A World in Pictures- Mikaela Gatewood

The picture V-J Day (Victory Over Japan Day) in Times Square was originally taken on August 14th, 1945. It was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt and was originally published in Life magazine. The picture shows a sailor kissing a nurse in the middle of Times Square, just after President Harry Truman announced the end of the war against Japan. As told by the photographer, the sailor in the picture had been running around Times Square kissing every woman he could find. Soon he came upon the nurse and kissed her just as the photographer took the picture. The photo soon became famous almost instantaneously and a cultural icon. The photo not only shows the joy, but the relief of officially ending World War II. By August of 1945, the only part of World War II that had not ended was the war over Japan and the Pacific Islands. With the surrender of Japan, the war was officially over. The picture truly reflects the jubilance of the nation and the world over no more violence or fighting, and comforted it's audience in the thought of peace instead of war. It had a profound impact and still leaves behind the idea of happiness in times of triumph and peace.