This beautiful full-color book presents nearly 100 actual postcards that were sent during the war, and that reflect a host of scenes, situations, and emotions. Beginning with 1941 and ending with VJ Day, the book takes you from the training camps of America to field hospitals in Europe and posts in the Pacific; from furloughs in New York City to sweethearts at home. Throughout the book, you’ll also find fascinating insets that highlight various aspects of the war, including the role of the USO, censorship of letters, women at work, and so much more.

Postcards from World War II helps recapture the triumphs and tragedies of this time. Each postcard is truly a part of our collective American history, a tangible memory of the heroism of the "greatest" generation.

Professional writer Robynn Clairday received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. She is the author of a number of books for young adults, including Tell Me This Isn’t Happening! and Expect the Unexpected. Matt Clairday, a graduate of Lamar University, is a computer consultant. This book--a reflection of their mutual interest in World War II postcards--is a tribute to their fathers, who served during the war.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1941
You’re in the Service Now

1942
USO Centers--"Home Away From Home"
Rationing

1943
Mail and the War
K-Rations

1944
Posters and the War Effort
Technological and Scientific Strides

1945
Going Home

Conclusion

The Messages in Print

Index

Introduction

It is 1942. As war rages throughout the world, a young American G.I. has just received final orders--in less than an hour he will be shipping out to an unspecified destination in northern Africa. With only a few free minutes to send a message back home, he grabs a postcard and scribbles a note to his bride. He tells her that he is doing well. He has just gotten his marching orders, so it may be some time before he can write to her again. He sends his love, asks her to write, and then adds one last thought--tonight she’ll be in his dreams. Some days later, his young wife receives the message with tears and gratitude. For that fleeting, fragile moment, the few words on this small card connect her to her husband so many miles away.

It is 1944. A wheat farmer, his chores done and the sun beginning to set, takes a slow walk to his roadside mailbox. He reaches inside. Amid a small handful of mail, he spots it--a colorful postcard from his son who is stationed somewhere in the Pacific. He flips the postcard over and spies his son’s familiar scrawl. He smiles. The message is brief, but warm and reassuring, and for that instant, although thousands of miles from home, that son has reached out and hugged his dad.

During World War II, postcards, both private and government issue, created important links connecting tens of thousands of servicemen to their friends and family back home. It was the soldier’s quickest and most convenient means of communicating thoughts and feelings to distant loved ones. No matter what the message may have said, every postcard was a way of saying, “I’m okay” and “I’m thinking of you.” In a world of doubt and devastation, it was an affirmation of life.

War World II was the worst war in all history--a conflict in which the forces for democracy and freedom battled the rising tide of fascism and tyranny. It was a time of ferocious battles waged on land, sea, and in the air; when the entire planet seemed to tremble with the fear of annihilation; when millions faced a daily struggle for survival. Determined to stop the Axis Powers from seizing world domination, the Allies had vowed to do whatever was necessary to defeat them. And the uncertainty was enormous. No one could say what the outcome would be--at what personal cost the future would be secured.

Postcards From World War II is not a historical account of this turbulent period, but offers poignant, everyday views of servicemen and women caught up in the war. The words penned on the backs of these small cards were actually written by those who lived--and perhaps died--during this fight for freedom. Although brief, these communications convey a sense of the emotions--the fear and courage, the love and humor, the anguish and pride--that characterized the people serving their country so far from home.

War is always a big story. Amid the facts and figures of victories won and battles lost, it is easy to forget that the combatants were individuals with their own lives and personal stories. The postcards in this book present their distinctive tales. You’ll read the words of a young recruit who has written a few lines to his mother from boot camp. It is the furthest he has ever been from home, and his words convey how lonely and homesick he is. Although he is scared, he wants to be brave; but he’s overwhelmed with the desire to sleep in his own bed...

A melancholy soldier sends heartfelt words of love and tenderness to his children at Christmas. He reminds them how much their Daddy loves and misses them, and how he longs to be with them during the holiday season...

A sailor who has just been notified of an up-and-coming leave writes excitedly to his girl back home. He tells her to start making wedding plans...

During World War II, the postcard was a near-perfect way to keep in touch. Soldiers didn’t always have the time to write letters. In boot camp, they were often too exhausted to write more than a paragraph. A brief line or two enabled the soldier to tell his wife or mother or neighbor or child that he was alive and thinking of them. Life was terribly uncertain and fragile, not just for those fighting for freedom and democracy, but for those at home. The postcard allowed the soldier to reach out and make a connection.

Postcards From WWII provides us with brief glimpses into the lives of those who served their country during this uncertain, terrifying period. Their written words enable us to peek into their souls. Beginning with 1941, each chapter represents a year of the war and includes postcards that were sent during that same year. The authors of the postcards came from all over the United States, from both Coasts, the Midwest, the Plains, and the South. They trained in camps from California to North Carolina and from Michigan to Texas. They flew fighter planes and drove tanks. They learned how to use arms and march and fight and survive. They fought in every part of the world, but they longed for the comfort and familiarity of home.

Postcards From WWII also presents glimpses of the important role of women on the home front, how the war changed the postal service, the value of the USO, and much more.

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, letters reflect the workings of the heart. In 1943, the average American soldier received fourteen pieces of mail a week, but most of these cards and letters have been lost. Much of their return mail, however, like the postcards in this book, still exists. These cards reveal the humor, the raw loneliness, the simple honesty, and the hearts of the men and women who sent them. Each postcard is truly a part of our collective American history, a tangible memory of the heroism of the “greatest” generation.

Reviews

"I strongly recommend Postcards from World War II for all those who have an interest in that conflict and that time period. Robynn and Matt Clairday have done an excellent job of compiling a collection of heartfelt, funny and moving postcards sent by servicemen and women between 1941 and 1945. I have no doubt, it will touch all who read it."

--Senator Bob Dole, December 2001

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