Essay
WWII - The 'Good War'
- Course
- American History (HIST207)
- Institution
- Jacksonville University
A paper outlining the reason why the second world war was referred as the Good War.
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Habib FamuditimiProfessor …
HIST-207
6 May 2021
World War II - The Good War
The Second World War was unequivocally one of the most cruel and bloodiest global
world wars that modern society has experienced. The amount of cities devastated, soldiers killed,
families torn apart, and innocent blood being shed was gruesome. It took several years for
Europe to rebuild and it took even longer for the people who lived through this time to reconcile
with the horrors that they had seen and lived through. In the aftermath of all these factors, World
War II is still referred to as the ‘Good War’. How could a terrible war such as WWII be referred
to as a good war? There is actually some truth to why it is referred to as this. It is appropriate that
World War II is often referred to as the “Good War” because of the freedom that was being
fought for. The intention of the Allied Powers was innately good.
In 1941, the President of the United States during the second world war period, Franklin
D. Roosevelt, outlined a universal set of freedoms that are essential to each human and they
required protecting because these four freedoms were being attacked by Nazi Germany and
Adolf Hitler. Before defining each specific freedom, FDR states that, “In the future days, which
we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human
freedoms” (Foner 192). It is evident that the President’s intention for fighting was for a good
reason. This becomes a clear case of the saying ‘desperate times calls for desperate measures’.
The Allied Powers and FDR were wandering into desperate times because they rapidly needed to
, protect freedom as ignorance and captivity was spreading in Europe. This is one example why it
is appropriate to call WWII the ‘Good War’.
According to another book, titled Give Me Liberty, written by historian Eric Foner, in
Chapter 22, the author writes about the fighting of the four freedoms in World War II. He speaks
as to why it can also be referred to as the Good War when he states, “In contrast, World War II
came to be remembered as the Good War, a time of national unity in pursuit of indisputably
noble goals” (Foner 682). The war ultimately represented a chance to protect freedom and
protect morality throughout the world. For this reason, the name of the Good War is fitting and is
appropriate despite the horror that was required to attain freedom against the totalitarian
ideology. As Foner mentioned, the United States specifically during the war were pursuing noble
goals of defending freedom in the world. This is another example why it is appropriate to call
WWII the ‘Good’ War.
4.) The 1960s - A Freer America
The 1960s was a decade filled with many events that will forever be remembered in
United States history. From events such as President John F. Kennedy taking office to Martin
Luther King Jr. entering the national scene, to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landing on the
moon, the sixties was packed with remarkable people and big strides were taken in the right
direction. In regards to becoming a ‘freer’ country, the 1960s certainly can be seen as a period in
time where the United States became a more open and more tolerant country. This is portrayed
through legislature passed and the internal call to action in Americans.
In 1963, after being reluctant to do so for a while, President John F. Kennedy spoke out
on Civil Rights in America. This was not only a great step for the civil rights movement but it
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