The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk
"The Winds of War" and its sequel "War and Remembrance," both authored by Herman Wouk, explore the complexities of World War II through the experiences of the Henry family, particularly focusing on Victor "Pug" Henry, a U.S. naval officer. Set against the backdrop of the war, the narrative follows Pug's assignments in Berlin, Moscow, and the Pacific, as he navigates military and diplomatic challenges while dealing with personal trials, including infidelity and family dynamics. The novels also highlight the intertwining fates of various characters, including Pug's children, who confront the war's brutal realities, particularly in relation to the Holocaust.
Wouk's work intricately weaves historical events with fictional storytelling, offering profound insights into the moral dilemmas faced by individuals amid global conflict. Through the character of Natalie Jastrow, a Jewish woman caught in the horrors of the Holocaust, the novels aim to personalize the impact of the war, drawing attention to themes of identity, loyalty, and survival. The expansive narrative captures the essence of human resilience and the tragic consequences of war, making it a significant contribution to American historical fiction. "The Winds of War" was published in 1971, followed by "War and Remembrance" in 1978, establishing Wouk’s reputation as a notable novelist in American literature.
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The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk
First published:The Winds of War, 1971; War and Remembrance, 1978
Type of work: Novels
Type of plot: Historical realism
Time of plot: 1939-1945
Locale: Washington, D.C.; Berlin; New York; Siena, Italy; Warsaw; London; Moscow; Rome; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Singapore
Principal characters
Victor “Pug” Henry , a U.S. Navy officerRhoda Henry , his wifeWarren Henry , his son, a naval aviatorByron Henry , his son, a U.S. submarinerAaron Jastrow , a novelistNatalie Jastrow Henry , Byron’s wife and Aaron’s nieceLouis Henry , Natalie and Byron’s sonJanice Lacouture Henry , Warren’s wifeMadeline Henry , Pug’s daughterBerel Jastrow , Aaron’s cousinAlistair “Talkie” Tudsbury , a British war correspondentPamela Tudsbury Henry , his daughter, and Pug’s second wifePalmer Kirby , an American industrialistLeslie Slote , a U.S. foreign service officerHugh Cleveland , a New York radio personalityHarrison Peters , a U.S. Army officer, and Rhoda’s second husband
The Story:
Victor “Pug” Henry, a U.S. naval officer, is sent to Berlin as a naval attaché. On the boat to Berlin, he and his wife meet British war correspondent Alistair “Talkie” Tudsbury and his daughter, Pamela. In Berlin, Pug plays a significant role in the interaction between the German and U.S. governments. He and Rhoda become socially involved with Nazi officials as well.
As the war intensifies, Rhoda returns to the United States. U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt calls Pug to the White House and involves him in nonofficial diplomatic missions to the English, leading Pug to play an important role in the Lend-Lease program with the British government. Rhoda has an affair with Palmer Kirby, an industrialist. Pug goes to England, observes the British work, with radar, and goes on a bombing raid to Germany as an observer. Upon his return, Pamela is waiting for him and suggests that they begin an extramarital affair. Pug is tempted but his strict moral code prevents him from pursuing such an arrangement. Pug goes to Moscow during the German invasion of Russia. While there, he is once again in Pamela’s company, as she has accompanied her father, Talkie, to Moscow. Pug continues his work for Roosevelt, tours the battlefields, and becomes more involved with Pamela. He is then reassigned to the Pacific as a battleship captain, the assignment he has always wanted.
During this time, Warren Henry, Pug’s son, becomes a naval aviator; marries Janice Lacouture, a U.S. senator’s daughter; and is assigned to duty in the Pacific. Pug’s daughter, Madeline, goes to New York and takes a job in radio with Hugh Cleveland. While Pug is very pleased with Warren’s choice of a naval career, he is highly upset by Madeline’s choice of work. In contrast to Warren, son Byron has not opted for a naval career and has gone to Italy as a research assistant to Aaron Jastrow, a renowned Jewish scholar and author of A Jew’s Jesus. He falls in love with Jastrow’s niece, Natalie, and goes to Poland with her; she wants to visit her relatives there, especially Berel Jastrow and his family, and Leslie Slote, her fiancé, who is working at the American embassy in Warsaw.
Natalie and Byron are caught in the bombing of Warsaw. They are finally able to leave German-occupied Poland with the American embassy staff and other Americans. As the staffs of the various embassies depart under German supervision, only the Americans refuse to identify Jews among them and to leave them behind. Byron returns to Berlin, and Natalie returns to Siena, Italy. They are then reunited in Siena, and Natalie realizes that she loves Byron, not Slote.
