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Since You Went Away: World War II Letters from American Women on the Home Front
"Last night Mel and I were talking about some of the adjustments we'll have to make to our husbands' return. I must admit I'm not exactly the same girl you left--I'm twice as independent as I used to be and to top it off, I sometimes think I've become 'hard as nails'....Also--more and more
I've been living exactly as I want to...I do as I damn please." These tough words from the wife of a soldier show that World War II changed much more than just international politics. Many books have been written about those who fought and suffered in Europe and Asia during World War II, but less
is known about the private sphere of women on the home front in the United States. With Since You Went Away , Judy Barrett Litoff and David C. Smith illuminate this hidden corner of our history.
Drawn from a large archive of wartime correspondence, Since You Went Away collects hundreds of letters written by women of all backgrounds and ages from all over the United from Midwestern farms to the Hawaiian Islands, from young girls to anxious mothers. The letters are sometimes
touching, sometimes anguished, and always packed with intimate glimpses of the World War II era. With men on the frontlines, women took to repairing cars, balancing budgets, and responding with imagination to all kinds of hardships and wartime shortages ("I stopped at the Piggly Wiggly but could
not get fresh meat of any kind, so found that Spam fried in butter made a very tasty Easter dinner."). An entire section is devoted to courtship, so much of which took place through the mail, and another chapter concentrates on letters written by women about their experiences at work ("The more I
see of war plants the more I believe that they're dragging this damn war out as long as possible on purpose...here it seems as tho' they have so much money they don't know what to do with it."). Nor does this collection spare the pain women felt upon learning about the loss of their husbands,
lovers, or sons. A pictorial essay gives readers a further window into the war, displaying images, cartoons, and posters. One poster "Be With Him at Every Mail Call," giving an idea of just how important letters were to the men and women of this time.
In Since You Went Away we find letters by factory workers, farmers, and nurses, letters written to husbands, brothers, and even a series to General MacArthur. For each thematic section the editors include a brief introduction, and a capsule portrait of each woman and the man to whom she wrote
accompanies the letters. These letters capture both the most intimate details in a woman's life, and the great transformations which society at large was undergoing.
I've been living exactly as I want to...I do as I damn please." These tough words from the wife of a soldier show that World War II changed much more than just international politics. Many books have been written about those who fought and suffered in Europe and Asia during World War II, but less
is known about the private sphere of women on the home front in the United States. With Since You Went Away , Judy Barrett Litoff and David C. Smith illuminate this hidden corner of our history.
Drawn from a large archive of wartime correspondence, Since You Went Away collects hundreds of letters written by women of all backgrounds and ages from all over the United from Midwestern farms to the Hawaiian Islands, from young girls to anxious mothers. The letters are sometimes
touching, sometimes anguished, and always packed with intimate glimpses of the World War II era. With men on the frontlines, women took to repairing cars, balancing budgets, and responding with imagination to all kinds of hardships and wartime shortages ("I stopped at the Piggly Wiggly but could
not get fresh meat of any kind, so found that Spam fried in butter made a very tasty Easter dinner."). An entire section is devoted to courtship, so much of which took place through the mail, and another chapter concentrates on letters written by women about their experiences at work ("The more I
see of war plants the more I believe that they're dragging this damn war out as long as possible on purpose...here it seems as tho' they have so much money they don't know what to do with it."). Nor does this collection spare the pain women felt upon learning about the loss of their husbands,
lovers, or sons. A pictorial essay gives readers a further window into the war, displaying images, cartoons, and posters. One poster "Be With Him at Every Mail Call," giving an idea of just how important letters were to the men and women of this time.
In Since You Went Away we find letters by factory workers, farmers, and nurses, letters written to husbands, brothers, and even a series to General MacArthur. For each thematic section the editors include a brief introduction, and a capsule portrait of each woman and the man to whom she wrote
accompanies the letters. These letters capture both the most intimate details in a woman's life, and the great transformations which society at large was undergoing.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 6, 2008
There were over 6 billion letters sent overseas during World War 2. This book collected letters written by American women to their sweethearts, husbands, brothers, fathers, sons and neighbors overseas. All told, the authors were able to get 25,000 letters written by 400 women, which they then whittled down to this book.
