World War II

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Student Question

What different visions of freedom were articulated during World War II by various groups? Why is WWII often called "the good war"?

Quick answer:

During World War II, various groups in the U.S. had different visions of freedom, often shaped by racial and ethnic discrimination. African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and others faced segregation and prejudice but were still expected to support the war effort. This led to post-war civil rights advancements. WWII is often called "the good war" due to its clear moral objectives against oppressive regimes, although the concept of any war being "good" is debated by historians.

Expert Answers

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This is really a two-part question. Regarding “freedom” during World War II, many Americans were technically not really “free.” Racial discrimination was widespread in many parts of America in the 1940s via both Jim Crow laws and decades of bigoted patterns. And although segregation policies targeted African Americans living in the Southern US, they were not the only group who suffered from ethnic and cultural bias. Other groups who experienced prejudice included black people living in Northern US regions, Latinos, Native Americans, Filipinos, Chinese Americans, Jewish Americans, Japanese Americans, and other minorities.

Yet all were expected to support the war effort, and many bravely served in World War II even though they faced segregation and discrimination both during their deployment and after they came home. After suffering all this ill treatment and bigotry, it is easy to imagine that these various groups didn’t feel “free” in America at all. Soon after the end of the war, President Harry S. Truman launched a civil rights campaign, and then in 1948 issued Executive Order 9981 to end discrimination in the military. These events helped enable racial equality legislation and incite the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

World War II was coined the quintessential "Good War," by journalist Studs Terkel since it is often viewed as one of the most morally unequivocal military conflicts in history, especially when comparing it to later conflicts that are viewed as less morally justified. This is because it was launched and fought against cruel invaders who committed a slew of war crimes and other atrocities. However, no war is “good,” and many historians agree that after years of studying the war and its aftermath, it is difficult to label it as outright morally transparent.

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