The Other Side of the Lens

The story behind the iconic V-J Day Kiss.

It was over. The war was finally over. The treaty was agreed on by all and signed. It didn't feel real. The fascists had fallen. The Nazi monsters were either dead or awaiting their punishments. The Japanese had surrendered after the second bomb fell. A war that felt like a lifetime-- and had taken so many-- reached its end. Too much loss was done on all sides. But the world could begin to heal. And that alone was enough to celebrate.

It was a clear, crisp August afternoon. In all major cities, large crowds formed. They cheered and shouted. Music fought to be heard over the crowd. Confetti was launched into the air. American flags were waved above the mob, both small and large alike. People scaled street signs. Others were hoisted into the air by the crowd. Cameras flashed as photographers captured the surreal moment. But the most notable detail of the frenzy were the faces. All cheered, but tears welled in the eyes of some. The war was crueler to them than others. Their families were taken from them. Fathers. Brothers. Husbands. All gone. Those around them were strangers to such loss, so they were oblivious to what this day meant to them. That day meant they could begin to heal.

My platoon had landed a week earlier, so we joined the crowd in Times Square. Fifty fellow sailors flocked around me. Ten were already lost in the madness. When I was assigned to the platoon, nearly two hundred men comprised it. Guadalcanal. Iwo Jima. Island after island dwindled our numbers. Tom took a bullet to the head as he was getting off the boat. Phil got hit with a mortar strike.

My childhood friend Nick was on watch duty while we were on Okinawa, when he spotted a Japanese official headed toward the camp. His hands were behind his head. He was surrendering. None of the men could believe it. I wondered where the rest of the official’s squad was while our sergeant and Nick ran out to accept his surrender. It happened in a flash, but felt as if time slowed. The Japanese official pulled the pin off the grenade he held behind his head. Nick saw it and broke into a run back to camp. But it was too late. I blinked, and a thunderous crash sounded as the explosive went off. Dirt and smoke flew high into the air. When it settled, all three men were gone.

And now all of that death was over. Every man I stormed a beach with that wouldn’t go home could finally rest. Including Nick. We could pick up our lives.

I was swept up in the excitement. A flash of white caught my eyes amidst the chaos. I searched for it a found it’s source: a petite woman in a beautiful, white dress. Her shoulder length brown hair was fashioned into curls. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. A grin spread from ear to ear.

Something came over me. I found myself fighting through the crowd as I made my way to her. When I managed to reach her I grabbed her, dipped, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. I heard a camera snap as the flash danced across us.

I stood her upright. Her smile widened from the sudden kiss. I smiled back. She stood there for a moment, then hurried off into the crowd.

I looked around the joyous scene. I let myself be swallowed by the cheers.

An era of war had ended.

An era of peace could begin.

© 2016 WriterGirl247247

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gardnerg1

I've always wanted to go to Times Square. The joy resulting from this moment is one of this country's most cherished and symbolic moments in history. The emotion that you put into this story makes it original and great. The annotation from Okinawa especially reflected on the horrible moments that were the result of a hate-filled war.
The detail that is included in your work makes it shine. The purpose of my contest was to find writers that could tell a story without writing 10 plus pages and you proved that you have the talent to do this well. Now that I'm finished with the contest I look forward to reading the other work that you have done. I really want to read something longer now. Thank you for your story and I can't wait to see what you write next.