Christmas 1945: The Greatest Celebration in American History

Christmas 1945 is a book that highlights the self-reliance of the American man and woman in 1945 and the extent to which they would go to help their fellow man. It illustrates the important role of the newspaper in connecting the nation and shaping the American culture, and examines the depth of the American spirit in 1945, while illustrating the importance of community connection. The American spirit and the role of Christmas is examined when President Truman declares a four day Christmas weekend for federal employees, a hiatus unique to American culture. The U.S. Military launches Operation Magic Carpet to get tens of thousands of GIs in Europe and Asia home for Christmas; and at home, the U.S. Army and Navy launches Operation Santa Claus to process those thousands of GI's for discharge in time for Christmas. With happy spirits, the veterans set out for home, clogging rail depots, bus stations and airports creating, at that time, the greatest traffic jam in the nations history. Some of the more fortunate are driven thousands of miles home by grateful citizens demonstrating the Christmas spirit in their own unique way. Across the nation, people crowd churches praying with gratitude for the peace in place, and reach out to wounded veterans, children who lost fathers, and neighbours who lost sons. Americans in big cities and small, participate in displays of the intrinsic love so indicative of the American spirit.