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Entertainment

During

World War II

Some of the

main types of

entertainment

back then

included:

- Art

- Music

- The Fine Arts

- Literature

Art

It includes the

traditional way of painting, sculpting and the like,

plus photography.

One of the most famous

pictures taken was:

V-J Day in Times Square

(the original was monochromatic though)

(taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt)

The story of the photo goes that there was a young, handsome sailor who just heard news about the end of the War and went to Times Square to celebrate, and in his happiness, kissed this random beautiful nurse.

The picture was taken on August 14, 1945, right after former President Harry S. Truman announced the American victory over Japan.

Some other famous artworks and artists include:

Albert

Richards

(1919-1945)

He was an artist who was a World War I veteran and a paratrooper/war artist. His works often covered death and melancholy, much like the other artists covering the War at the time, but he did so in a different manner. Instead of filling paintings with corpses and the like, he showed images of poverty, soldiers in action, among others.

A war artist is an artist commissioned by the British Government to travel with the army and record certain aspects of a certain war. The artists were usually war veterans, like Albert. (Quick fact: The Imperial War Museum of Britain are still doing this.)

During the war, he was part of the British Army, and all the things in his paintings are usually inspired by or are from the sights he'd see fighting in the war or otherwise (like when he's on a break).

This is one of his paintings:

Holland, Cold Holland (1944)

Dame Laura Knight

1877-1970

She was an impressionist artist who painted things from portraits, landscapes, war commissions and the like.

Impressionism is an art movement which originated from the 1800s. It is where the painting is consisted of highlights and shadows to bring form to the object in focus; pure, unmixed colors; loose, effortless looking brushstrokes; which all make the painting look like a sketch, or how the term first came to be, an impression.

One of her works is:

Corporal J. M. Robins,

Women's Auxiliary Air Force

This is a portrait of one of the female heroes of the 2nd World War, Josephine Maude Gwynne Robins. According to the London Gazette in 20 December 1940: 'Corporal Robins was in a dug-out which received a direct hit during an intense enemy bombing raid. A number of men were killed and two seriously injured. Though dust and fumes filled the shelter, Corporal Robins immediately went to the assistance of the wounded and rendered first aid. While they were being removed from the demolished dug-out, she fetched a stretcher and stayed with the wounded until they were evacuated. She displayed courage and coolness of a very high order in a position of extreme danger.'

Music/

Fine Arts

Yes, one of my personal favorites: 1940s Music. As you may have noticed, 1940s music has been playing in the background. The most dominant genres of the time were swing, jazz, and big band, just to name the main ones. There are many more, but are considered sub-genres.

Frank Sinatra

He was a very distinguished figure in the music scene, the fine arts scene, and literally every other career that involved being on stage dancing, singing, acting, and etc. With a beautiful voice, amazing acting skills, and wicked dancing, he is definitely not just a one-trick pony.

He made a lot of lovely songs, but during WWII he was just starting out. His talents were a huge breakout though, and got people swooning over his swanky flair and natural affiliation with music and the arts.

The fine arts and the music scene were closely connected, as musicals were quite popular then, and actors and actresses who were popular became singers as well due to their voice, or vice versa. The television and radio industries wanted more singer-actors/actresses, as, like I said, musicals were becoming a big thing. Singer-actors like Frank Sinatra were the in-thing back in the day.

Judy Garland

She was a singer-actress who starred in many musicals, like The Wizard of Oz, Little Nellie Kelly, and many others. She was also quite controversial for some of her performances, for example her number with Gene Kelly, Ballin' the Jack, where she wore men's clothes. A surprising thing for women to wear, as back then everyone was so conservative. Some thought it to be a sign of rebellion to the patriarchal society.

Actually, the rendition of Singin' in the Rain in the background is sung by her.

Literature

With the war came a great bucket of inspiration for stories; people wrote about the soldiers of war, the death, the drama of leaving loved ones behind, etc. This led to the making of many wonderful stories we enjoy more today.

An example of a remarkable piece of literature written then is Le Petit Prince, collectively known as The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Published in 1940 and still being read today, the story is about an aviator stranded in a desert with a young prince from a small planet above Earth with the stars. It's a beautiful story which I've read a few times, honestly, in both the French and English versions. (Everything from the story to the illustrations were made by him!)

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a French aviator turned writer, who documented his experiences in the war, an example being his crashing into the Sahara desert in World War I, and made the sombre and philosophical but heartwarming novella; The little Prince.

During the War, the Nazis invaded France (aka, the Fall of France), so he fled to North America with his wife.

A classic read which somehow does tell of the future and written 36 years before the actual date comes George Orwell's 1984.

The story is about a man who, controlled by a government which restricts freedom to the point of having a thing such as 'thought-crime', decides that he hates the dystopian world and his own government which he works for.

George Orwell, who's real name is Eric Arthur Blair, had a case of bronchitis which, though not constantly attacking him, was always there. This made him unable to join the War. However, he was a well-known author, and published many works, essays, and articles. He was able to join the Home Guard (the British front which protected the country) and fought in the Battle of Britain (the battle between Germany and Britain for control over the air).

1984 was published in 1948, right before Orwell departed for a sanatorium due to his weak condition. Though it was more of a post-war novel than one actually from the war, it still delivered an impact as the dystopian world of the book reflected on the after-effects of the war.

To conclude, without the 1940s, we wouldn't have the 1950s and above...I'm joking of course. (Though it is technically true.)

The real conclusion is that life back then was as interesting as it is now, so don't just go off yelling that the fun entertainment in those days are just the musings of your grandma, because I can say, from watching so many old YouTube videos, that they are definitely not.

Panic! At the Disco lead singer Brendon Urie covers some Frank Sinatra. (And does it so perfectly >w<)

A young Sinatra sings and tap dances with Gene Kelly in the 1945 musical Anchors Aweigh

Gene Kelly and Judy Garland in a dance number called Ballin' the Jack

Gene Kelly dancing in the musical Singin' in the Rain to the title song.

(skip to 1:20)

Extras for fun:

(Why don't you give these videos a try?)

(They're related to the topic!)

1915-1998

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