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

A general manager of a company, Elliott Johnson describes what it was like fighting on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day. He concludes by sharing his feelings on the Vietnam War, which he describes as “an immoral war” (264).

A member of the “first black tanker group to be used in combat” (264), Charles A. Gates discusses being deployed in Europe. He mentions meeting General Patton, who gave them a pep talk. Gates adds, “Of course, the Negroes whooped because here was a white man tellin’ the Negroes to shoot white people. Well, that really tore us up” (266). As the unit experienced more successes in Europe, however, there was a deliberate effort among the military to stoke racism against blacks in Europe.

On the home front in the United States, Rosemary talks about losing both her first husband and her brother in the war.