Encouraged by his father, Byron returns to the United States and enters submarine school. Natalie’s father dies, which brings her back to the United States as well. She and Byron plan to marry, but Natalie feels she must return to Siena and convince Aaron to return to the United States with her. Aaron’s stubbornness as well as his passport problems and questions of his citizenship trap Natalie in Italy. Byron’s submarine arrives in Lisbon, Portugal, and Natalie meets him there. They marry. She stays in Siena with Aaron.
Natalie is pregnant and soon gives birth to a boy; they name him Louis. Eventually, Natalie and Aaron decide to embark to Palestine because of the passport problems. Then, Jastrow’s former student, Werner Beck, who is charged with transporting Jews from Italy to Germany, arrives and flatters Aaron into staying in Italy.
Pug arrives in Pearl Harbor after the bombing and finds the ship California destroyed. He also finds a letter from Rhoda, asking for a divorce. Shortly thereafter, Pug receives command of the cruiser Northampton and a letter from Rhoda withdrawing her request for a divorce.
Pug, Warren, and Byron, now in Europe, are all involved in the battles that liberate the Jews in the concentration camps. Janice begins an affair with Aster, Byron’s fellow submariner, but he is soon killed; Warren and Talkie die as well in separate military campaigns. Pug continues to play an important role as adviser in the war under both Roosevelt and U.S. president Harry S. Truman.
Berel Jastrow, Natalie, and Aaron are sent to concentration camps. As a captured Russian soldier, Berel, Aaron’s cousin, is sent to Auschwitz with a work detail. He eventually escapes and is instrumental in rescuing children from the camps. Natalie and Aaron are interred in Theresienstadt, a camp specially created to convince the Danish Red Cross that life is idyllic in the camps. Active in a Zionist group, Natalie will soon be transported to Auschwitz; Aaron risks his life to speak to the camp commander to save her. Risking all, he refuses to play his role for the Danish if Natalie is transported. Natalie is spared, but is subjected to a tortuous encounter with the commander in which her son Louis’s life is threatened. Berel arranges Louis’s escape. After the Danish visit, Natalie and Aaron are no longer useful and are transported to Auschwitz, where Aaron dies. Natalie is sent to Ravensbruck and then put on a train for Buchenwald. She is found hiding under the train and says she is an American; she is identified by Avram Rabinovitz, who had tried to help her escape from Italy. He notifies Byron, who then locates Louis and is reunited with Natalie.
As the war concludes, Rhoda and Pug have divorced. She has married Harrison Peters, an Army officer; Pug has married Pamela, Talkie’s daughter; and Madeline has left Hugh and remarried. Berel lies buried in an unmarked grave.
Bibliography
Beichman, Arnold. Herman Wouk: The Novelist as Social Historian. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction, 2004. Treats both the historical and literary aspects of the novels. This book is carefully researched, and is based on interviews with Wouk and on his personal papers.
Bolton, Richard R. “The Winds of War and Wouk’s Wish for the World.” Midwest Quarterly 16 (1975): 389-408. A good discussion of Wouk’s views on peace, tolerance, and brotherhood.
Guttmann, Allen. The Jewish Writer in America: Assimilation and the Crisis of Identity. New York: Oxford University Press, 1971. This study examines Wouk’s importance and place in the tradition of the American Jewish novel.
Klingenstein, Susanne. “Sweet Natalie: Herman Wouk’s Messenger to the Gentiles.” In Talking Back: Images of Jewish Women in American Popular Culture, edited by Joyce Antler. Hanover, N.H.: University Press of New England, 1998. Klingenstein examines the character of Natalie Jastrow. Describes how Wouk uses his character to personalize the Holocaust for non-Jewish readers.
Paulson, Barbara A., ed. The Historical Novel: A Celebration of the Achievements of Herman Wouk. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1999. This work helps place Wouk in the context of American literature.
Raphael, Marc. “From Marjorie to Tevya: The Image of Jews in American Popular Literature, Theater, and Comedy.” American Jewish History 74 (1984): 66-72. This journal article is especially valuable for those wishing to understand Wouk’s portrayal of Aaron Jastrow and Berel Jastrow.
Shapiro, Edward S. “The Jew as Patriot: Herman Wouk and American Jewish Identity.” In We Are Many: Reflections on American Jewish History and Identity. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 2005. This collection includes a retrospective review of Wouk’s career. Shapiro argues persuasively that Wouk is concerned principally with defining American Jewish identity.