“The Good War”: An Oral History of World War II

Poet John Ciardi served as a bomber in Japan during World War II. He notes, “I had to condition myself to be a killer. This was remote control” (200). Even though he was a reluctant bomber, John admits he feels more sympathy for soldiers in Vietnam because, unlike those who fought in World War II, they did not know the reasons for the Vietnam War.

Although at the time of his interview, Akira is a professor of Japanese language in Wisconsin. He lived in Tokyo during World War II and experienced the bombing of the city. In particular, he notes how afraid Japanese civilians were of the Americans during the occupation, but how, despite the bombings, American generosity to the Japanese public helped foster pro-American attitudes.

A former British ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith provides a higher-up’s view of the bombing of Germany and Japan. He admits, “Strategic bombing was designed to destroy the industrial base of the enemy and the morale of its people. It did neither” (209). He further argues that the bombing of Dresden and the use of the atomic bombs in Japan were both militarily unnecessary.