The stories are mostly just every day stories - courtship, family life, war jobs - and they are all incredible for it. The homefront has always been my favorite aspect to read about in WW2, and this book was a marvelous source of information. There are all kinds of stories, some with happy endings and some not. Most were augmented with biographic details about their lives before and after the war, which was great (except when it was heartbreaking). One set of letters that stand out in my mind are from the Amish wife writing to her husband who was in jail for refusing to fight. It's not an aspect of the war you hear about very often.
The stories are mostly just every day stories - courtship, family life, war jobs - and they are all incredible for it. The homefront has always been my favorite aspect to read about in WW2, and this book was a marvelous source of information. There are all kinds of stories, some with happy endings and some not. Most were augmented with biographic details about their lives before and after the war, which was great (except when it was heartbreaking). One set of letters that stand out in my mind are from the Amish wife writing to her husband who was in jail for refusing to fight. It's not an aspect of the war you hear about very often.
May 18, 2020
For me, the best of historical reading is in correspondence and journals, and the area in and around WWII has provided some of the most engrossing and inspiring reading ever.
Simon Garfield's "Dear Bessie" is the gold standard for romantic letterwriting, in my opinion, and I approached "Sunce You Went Away" with that book in mind. It wasn't a fair expectation. Garfield's collection was can't-put-it-down exciting because it was the full story of one couple's growing relationship, their affection, their fears and worries, their passion. "Since You Went Away" presents a few letters from each sweetheart, mother, or friend; none of the letters from their service member. Individually, they are genuine and sweet but as a collection they demonstrate that people in love tended to say the same things in similar ways. If you've ever written a love letter, you'll recognize parts of it here.
Later chapters became more interesting and varied as they brought the women's world outside of the relationship into view: letters from a Quaker woman to her conscientious objector husband, letters from women at work.
Each set of letters was followed by a biographical summing up of the couple's later years, including whether they married/stayed married (most did), professional activities, number of children and grandchildren. As this formula was repeated many times, I found it just a little bit offputting. Sheer numbers of offspring seemed such a bland, almost impersonal factoid.
All that said-- when you read a letter written on the very evening of V-J-Day celebrations, the sheer joy of it will make you happy. (I was going to quote a sentence or two but no-- only the entire experience will do, that entire evening of cocktails and confetti and kissing in the street. Will any of us ever experience such joy?)
Simon Garfield's "Dear Bessie" is the gold standard for romantic letterwriting, in my opinion, and I approached "Sunce You Went Away" with that book in mind. It wasn't a fair expectation. Garfield's collection was can't-put-it-down exciting because it was the full story of one couple's growing relationship, their affection, their fears and worries, their passion. "Since You Went Away" presents a few letters from each sweetheart, mother, or friend; none of the letters from their service member. Individually, they are genuine and sweet but as a collection they demonstrate that people in love tended to say the same things in similar ways. If you've ever written a love letter, you'll recognize parts of it here.
Later chapters became more interesting and varied as they brought the women's world outside of the relationship into view: letters from a Quaker woman to her conscientious objector husband, letters from women at work.
Each set of letters was followed by a biographical summing up of the couple's later years, including whether they married/stayed married (most did), professional activities, number of children and grandchildren. As this formula was repeated many times, I found it just a little bit offputting. Sheer numbers of offspring seemed such a bland, almost impersonal factoid.
All that said-- when you read a letter written on the very evening of V-J-Day celebrations, the sheer joy of it will make you happy. (I was going to quote a sentence or two but no-- only the entire experience will do, that entire evening of cocktails and confetti and kissing in the street. Will any of us ever experience such joy?)
April 4, 2021
Most letters I had read from this era came from the soldiers back to their families; this collection of letters from the home front was fascinating to read. I also appreciated the authors' finishing the stories started in the letters by telling you what happened to the women and the soldier following the war. I also liked the authors' tried to include different experiences from the home front. A series of letters between a women and her husband, both interned at different Japanese-American camps, were poignant and heartbreaking to read. Some letters reminded me of the few stories my grandmother shared of her experience of the home front and others made me wish she was still here to ask if she remembered it like that as well.
