Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Postwar Peace and Quiet

My mom, on the right, and an unidentified friend, enjoy some peace and quiet on the Connecticut shoreline, 1947.

C O L L E C T I O N — This photo, from a color slide dated 1947, shows my Mom and a friend of hers, enjoying life after more than five years of the second World War. My Mom graduated from nursing school in 1940, and worked in a hospital in New Haven during the war, many times finding former classmates among her severely wounded patients. This early postwar period of calm, and optimism towards the future, was much needed after that horrendous war time period of loss and destruction.

Optimism towards the future—what a novel idea. We could sure use some of that today—don't hold your breath waiting.

4 comments:

  1. I was a history major in college and studied German History and East Asian Studies.

    It is amazing how the role of women was more important during the war compared to times immediately after.

    Germany- women were given an iron cross for bearing children.

    Japan- Supporting their husband was nationalistic as well as being a spy amongst the civilian population.

    US-Women were used to rivet plane parts, type
    and used as nurses

    But all 3 roles lost their honors after 1945 and discrimination settled in rather quickly

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  2. thanks for the history lesson, Woody!

    My mother's mother and sister both worked in factories during WW2, actually riveting and building metal stuff just like you said. They stopped working after the war, but my Mom continued being a nurse until 1980 when she retired. She took some time off in the 50s and 60s, living in Japan and Germany where my Dad was stationed. He was in the service for 25 years. I was born in Germany, then when I was 3 he retired and we moved back to the states.

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  3. I love history a lot. One of my professors (William Haver, now a Comparative Literature prof.) had a very unique style of teaching. He used $5 words and cursed
    and made us read about Samurais "breaking wind"and being judged by the bakafu (strict governing body) by their conduct, but I digress..

    What generation American are you and what's your heritage?

    I'm 2nd generation.

    Should I post ur recent comment?

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  4. I just emailed you, but short answer is sure, you can publish it. I really like history too, I just don't remember a lot of what I read, lol.

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