Conducting Oral History with ex-Enemies

What is it about?

This chapter aims to enable readers to conduct oral history research involving individuals from both the aggressor's and the aggressed sides in wars or conflicts. It provides actual examples of what occurred during the author's interviews and how the author managed these situations. This chapter also offers tips for dealing with the stress phenomena that interviewers may experience during the research, such as traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, a sense of responsibility towards the conflicts between former enemies, nightmares, or feelings of guilt while processing oral history materials. Practical advice is given to cope with this sense of guilt and highlights the significance of interviews in fostering mutual understanding and even healing during oral history research. Additionally, the chapter discusses the importance of preparing to listen to the hardships and predicaments of war/conflict victims. This preparation includes being aware of your attributes, such as gender, past victimhood, being the descents of the victimizer’s side or role as a teacher or researcher. The rapport between narrator and listener is crucial, and the chapter addresses how to balance personal life with the demands of oral history research.

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Why is it important?

We are now facing the wars. This chapter explains how to conduct oral history with ex-enemies when the war is over. This is a case study of the oral history interview between the POWs and veterans of WWII who fought against the Japanese. It will help those who wish to do oral history research to the ex-enemy countries or veterans. It is important to know how the other side feels about the fight, killing, or capture the prisoners.

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