January 21, 2021
This is the kind of book you sit and read a little bit at a time, and then take a break. It is REAL copies of letters written by ordinary women during WWII, whose husbands are off fighting from all over the United States. The letters themselves, the real ones, are housed in different museums around the country and have been preserved.
There is background provided about the different years of the war, and you always find out what happens to the soldier and his family after his service time is up. Some of the letters are really sad.
There is a timeline of the war and its' events at the end of the book, as well as an excellent bibliography.
The book was extremely well done.
There is background provided about the different years of the war, and you always find out what happens to the soldier and his family after his service time is up. Some of the letters are really sad.
There is a timeline of the war and its' events at the end of the book, as well as an excellent bibliography.
The book was extremely well done.
August 10, 2019
The power of this book lies in the authentic voices of the women whose letters are compiled by the editors. The embroidery text by the editors is sometimes inconsistent, but it is still helpful regarding the letters' characterization.
May 17, 2018
This one rarely stays on the shelf for long. A moving collection of real letters written by women to their men overseas. At times poignant, then funny.
May 18, 2018
This is a very powerful book and an incredibly good look at what women dealt with in the home front during WWII.
March 1, 2021
So interesting to read letters written during WWII by the women who waited at home.
April 15, 2023
Interesting look at the homefront during WWII.
April 21, 2014
This was an impactful collection of inspiring stories told from first-hand experiences during WWII. Though I do not generally favor readings of this time in our nation's history, I found these accounts of real women, like our mother's and grandmothers, to be heartfelt and insightful in seeing beyond “facts” into seeing what daily living was like for these courageous ladies on the home front. Their letters tell of first impressions upon hearing of Pearl Harbor, the dropping of the bomb on Japan, the closing of the war, waiting for loved ones to return home and wondering if they are well and safe, managing bills and household affairs (car repairs anyone?), and dealing with the shortages and war drives.
This book shares a rare view as to how the war changed the lives of the mother's, sister's, sweetheart's, and wives at home during the war. You can also see the tremendous impact these women had in keeping up the moral of their soldiers and informing them of happenings at home. You can see the importance to the fighting men (and women!) of these letters from home in staying connected with loved ones and giving them a piece of home to hold on to. “...the thought suddenly went through my mind that just such letters are what the soldier needs. He wants to remain an active force in the lives of those he loves and have a part in their activites even though absent. That is what I try to do in my letters to you. I want you to know every detail in my life and share my emotions so that you will not lose touch with anything about me during our seperation.”
“Dear General MacArthur... Many of these loyal women have expressed themselves to me as disturbed by rumors that our fighters do not believe they are being adequately backed up by the home front. So I am writing this for them...to say that they are backing you and your men up to the limit of their abilities. This is to assure most deeply that as far as American womanhood, represented in these girls, is concerned, you and your men not only have their love, their prayers and their tears, but also all the materiel with which they can provide you through sweat and grease and grime and the strength of their minds, bodies and spirits. No matter the forutunes of war they are with you all the way.”-
I did learn quite a few new things by reading this book that I beforehand didn't know of, such as in the use of v-mail letters. This book shares an entire chapter on the subject in pictures with poster images, posed shots of military men and women receiveing the v-mail's, etc., as well as in sharing some of those v-mail letters throughout the book.
Each chapter shares set of letters is begun with information about the sender and her history, and most end with an account of how things played out in their lives afterward, even some sharing “current” whereabouts and what these real people are doing even today!
I so enjoyed reading many of the touching stories and first accounts of so many women. One of my favorite stories was of a young woman who's husband died many months before, though she wasn't notified of it until later. Then, months after she knew of her husband's death, a music box was sent to her – she had a special fondness for music boxes; apparently her husband had been making payments to a shop in the states on it as a gift to her and the men of his company payed the remaining balance on it for her as a surprise. Such a touching story and I'm sure this last gift from her husband became a lovely keepsake. Another favorite was of an older woman who actually collected soil from her victory garden as well as from all 48 states (probably excluding Alaska and Hawaii, I suppose) to send to her son in the Army Air Corps as well as to General MacArthur. Her son would then drop these bags of soil, collected from the capital grounds of the U.S. States, over the Marshal Islands and other's would place them at various points of victory (beneath American flag poles, etc.) during the closing of the war. It was her way of saying, “For This We Fight”. Incredible!
