Studs Turkel was a legend in Chicago for decades. Known for his sharp wit and clear writing, he had a successful career as a bit actor, sport commentator, TV MC, writer, and social commentator. This book, one of many, won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985. In it, he interviewed veterans from across the U.S., as well as civilians who worked in factories, hospitals, research labs and even some who were involved with the development of the atomic bomb. He offered a street eye view (which was his specialty) of how men and women felt about the war; the excitement, fear, hopes for the future and life played out for some and their views on the government and the Viet Nam war as their children went to fight their own war.
Despite the acclaim of this book, and the huge sales, I was disappointed; the interviews seemed to be divided between veterans, most of whom expressed their fears and excitement, the remembrance of the close bonds they felt for their comrades, some of whom became life long friends, and the non-combatants, many of them intellectuals and well paid factory workers who often seemed to be disgruntled by their experiences. Being a child of that generation, I saw this sharp divide. For example, when my parents went to their 50th high school reunion, each attendee was asked to write a short biography. I was amazed that every single male, except for my father, started his bio stating what he did in World War II (my father started his stating how long he and my mother had been married). That reflected the importance of the war to a generation of men who endured the poverty of the Depression and for whom, the military was the first time they had enough to eat.
On the other hand, the experiences of those who did not serve in the military, who were at the home front, was often portrayed as a time of sacrifice; a time of rationing, when they had to give up sugar so the troops could have it, etc. If a person worked in a war industry, they remembered the good pay but oh, the long hours (this at a time when a soldier who was on duty 24/7 started off by making about $.07/hour while the minimum wage was $30/week for 40 hours).
The most interesting section-for me-were the sections on how the military had to change its stance on race relations. The army had been re-segregated under President Wilson and with the growth of the military during WWII many questions and policies had to be developed quickly. Many of the prejudices had to be answered, such as could Blacks stand up in combat, were they capable of adapting to a mechanized military, how acceptable were separate but vastly unequal bases, could Blacks be allowed in southern towns during leaves, etc. Race riots occurred on military bases such as at Camp Shenango in Pennsylvania and initially the military had no problem gunning down Black soldiers. Initially limited to logistical work (acting as stevedores, truck drivers, etc.) war is a great leveler and the need for combat troops helped lead the military to better policies despite the resistance of many “old hands” throughout the ranks. More individual stories in this area would have been welcomed.
The greatest spread in remembrance was between the veterans who were being sent to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan, and the workers from the Manhattan Project or related work (mostly women) regarding the use of the atomic bombs. While the civilians felt a sense of guilt over the massive killing of women and children from the bomb, the enlisted men only had one thought; they were going to live. Their sense of justice was that the enemy had started the war and we had ended it and saved hundreds of thousands of lives, including their own.
Personally, I found the words of the vets the most interesting, especially when they described their lives before entering the military. The poverty, hunger, and lack of vision for the future provides a glimpse into a world that was worse than the worse situation in our country today. They experienced poverty and hunger not of their own making in a world that saw war as an improvement, despite the terror as an opportunity for the future. In reading this section and knowing what those men (and women) accomplished during and after the war, one can understand how they earned the name, “the Greatest Generation”.
