Submitted by Lindsay Jacques on September 4, 2006 - 04:10. Playlist
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On my dorm wall is my favorite poster of all time- The War’s End Kiss. It is a snapshot of VJ Day in 1945 when a sailor grabs a nurse in the street of New York City and kisses her in a passionate embrace that has captured people’s emotions and imaginations for the past sixty years. Here is my version of what truth I like to think is behind the photograph.
December 7, 1941- “A Day that will live in infamy” according to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and America entered World War II. When one young man heard this news, he decided that he needed to fulfill his duty and enter the navy to serve his country. A like-minded young woman became a nurse hoping to help in any way that she could.
The young nurse (we will call her Jane) witnessed many terrible sights while nursing. Many of her patients died and even though at times she felt alone, there were always other nurses to reach out to for help; they stuck together. The young sailor (we will call him Jack) lost his best friend in battle. He held that friend's head as he watched the light go out of his eyes. However, fellow sailors were around in this darkest hour to help him through his grief.
August 15, 1945- The Japanese surrendered and World War II was over. Jane was so releaved when she heard the news on a radio in the back of the hospital. She just couldn't wait to get home. Jack went to a bar in New York City to have a drink with his buddies.
Jane decided she needed to get on a train and go celebrate the good news in the streets of New York City. She was more excited than she could ever remember, because she was about to join the biggest widespread celebration of her life.
Rhonda Stisi's "Dancin' in the Street"
Then all of a sudden Jack saw this gorgeous young nurse in the street dancing away. And that nurse was Jane. He couldn't resist and he decided...
And then they kissed! Both of them couldn't believe what was happening but knew that it was amazing.
It was hard for Jane to believe that after all this time being alone she surprisingly found somebody to share such a special moment with. Jack didn't want to admit it but he was starting to feel like he might believe in "love at first sight" for the first time in his life. This nurse was more than he had ever hoped for.
And all of this would only take place in one of the greatest cities in America- New York. I had to close with this song from the 1940s performed not only by Tony Bennett but Frank Sinatra as well. It captures the spirit of New York as well as the personality of the time period.
I hope you enjoyed my version of the story behind my favorite poster- The War’s End Kiss: New York City 1945. It truly brings proof to the idiom that a picture is worth 1,000 words (if not more).