Memories from the Edge of the Abyss: Evaluating the Oral Accounts of World War II Veterans

Since the "Greatest Generation" is rapidly passing from the scene, this article maintains that the time is ripe for the oral history community to engage in a serious examination of the strengths and weaknesses of World War II veteran interviews. Using a small case study about the battle of Okinawa (April-June 1945), the essay examines some aspects of the memory quality of World War II veterans interviewed late in life. It presents three arguments. First, American veterans of World War II were frequently reticent about recounting their memories. They often waited until late in life to do so. Second, the American World War II veterans' interviews were generally reliable and accurate even when given late in life. Nonetheless, some problems were encountered in interviewing veterans long after a battle. Third, the veterans could provide greater detail about their initial experiences during a campaign. Recollections about their later experiences during the same the campaign were foggier. The author concedes, however, that the small size of his case study means that the conclusions can only have validity if confirmed by the experience of other oral history interviewers. Hence the author's goal is to initiate this important conversation rather than to conclude it.