Phyllis Brown
Love will always flourish in every era, even amidst wars. Throughout the 20th century, a period marked by numerous conflicts that left people breathless and weary from separation, waiting, and hoping.
Even so, those moments remain incredibly beautiful, allowing us to get lost in them for hours. Today, we’ve gathered some photos depicting how people in the past loved each other during the war.
1. A French woman kisses an American soldier after the liberation of Paris
This image was shot during the liberation of Paris on August 25th, 1944. In the photo, an American soldier is depicted leaning over the side of an army vehicle to kiss a French woman who is riding a bicycle.
This iconic moment symbolizes the joy and relief experienced by the people of Paris as they were liberated from German occupation during World War II.
2. American soldiers getting a last kiss from the ship before their deployment to Egypt, 1963
The photo was captured during the Cold War, a time of significant geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, and it also coincided with numerous regional conflicts and military engagements around the globe.
The specific event in the photo likely involved troops boarding a ship, possibly at a major U.S. port, as they prepared to leave for their mission. The deployment to Egypt would have been part of the broader strategic interests of the United States in the Middle East.
The scene captures the emotional farewells that are a common part of military life, with soldiers sharing a last kiss with their loved ones, a gesture filled with love, hope, and the anxiety of separation.
3. A kiss interrupts the march, 1943
“A Kiss Interrupts the March,” taken in 1943, is an iconic World War II photograph capturing a soldier, a member of the 9th Australian Division, pausing during a march to kiss a woman, likely his sweetheart or wife.
The year 1943 was a crucial period during World War II, with significant battles and military campaigns taking place across Europe and the Pacific. For many soldiers, brief encounters with loved ones provided a rare and cherished respite from the hardships and dangers of war.
4. Beth Brown and Marine Corporal Travis Taylor kissed goodbye at the train depot in Tallahassee, Florida
This photograph captures an emotional farewell between a young couple, with Marine Corporal Travis Taylor preparing to depart for military service. The setting is a train station in Tallahassee, Florida, a poignant backdrop that emphasizes the transient nature of their parting.
In the image, Beth Brown and Travis Taylor share a heartfelt kiss, symbolizing their love and the emotional strain of impending separation.
5. Man and woman kissed across 2 vessels, 1920-1939
The photograph depicts a passionate kiss shared between a man and a woman, with the man leaning over a railing on one vessel while the woman leans toward him from another vessel.
The exact context of the photograph is not always clear, but it is often associated with moments of departure or reunion, possibly during the era of transatlantic travel or immigration.
6. Sneaking a kiss through the Berlin Wall, 1980s
The couple in the pic shared a kiss through a gap in the Berlin Wall during the Cold War. The Berlin Wall, constructed by East Germany in 1961 to separate East Berlin from West Berlin, became a powerful symbol of the ideological divide between Eastern and Western blocs during the Cold War. It represented the physical barrier and the stark reality of families and loved ones being separated by political ideology.
During the 1980s, tensions between East and West were at their height, with the Berlin Wall serving as a potent symbol of the Cold War era. The image of the couple sharing a kiss through the barrier resonates with many as a powerful symbol of hope, love, and the longing for unity and freedom.
7. A sailor kissed a nurse in Times Square
The famous photograph “V-J Day in Times Square” by Alfred Eisenstaedt captures a moment of celebration on August 14, 1945, in New York City’s Times Square. In the picture, a U.S. Navy sailor embraces and kisses a total stranger—a dental assistant—during the festivities of Victory over Japan Day.
Eisenstaedt, the photographer, mentioned that he couldn’t catch the names or details of the people involved because the events were changing quickly during the celebrations. The faces of the individuals in the photo aren’t clear.
The photograph was taken just south of 45th Street, looking north from where Broadway and Seventh Avenue meet. It was featured in Life magazine a week later as part of a 12-page section called “Victory Celebrations,” which showcased various celebrations across the United States.
Years later, the couple in the photo was identified as American sailor George Mendonsa and nurse Greta Zimmer Friedman. However, Friedman later stated that the kiss she was subjected to, was not a consensual act, that he just “grabbed” her.
