Grandma's Friends

Grandma talks a lot in her diary about Dorothy and Evelyn. Here they are in a newspaper clipping that I found:


And . . . I am pretty certain this is who "Gen" is(!):
(if you click on the pictures, they should open in a new window making it easy to read)

In the year 1945 . . .

I thought it might be fun to do an entry about happenings in the year 1945. I think most of us who read were not even born yet. It puts things more into perspective. Hard to believe sometimes how we are in the year 2007 and how our world, environment and society has changed. Hope you enjoy! ~ Valerie

(The following not necessarily in timely order)

• Yalta Conference (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin) plans final defeat of Germany (Feb).
• Hitler commits suicide (April 30); Germany surrenders (May 7); May 8 is declared V-E Day. Background: World War II.
• Potsdam Conference (Truman, Churchill, Stalin) establishes basis of German reconstruction (July–Aug.).
• US drops atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima (Aug. 6) and Nagasaki (Aug. 8). Background: nuclear weapons
• Japan signs official surrender on V-J Day (Sept. 2).
• FDR dies (April 12) and Harry S. Truman becomes president.
• Manhattan Project tests first atomic bomb in Alamogordo, New Mexico (July 16).
• A B-25 bomber flies into the Empire State Building, damaging the 78th and 79th floors and killing 13 (July 28).
• On 24 October 1945, the United Nations was officially founded, when the UN Charter had been ratified by a majority of the original 51 Member States.
• Mussolini's death
• January 17 - Holocaust: Nazis begin to evacuate from Auschwitz concentration camp.
• July 30 - WWII: The USS Indianapolis is hit and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-58. Some 900 survivors jump into the sea and are adrift for 4 days. Nearly 600 die before help arrives. Captain Charles B. McVay III is later court-martialed.

Economics

• US GDP (1998 dollars): $223.2 billion
• Federal spending: $92.71 billion
• Federal debt: $260.1 billion
• Dow Jones High/Low: 195/155
• Consumer Price Index: 18
• Unemployment: 1.9%
• Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.03

Popular Music

• Gene Autry, "At Mail Call Today"
• Bing Crosby, "Aren't You Glad You're You?"
• Judy Garland, "This Heart of Mine"
• King Cole Trio, "The King Cole Trio"
• Glenn Miller, "Glenn Miller"
• Carousel soundtrack
• Frank Sinatra, "Put Your Dreams Away"

Popular Movies

• Adventure
• Anna and the King of Siam
• Bandit of Sherwood Forest
• The Bells of St. Mary's
• Caesar and Cleopatra
• Canyon Passage
• The Dolly Sisters
• Dragonwyck
• Duffy's Tavern
• Easy to Wed

Academy Awards

• Best Picture: "The Lost Weekend"
• Best Director: Billy Wilder ... "The Lost Weekend"
• Best Actor: Ray Milland ... "The Lost Weekend"
• Best Actress: Joan Crawford ... "Mildred Pierce"

Most of my information above comes from Wikipedia.org and the History Channel.

Sun Feb 11, 1945

Went to S. S. First time in ages. Just about like Spring out. Went to Champaign in aft. with Mrs. Kirby to take Lyn back. She has a real nice room. Duane & I saw "Cobra Woman". Pretty good. Golly, I'll never forget tonight. Don't think D. will either. Can't explain.

Sat Feb 10, 1945

Got off work at 2:30. Evelyn & I went uptown awhile. Saw "Dot" & Betty. Went to Victory & came home with Daddy. Wrote 6 page letter to Duane. Made fudge. Real good.

Fri Feb 9, 1945

Had two summer dresses laid away at Hecht's. Really cute. Duane to see me at lake this aft. First time I've seen him since Sun. Evelyn & I worked tonight. Duane met me. Saw "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo". Very good. Cried. Duane really liked it. Came home. Was about 1:00 when he left, but hadn't been together for so long.

Monday Memo

[I am really slacking at posting grandma's entries. Forgive me. It's been hectic beyond words at home right now. Check out Purple Valley and you will see why. I am going to try and be better this week.]