequent fighting in the Pacific, Europe, and Africa; thoughts of women who identified with “Rosie the Riveter”; and memories of ordinary soldiers. As one example of the memories presented in this section, Dempsy Travis, recalling the Jim Crow aspects of the war, describes it as “the turning point of my life.” The second section includes interviews with individuals of high rank, both military and civilian; people who bombed others or who were bombed; people who grew up in Europe and Asia as well as the United States; memories of D Day; and an interview with one of the Andrews Sisters. In this section, Lean Wood, a Londoner visiting New York, remembers the bombing of London and the deaths of young children who had “cardboard coffins.”
The third section focuses more on the economic effects of the war and includes interviews with government policy makers as well as journalists. John Kenneth Galbraith, who was put in charge of organizing price controls, describes the necessity of implementing rationing during the war. The last section of the book focuses on the final months of the war and its aftermath, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the war crimes trials at Nuremberg, and the onset of the Cold War. Hajimi Kito, a survivor of Hiroshima, states, “What I remember most are the screams for water.” One of the strengths of the book is that it captures the voices of a vast array of individuals of all classes and many nationalities whose stories rivet readers and draw them into the chaos of a world war.
Impact
The Good War appeals to a broad audience: to the historian seeking a personalized history of the war, to the individual who experienced the war itself, and to more recent generations who have no memory of the war years. Although Terkel’s approach records the experiences of individuals, it offers a larger panorama of the war and its effect on the world.
Bibliography
Ambrose, Stephen. The Victors: Eisenhower and His Boys: The Men of World War II. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Gilbert, Martin. The Second World War: A Complete History. New York: Henry Holt, 2004.
Ryan, Cornelius. The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Weinberg, Gerhard L. A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005.