Whenever i have a look at this picture, the only thought that pass through my mind is: how special and relieving was the news of end of Second World War. This famous photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt captures the mood that was in the public, especially those who were serving in the armed forces--the sailor kissing the nurse-- on 15th August 1945 after the victory over Japan, marking the end of Second World War.
According to Eisenstaedt, when he came in the Times Square, he spotted a sailor on a kissing spree, "grabbing any and every girl in sight". But he waited for him to kiss someone wearing a light colored dress, which will create the perfect contrast. Eisenstaedt was running ahead of him, "Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse."
This is one of the best photograph published by Life Magazine. The magazine has accepted the claim of nurse Edith Cullen Shain of being the nurse in the photograph. She was identified on the basis of her legs by Eisenstaedt. But the sailor has not been identified yet.
I believe, it is one of those rare pictures which captures the immense amount of joy a common individual feels when something terrible is over.
5 comments:
hey amu!
i loooved this post!
thank you so very much
and also
whats amazing for me...is that...while it does register relief...it also registers...very importantly...a certain rpresentation of american society ...the "humane"..the "good victors coming back home(thankfully alive)...they could go kissing for all they like...but its also disturbing in its effacement of the tremendous atrocities that were pertuated during the war...i mean...hiroshiuma just happened!...so its very interesitng to see which side of themselves americans chose to record and...celebrate!
hey teja thanks 4 the post
i think..none of the americans chose to go to war and perpetuate those attrocities..but the significant thing for them was the fact war got over, which you rightly ptd out they chose to celebrate..afterall the repurcussions of the war was felt by people cutting across nationalility..and the photograph is an evidencce of that..just look in the back ground...the mood of jubiliation around..
but how?...as in yes..the repurcussions of war are always felt by both poeple on both sides of the fence..but the thing is...the americans elt the repurcussions very differently(but obvious?!)...fomr the Japanese...still do...and also...of course they chose to go...i mean...one cant pretend that one's relief at a war being over takes away form the reponsibility that one every chose in the first place, to be a part of it....sure...maybe by the end of it...the end needed to be celebrated by everyone...and the photo then recrods the rlief of the very poeple who perpetrated the war...the sailors and blah...yes...the have their men back at home and i suppose the champaigne could flow...but within the context of what happned...and the way the photo i understand(form ur earlier entry) was marketed...also factors in choices in representaiotn that the american army in particuar effected toa great degree(like all armed forces)..at the time of the II ww...hiroshima was not just "another" bomb after all...they can be relieved and happy...they have their men back...but they just wrecked unspeakable damage on another country...safely dropped it fomr a distance...so these sailors could come home in squeaky clean white clothes.......
i absolutely agree with your pt teja..and even second it..but i m here talking about the first reaction that one just comes up with...you may have seen how the aussies reacted after they won the sydney test match this yr..they were called rogues...yes they were captured on camera and if you see time and again their behaviour does not seem rite...(there were other issues involved..wont go into that) but thats their first natural reaction.. they won it..they made history even though the means werent rite...none of the sailors chose nor the ppl of america decided to nuke japan..for them victory and the home coming was important..and there was also pearl harbour( im not getting the emotion from the flick) the champagnes will flow if your country lodges victory...
they stopped thinking abt the other nation/ repercussions when they reached on that decision to bomb it on the first place....
they chose to celebrate the victory and fall into mass amnesia about waht they have done to earn that victory..when every winner does when crude agrression is involved..i still wd try to see this pic as " one of those rare pictures which captures the immense amount of joy a common individual feels when something terrible is over"..i try to forget the historical perspective...some times you need to do that..its not double standard...i just want to follow the photograph...
yes they have marketted the photograph well they have jubilee celebration..still its a good feature photograph..afterall you dont get to know that a real serial kisser did sprung up after the WWii got over.
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