Voices From The Second World War

Voices From The Second World War

Juvenile nonfiction
"I remember Sunday, September 3, 1939, very well: we were told
to listen to our radios at eleven a.m., as there was to be an
announcement from the British prime minister, Neville Chamberlain.
The announcement finished with these words, 'We are at war with
Germany.' Nobody had any idea what that would mean for us or how long
the war would last. Someone remarked to me he thought it would carry
on til till Christmas at least. Little did we know that we were to
spend six Christmases at war."
Recently I read an article questioning how we would teach about
the Holocaust in the future. The survivors who have put human faces
to one of the world's most brutal tragedies are dying off. How do we
keep a tragedy that should have us working dilligently toward never
again from becoming dusty history?
I was inspired and encouraged by reading Voices From The Second
World War: Stories of War as Told to Children of Today. Covering the
years from the declaration of war to the aftermath of Hiroshima, it
contains the narratives of dozens of regular people as told to school
children. Among those who you will meet are Margaret Clapham who was
sent to England on Kindertransport, Francois Conil-Lacost who was a
child in occupied France, Cornelia Manji whose family helped hidden
Jews, Bettine Le Beau who was smuggled out of a concentration camp,
and Takashi Tanemori who was only eight when the bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima.
The stories are direct, poignant, and evocative, probably in
large part because they were told to youngsters.
"When I was five, I was very ill with mumps. My father managed
to visit me, but I was too ill to talk much. I just remember him
sitting in the chair by my bed. I fell asleep and when I woke up I
was heartbroken to discover that he had gone. So it was just as well
that I didn't know that I would never see him again..."
The children who did the interviewing were deeply touched by the
experience. One boy said, "I enjoyed doing this project with my
grandfather, as otherwise I would not have known about his
experiences. Grandpere was my age when France was at war. I can't
imagine what it is like worrying about not having enough food, and I
can't bear the thought of eating rabbits. I think I am lucky to live
in a country at peace."
Not all the people who were interviewed were children during the
war. Some were teens or adults who fought or worked on the home
front. So the book should appeal to YA and adult readers as well as
its intended juvenile audience. I read it cover to cover and learned
quite a bit.
Teachers, get your kids out of class and empower them to
preserve oral histories and walk in the shoes of others. It can make
a world of difference.
On a personal note, I was kidnapped the night between the two
conference days by my Katie, Jacob (her significant other), and Ann
(his mother). First we explored the Portland Museum of Art which is
an enchanting building containing a wide range of art. We saw art
ranging from the old masters to pieces done by children. I was amazed
how many artists I recognized the work of on the basis of reading
about them for this blog. It was a thrill to see their actual work.
Ann is a professional artist. But we were able to carry on an
animated and easy discussion. (A casual observer would probably think
we'd been friends for ages). She bought me a card of the picture I
liked best. It will have a place of honor in my studio. Then we went
to Slab for supper. It is the one pizza place I've been to that isn't
meh compared to dining services. When we walked in I was greeted
enthusiasticly by one of my new conference friends.i had beef braised
in beer stew in a bread bowl and a wine spritzer. Everything was
delish. It was a totally enchanted evening. When they delivered me
to the hotel I discovered I had a posh suite I didn't have to pay
for. I took pictures and had Georgia take one of me in the one piece
Mickey Mouse pajamas Katie gave me for Christmas a few years ago.
Talk about the sweet life!
A great big shout out goes out to my delightful kidnappers and to
Lisa, our leader, who made sure they knew where to find me.
jules hathaway


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