The Kiss that Signaled the End of World War II: WW2 Photography by Alfred Eisenstaedt and the Famous Kiss Picture

Just moments after President Truman announced at 7pm on August 14, 1945 that the war with Japan had ended, joy and jubilation were rampant across the United States. Times Square turned into a sea of celebration with military personnel, civilians, young and old, and just the guy on the street joining in to rejoice at the end of the deadliest conflict in human history causing fatalities numbering between 50 and 70 million people and touching the lives of every person in the world. The famous sailor and nurse kiss picture demonstrates the rejoicing that was happening around the world.

Alfred Eisenstaedt was a photographer with Life magazine and was at Times Square at that moment, capturing on film the sense of euphoria that was taking place. He managed to photograph a picture that would grab the attention of the entire world and "The Kiss" became a cultural icon overnight.

Part of the magic of this picture is that it wasn't staged as some have suggested....it was a spontaneous event. Here is how Mr. Eisenstaedt described that day in his book, The Eye of Eisenstaedt ... "I was walking through the crowds on V-J Day, looking for pictures. I noticed a sailor coming my way. He was grabbing every female he could find and kissing them all----young girls and old ladies alike. Then I noticed the nurse, standing in that enormous crowd. I focused on her, and just as I'd hoped, the sailor came along, grabbed the nurse, and bent down to kiss her. Now if this girl hadn't been a nurse, if she'd been dressed in dark clothes, I wouldn't have had a picture. The contrast between her white dress and the sailor's dark uniform gives the photograph its extra impact."

The picture was published a week later in a special 12 page "Victory" layout in Life magazine, featuring pictures of celebrations around the country. Due to the chaos in the streets, the Photographer was unable to get the names of the sailor and nurse. Of course, Mr. Eisenstaedt had no way of knowing that he had just taken what was to become one of the most famous photographs in the world and that its popularity would endure forever.

When the photo ran in Life magazine, Edith Shain recognized herself but she didn't come forward until 1980, years after the war ended. She wrote to Life magazine and informed them that on August 14, 1945 she was a nurse standing in the crowd in Times Square when a stranger in a sailor's uniform grabbed and kissed her. She claimed to be the nurse in the famous kiss photograph.

Over the course of time, many other women and men have come forward to claim to be the subjects of the embrace. Mrs. Shain has been widely accepted as the authentic nurse receiving the kiss and she returned to the scene of the kiss in 2008 when she was given the distinction of being the Grand Marshal in the New York City Veteran's Day parade.

To this day, there are still many men and women that claim to be contenders for the honor of being the subjects in "The Kiss" photo. Most of them have convincing stories and evidence, but they aren't able to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were the sailor and the nurse. Photographer Eisenstaedt said prior to his death that he never really believed that Mrs. Shain was the nurse receiving the kiss but he never explained why.

I am glad that we will never know their identities. I believe that part of the popularity of the candid picture was its spontaneity and how it symbolized the sense of peace and hope for tomorrow that was felt by our nation at that epic moment in US history.

Just think about the mystery and romance that it portrayed ... after the kiss they walked away in opposite directions...not exchanging a single word.