56 pages • 1 hour read
Studs Terkel“The Good War”: An Oral History of World War II
Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1984A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Introduction
Book 1, Section 1
Book 1, Section 2
Book 1, Section 3
Book 1, Section 4
Book 1, Section 5
Book 1, Section 6
Book 1, Section 7
Book 2, Section 1
Book 2, Section 2
Book 2, Section 3
Book 2, Section 4
Book 2, Section 5
Book 3, Section 1
Book 3, Section 2
Book 3, Section 3
Book 3, Section 4
Book 4, Section 1
Book 4, Section 2
Book 4, Section 3
Book 4, Section 4
Book 4, Section 5
Book 4, Section 6
Epilogue
Key Figures
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaBook 4, Section 4Chapter Summaries & Analyses
“Philip Morrison” Summary
A physician who worked on the development of the atomic bomb, Philip Morrison summarizes the process that led to the invention of the bomb and the rationale behind how it was used. Regarding the bomb today, Philip says, “End the arms race. It sounds like a slogan, but it happens to be the last best hope” (516).
“Marnie Seymour” Summary
Marnie and her husband were both engineers enlisted to work on the atomic bomb. She recollects how working on the bomb and the dehumanization of the Japanese embittered her to the reality of the bombings. At the end of her narrative, she mentions that her adult sons do not believe there is a future because of the prospect of nuclear war.
“John H. Grove” Summary
John H. Grove did not regret dropping the bombs on Japan. He says, “I felt that our survival as a nation, as a democracy, was really at stake” (524). Still, he dreads the prospect of nuclear annihilation.
“Bill Barney” Summary
Bill Barney was a member of the crew that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. He notes that, when he dropped the bomb, he realized “it was big” (528). He does not believe that anyone would start a nuclear war.
“Father George Zabelka” Summary
A military chaplain at the time of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, Father George Zabelka claims that the morality of the bombings was rarely discussed among chaplains. He reflects, “I guess we all felt it was terrible, but necessary” (533).
“Hajimi Kito and Hideko Tamura (Tammy) Friedman” Summary
Two survivors of the Hiroshima bombing, Hajimi and Hideko describe the horrific experience. Reflecting on the legacy of the bombing, Hajimi notes, “I have come to think that the people who died are calling upon us survivors not to make a meaningless waste out of their depths” (540).
Book 4, Section 4 Analysis
The narratives here focus on scientists who helped develop the atomic bomb, survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and US military personnel who were stationed near the two cities after they were bombed.
Two key themes arise from these recollections. First is the fear of nuclear war inaugurated by use of the atomic bombs, which encouraged pessimism and even outright fatalism in the postwar era. Second is the general attitude that the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings were brutal but necessary to stop further losses, though Terkel takes care to balance this perspective with the viewpoint of survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
What’s more, a notable contradiction emerges even among those who believe the atomic bombings were necessary and justified, as individuals like John H. Grove dread further use of nuclear weapons.
