17 photos that will make you see the 1940s differently

Jun 25

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We haven’t looked at the Home Front in some time now; the Hobo Hippie will help us out. Let’s give her new blog a round of applause! Terrific photos!!

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17 photos that will make you see the 1940s differently

MARCH 19, 2016/4 COMMENTS/in Culture, Frontpage Article, Images/by Julie Anderson

Fours DIY divers 1940s

With much of the decade dominated by World War II, the 1940s have not gone down in history as the happiest of times. But the 40s had much more to them than war. Swing dancing, jazz, fabulous fashion, classic film, and even the first computer all helped to define the decade as well.

People of the 1940s did the best they could to smile through the tough times. Take a look at these photos from 40s to see what we mean.

Miss America contestants in 1945

Miss America contestants in 1945.

1940s couple

1940s sweethearts

VKYUu39

Trying to stay cool in the summer, NYC, 1943

Two Sailors celebrating the end of WWll

Two sailors celebrating the end of WWll.

Trendy 1940's ladies on their bikes

Ladies looking fabulous on their bikes.

dali painting

Salvador Dalí painting “The Face of War”, 1941.

skate-to-work-save-gas

Skate to work, save…

View original post 88 more words

About GP

Everett Smith served with the Headquarters Company, 187th Regiment, 11th A/B Division during WWII. This site is in tribute to my father, "Smitty." GP is a member of the 11th Airborne Association. Member # 4511 and extremely proud of that fact!

Posted on June 25, 2016, in Home Front, Uncategorized, WWII and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 133 Comments.

  1. Gabriel Navar | July 14, 2016 at 5:31 PM

    thanks for these amazing photos…. I especially enjoy the one of Dalí painting “the Face of War”!! – Gabriel

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    • GP Cox | July 15, 2016 at 5:38 AM

      Dali is my favorite artist – and was quite a character himself. I was very happy to locate this post, they did a great job! Thanks for coming by, Gabriel!

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  2. Jacqui Murray | July 11, 2016 at 11:43 AM

    It took me hours to scroll to the bottom of your comment list, GP. It seems you (again) hit a good topic. I was taken back by the shoes and swimsuits. Did we used to do that? Hmm…

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  3. michelinewalker | July 7, 2016 at 8:43 AM

    I love this post. Thank you.

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  4. http://psalmboxkey.com | July 4, 2016 at 2:43 PM

    Skating to work! that my style!

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. The Twentysomething Social Recluse | July 4, 2016 at 5:10 AM

    I spent a good few minutes looking at each picture. History is fascinating – thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. kerbey | July 2, 2016 at 3:47 PM

    Such great pics (especially the water dunking on the roof). I would hate to think these images will be lost one day or never seen. So great to preserve them on WordPress!

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. Charlotte Hoather | June 29, 2016 at 6:40 PM

    Loved the photos and fashions

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Mithai Mumblezz | June 29, 2016 at 3:13 PM

    Amazing pictures!! 🙂

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  10. johnhadden | June 29, 2016 at 7:43 AM

    Thanks for sharing those–great pix of an important time in our history.

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. natuurfreak | June 29, 2016 at 7:21 AM

    Great photo’s with happy people. of the 1940

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. Kirt D Tisdale | June 28, 2016 at 6:12 PM

    Incredible captures of the 40’s…they certainly paint the picture of the time….well done!!

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  13. Prior-2001 | June 27, 2016 at 9:28 PM

    Enjoyed this and going to the original post now – but I had to first enjoy reading some of the comments here….
    And the “skate to work” photo was a thought provoking one for me – the saving gas that way – but also sometimes I see “old” roller skates for sale at church yard sales and seeing the photo gives me more of an idea as to the ladies that might have worn skates like that-
    Great post – thanks for sharing – 💕☀️

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    • GP Cox | June 28, 2016 at 5:35 AM

      It seems to me I see your creative wheels turning – what might you come up with using roller skates?

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      • Prior-2001 | June 30, 2016 at 10:37 PM

        Hi GP – well actually I have NO ideas for the used skates at all – and I never buy them. But sometimes seeing them string in a nice box – well you know – we wonder the past of certain items. And so that specific photo was like filling in a gap.

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        • GP Cox | July 1, 2016 at 5:34 AM

          I used to have a pair of those, got pretty good too, but quit by the time I hit middle-school. A lot of my friends went on to compete and followed the same circuit as the ice skaters.

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          • Prior-2001 | July 1, 2016 at 12:40 PM

            Oh wow – we do not see too much roller skating anymore – but my son’s first grade teacher was an advanced roller skater (I guess back in 90s) and we had a huge roller rink down the road and guess what they turned it into?
            A large Goodwill store.
            All the wonderful hardwood was covered with commercial flooring / !

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  14. Aviationtrails | June 27, 2016 at 3:12 PM

    A terrific collection of the 40s – it wasn’t all war and destruction!

    Liked by 2 people

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  15. Joseph Nebus | June 26, 2016 at 11:50 PM

    I have to admit I feel weird seeing photos of people during, especially, the war going about doing little everyday things. I mean, yeah, that the titanic events of the century are going on, thousands of miles away, shouldn’t mean that you can’t think about how good an ice cream cone would feel right now and act on that. But it feels mad somehow to worry about your yard in the midst of such enormities. And then I wonder what three generations on would make of my day.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • GP Cox | June 27, 2016 at 5:53 AM

      We carry on each day, despite our troops being in more wars around the globe than we know about, between the UN, NATO and US ideas – our armed forces are stretched mighty thin and going on 4-6 tours, one war after another. To me, that is extremely callous and inhuman.

