Women answered the call of duty with the outbreak of world war in so many unique ways. They left their homes to join the workforce, they raised Victory Gardens, they rationed and conserved necessities…But there was a group of women who followed a different path. They took to the skies. These women, the original “fly girls,” received little recognition in their time, and weren’t granted military status until the 1970s. More than 1,100 women served as Women Airforce Service Pilots, flying non-combat missions so the male pilots could fly overseas. Thirty-eight women lost their lives for their country during the span of the WASP program. Sixty-five years later, this group...
Review: Sarah’s Key
Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2008) is a World War II epic that will stick with you long after you finish the last page. The story weaves in the 1942 roundup of French Jews by the French Vichy Police and their expulsion to their deaths in Nazi camps. Sarah, a ten-year-old French Jew, leaves her little brother locked in a secret cabinet when the police come for her family. She believes he’ll be safe there until they return. Sixty years later, Julia is researching the roundup for an article and the two tales converge and weave together in a way that changes the lives of all...
Christmas Truce
Amazing Story: World War One truce on Christmas Day between the British and German troops. Merry Christmas everyone. Remember the true reason for the season. Blessings!
Research Notes: 40s Fashion
Is there anything classier than 1940s fashion? Not in my opinion. The hats, the gloves, the wavy hair…This style became iconic of the war years on the homefront. The Roaring 20s were all about the flapper dresses and the 30s saw an emergence of new materials (rayon) and styles. But with the outbreak of the war in 39, the trends moved toward simplicity, practicality and economy. Women took on a new role after 1941 when the men of America’s workforce shipped overseas to fight the Axis powers. The iconic “Rosie the Riveter” spurred the image of the working woman. (Side note: Unlike America, Germany’s culture did not approve of women...
I can’t rave enough…
Shameless free advertisement for History Channel here. The recent WWII in HD special, a 10-hour series of full-color, restored WWII footage, was simply amazing. The series follows the lives of 12 men and women who served in the 4 years of America’s involvement. Everything is beautfiully interwoven and a master upon master of story telling. I believe as writers we can learn from films and movies because in today’s world, that sort of story telling is what readers expect. This series used each soldier, pilot, nurse and seaman’s story to illustrate the major battles of the war, from Patton’s campaign in North Africa to Iwo Jima and D-Day. Aside from...