The Good War essays

The Good War essays The Good War, An Oral History of World War II, by Studs Turkel, is a compiliation of multiple accounts from servivors, on their personal experiences of the war. Each person with a differnt storie to tell; allowing for a very vivid description of the war, from various differnt perspectives, and points of view. In General, those who where not against the war from the beginning, found that the war had a significant and usually, suprisingly positive effect on them, and the rest of their lives. For the most part, those who went off to war, after the war, came back with a positeive outlook. Most of the American solders atlest, beleived that the war was either a major turning point in their life, was an exiting adventure, or tought them some kind of moral lesson that they carried with them throughout the rest of their life. What I find ironic is the fact that despite all the death and carnage that they were forced to view, that the majority of them were able to come back and say that it was the best experience of their lives, or that they wouldnt trade their war experience, for any thing in the world. I find it strange that a war can be one of the greatest things to happen to one in his/her lifetime. In contrast to that, young men who did not go off to the war, either becuase they were concientious objecters, or becuase of other reasons, had a negative view on the war. They believed that the war was wrong going in, and believed it was wrong when it was over. However, I dont believe that they can honestly say that it would have been best to have allowed Hitler to create his own empire at the expense of others, Just in order to prevent war. Yes, war is not a pretty thing, but at some point, it becomes inevidably inavoidable. Which brings me to my next point. Why did Studds Turkel choose to name this book The Good War? What Makes any war a Good War? Despite the fact that war itself is a hor...