      Liked by 1 person

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  16. SJS | June 26, 2016 at 9:58 PM

    GP, Thanks for reblogging this amazing look at the 1940s from the Hobo Hippie–these photos really illuminate the wider world of that era. If I can figure out how to reblog this on my blog, I will certainly pass it along. Please keep up the great work–I continue to learn so much from your blog. Thanks again, Steve Stahley

    Liked by 1 person

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    • GP Cox | June 27, 2016 at 5:43 AM

      I couldn’t pass it by myself, Steve. (well – that’s kind of obvious, I guess, haha). To reblog it, you need to go to Hobo-Hippie’s blog and the button should be to the left of the ‘Like” button. Enjoy!!

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  17. calmkate | June 26, 2016 at 5:18 PM

    Magic photos, people knew how to make do with what they had and curves were in!
    The Dali photo and the love couple, the passed out sailors – all stunning!
    Nice to review the days prior to rampart commercialism and technology …

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  18. chattykerry | June 26, 2016 at 3:17 PM

    Fantastic photographs and what legs those girls have!

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  19. aussieian2011 | June 26, 2016 at 5:54 AM

    Excellent look back into very formative times, so different from today’s world.
    Even through the hardships of that era, and lack of technology, there was a sense of pride and hope.

    Liked by 3 people

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    • GP Cox | June 26, 2016 at 6:17 AM

      IMO, that’s because people thought for themselves. The tv news didn’t pick and chose what they saw and heard, their world didn’t revolve around a telephone, etc. Look at your tv programs, there’s no imagination – even sit-coms are either driving home some social message or are copied scripts of 1950-60’s comedies. (as an example)

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  20. doesitevenmatter3 | June 26, 2016 at 3:07 AM

    Such great examples of the human spirit and it’s ability to not just survive, but to thrive with joy!
    Love Dali!
    HUGS!!! 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  21. C.E.Robinson | June 25, 2016 at 11:00 PM

    Great photos, GP! I remember some of the hair fashions & one piece bathing suits! I was a young kid in the 40s! Love that your posts bring me back to that era! Good memories! 💛 Elizabeth

    Liked by 2 people

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  22. Photobooth Journal | June 25, 2016 at 9:03 PM

    Thanks for introducing this blog to me, GP!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  24. Argus | June 25, 2016 at 3:13 PM

    Funny how Cousteau’s ‘aqua lung’ changed the face of diving—the Ned Kelly hats separated us from the water; Cousteau’s invention integrated us allowing us to become ‘one with it’ … mobilis in mobile (to quote Verne).

    Liked by 3 people

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  25. Heartafire | June 25, 2016 at 1:44 PM

    A wonder post Brad . I so enjoyed!

    Liked by 2 people

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  26. ibdesignsusa | June 25, 2016 at 12:42 PM

    Great variety of pictures! Loved the smiles and captured the 40’s great!!

    Liked by 2 people

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  27. John W. Howell | June 25, 2016 at 11:57 AM

    Very nice GP. I think the skate to work is still a good idea.

    Liked by 2 people

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  28. Waldo "Wally" Tomosky | June 25, 2016 at 10:58 AM

    The first picture looks like Ned Kelly’s Australian gang out for a swim.

    Liked by 2 people

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  29. cbholganza | June 25, 2016 at 10:44 AM

    love the pics, GP. keep ’em coming.

    Liked by 2 people

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  30. Theanne aka magnoliamoonpie | June 25, 2016 at 10:43 AM

    Love the photos…I was born in ’42 so it’s really interesting to see what was going on when I was an infant and toddler 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  31. imagesbytdashfield | June 25, 2016 at 10:26 AM

    These are great and some very funny.

    Liked by 1 person

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  32. Chris White | June 25, 2016 at 10:04 AM

    Great. photographs. And those ladies are an absolute knockout.

    Liked by 2 people

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  33. Robert Parker Teel | June 25, 2016 at 9:49 AM

    Great photos, very stylish diving helmets! and I love Salvador Dali , a real wild man

    Liked by 2 people

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  34. Deb | June 25, 2016 at 9:20 AM

    Wow what amazing photos!! Interesting that the Miss America contestants had sashes that had city names on them rather than States, see what I pick up on! At first I thought that Salvador Dali photo was Vincent Price creating one of his creepy tales… 😉

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  35. Peter Klopp | June 25, 2016 at 9:17 AM

    Good to see that there were also happy moments, when people found comfort and joy in the simple things in life during WW2!

    Liked by 2 people

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  36. smilecalm | June 25, 2016 at 9:04 AM

    nice to see ancestors
    relaxed & happy 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  37. Hammerhead | June 25, 2016 at 8:52 AM

    Awesome Post GP. A True Slice of Americana. Love the picture of the 2 sailors passed out after VE Day…that must have been one helluva party!

    Liked by 2 people

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  38. beetleypete | June 25, 2016 at 7:59 AM

    Always nice to see this kind of collection. Looking at photos from this period, it always strikes me how most people were slimmer, and looked fitter than we do today. Perhaps we should return to a wartime diet?
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  40. Dan Antion | June 25, 2016 at 7:45 AM

    Just the thing for a summed Saturday!

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  41. Cindy Bruchman | June 25, 2016 at 7:42 AM

    I love these sets, GP. I think its the African American couple that grabs me the most. You don’t often see a couple in love. Most shots captured the stiff dourness of their situation, but this one captures love. I like that.

    Liked by 3 people

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  42. wfdec | June 25, 2016 at 6:51 AM

    Thank you GP in your role as curatorial director. My art student daughter loved the Dali painting.

    Liked by 2 people

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  43. Ken Dowell | June 25, 2016 at 6:33 AM

    What a great collection of photos. Thanks for bringing them to our attention.

    Liked by 2 people

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  44. YellowCable | June 25, 2016 at 6:25 AM

    Very good captures of the 40!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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