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

Ray Wax, a New York City stockbroker, served as a soldier during World War II. After the war ended, he experienced seemingly limitless economic opportunities, but he also felt that there was “a singleness of purpose: making money regardless of cost or who you damage” (308). This contrasted with the attitude that prevailed during World War II, which was “a time of good feeling” and of having done “something worthwhile” (308).

Unusually for “The Good War”, this is not an interview but a snippet describing what became of the town of Seneca, Illinois, after the war. According to Terkel, between June 1942 and June 1945, 157 tank landing ships were built there for the war effort, suggesting how much the town prospered from the war.

A resident of Seneca, Illinois, Elsie describes the town grew to a population of 27,000 overnight (309) because of the World War II shipyard.