T he “G ood W ar ” and B aptists W ho R efused to F ight I t

This article explores the legacy of some of four hundred Baptists who refused combatant duty during World War II, characterized by some as the quintessential “good war.” Drawing on research concerning the motivation of several conscientious objectors, their role during the war and their postwar activity, this article complements a recent documentary film, The “Good War” and Those Who Refused to Fight It , which highlights the impact of their war resistance on conscientious objectors who subsequently fueled such social movements as the campaign to control the spread of nuclear weapons, to protect the environment, and to champion civil rights in the United States.