What is Last of the Conquerors about?
Q: What is Last of the Conquerors about?
A: Last of the Conquerors is a 1948 novel by African-American novelist William Gardner Smith. It concerns African-American GI's serving in United States occupied Germany after World War II and follows the protagonist Hayes Dawkins as he has an affair with Ilse, a white German woman. They fight against racist Army officers and policies to sustain their relationship.
Q: What does Last of the Conquerors suggest about post-Nazi Germany?
A: Last of the Conquerors suggests that post-Nazi Germany was more racially tolerant than the United States at that time. The novel gives an opinion of the Marshall Plan claiming that American society should be a model for the world, while African-Americans continued to deal with racism.
Q: How do US troops react when they see the Statue of Liberty coming into view?
A: When US troops see the Statue of Liberty coming into view, they are somber and wary, resigned but not glad to be home from war because they are "colored" troops. After experiencing life in a society (recently liberated Germany) where racial prejudice was not a big factor, they steel themselves for dealing with a still very divided America.
Q: What kind of experience does Last of the Conquerors provide its readers?
A: Last of the Conquerors provides its readers with an eyeopening look inside a (now hopefully past) society and its impact on those forced to deal with unremitting pressure distrust and hate. It is meant to be profound reading experience.
Q: Who wrote Last Of The Conquerors?
A: Last Of The Conquerors was written by African-American novelist William Gardner Smith in 1948.
Q: What is Ilse’s role in this story?
A: Ilse is Hayes Dawkins' love interest in this story; she is a white German woman who fights alongside him against racist Army officers and policies so that they can sustain their relationship which some white soldiers condemn (although there are also many friendly whites who help them).
