We Have Just Begun to Not Fight: An Oral History of Conscientious Objectors in the Civilian Public Service During World War II

by Heather T. Frazer (Editor), John O'Sullivan

The spoken word is an invaluable asset which strengthens human experience of the past and adds vigor to the documentation of historical accounts. This series presents major events in American history through the rich personal testimonies of those who were there.Each volume includes:

-- A preface illuminating historical background and research details

-- A collection of oral testimonies selected from a range of rare and hard-to-find sources

-- A concluding analytical chapter

-- Notes, bibliography and an index

-- Illustrations

268 pages, Hardcover

First published January 9, 1996

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of men, and a few women, in their experiences in the Civilian Public Service. The several decades between the CPS years and the interviews both hurt and help the narratives. On the one hand it was a generation ago that these events happened, and so the immediacy of emotions and reaction is slightly dampened, but on the other hand the intervening time has also given the participants the valuable insight of time, more space in which to reflect on the impact the camps had on their lives and a removal that allows more objective views on their motives and reactions during a highly charged era. An excellent resource for those interested in this aspect of WWII or for historians of the peace movement in the US.