Note: You are reading what once were private messages; some of the content in the chapters contain open and sensual conversation between the women to their spouses and fiances', though most of the time not overly detailed. However, I was pleased that I did not find very much bad language used, as I had feared from the appearance of it in the book description.
This book shares a rare view as to how the war changed the lives of the mother's, sister's, sweetheart's, and wives at home during the war. You can also see the tremendous impact these women had in keeping up the moral of their soldiers and informing them of happenings at home. You can see the importance to the fighting men (and women!) of these letters from home in staying connected with loved ones and giving them a piece of home to hold on to. “...the thought suddenly went through my mind that just such letters are what the soldier needs. He wants to remain an active force in the lives of those he loves and have a part in their activites even though absent. That is what I try to do in my letters to you. I want you to know every detail in my life and share my emotions so that you will not lose touch with anything about me during our seperation.”
“Dear General MacArthur... Many of these loyal women have expressed themselves to me as disturbed by rumors that our fighters do not believe they are being adequately backed up by the home front. So I am writing this for them...to say that they are backing you and your men up to the limit of their abilities. This is to assure most deeply that as far as American womanhood, represented in these girls, is concerned, you and your men not only have their love, their prayers and their tears, but also all the materiel with which they can provide you through sweat and grease and grime and the strength of their minds, bodies and spirits. No matter the forutunes of war they are with you all the way.”-
I did learn quite a few new things by reading this book that I beforehand didn't know of, such as in the use of v-mail letters. This book shares an entire chapter on the subject in pictures with poster images, posed shots of military men and women receiveing the v-mail's, etc., as well as in sharing some of those v-mail letters throughout the book.
Each chapter shares set of letters is begun with information about the sender and her history, and most end with an account of how things played out in their lives afterward, even some sharing “current” whereabouts and what these real people are doing even today!
I so enjoyed reading many of the touching stories and first accounts of so many women. One of my favorite stories was of a young woman who's husband died many months before, though she wasn't notified of it until later. Then, months after she knew of her husband's death, a music box was sent to her – she had a special fondness for music boxes; apparently her husband had been making payments to a shop in the states on it as a gift to her and the men of his company payed the remaining balance on it for her as a surprise. Such a touching story and I'm sure this last gift from her husband became a lovely keepsake. Another favorite was of an older woman who actually collected soil from her victory garden as well as from all 48 states (probably excluding Alaska and Hawaii, I suppose) to send to her son in the Army Air Corps as well as to General MacArthur. Her son would then drop these bags of soil, collected from the capital grounds of the U.S. States, over the Marshal Islands and other's would place them at various points of victory (beneath American flag poles, etc.) during the closing of the war. It was her way of saying, “For This We Fight”. Incredible!
Note: You are reading what once were private messages; some of the content in the chapters contain open and sensual conversation between the women to their spouses and fiances', though most of the time not overly detailed. However, I was pleased that I did not find very much bad language used, as I had feared from the appearance of it in the book description.
January 14, 2015
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Since You Went Away provides intimate glimpses of the American homefront during World War II.
It contains letters to soldiers from women of all backgrounds and ages, and from all over the United State.
There is a pre and post war sketch of each woman and the man to whom she wrote.
The book is divided topically rather than chronologically.
Chapter headings will give an idea of the direction of the book is heading.
Don't you know there's a war on? --
Courtship by mail --
War brides --
War wives --
Be with him at every mail call : a pictorial essay --
I took a war job --
For the duration --
The price of victory --
Why we fought --
Chronology of World War II events --
For further reading
index.
The era is unforgettable and a collection such as this provides a touching memento.
Since You Went Away provides intimate glimpses of the American homefront during World War II.
It contains letters to soldiers from women of all backgrounds and ages, and from all over the United State.
There is a pre and post war sketch of each woman and the man to whom she wrote.
The book is divided topically rather than chronologically.
Chapter headings will give an idea of the direction of the book is heading.
Don't you know there's a war on? --
Courtship by mail --
War brides --
War wives --
Be with him at every mail call : a pictorial essay --
I took a war job --
For the duration --
The price of victory --
Why we fought --
Chronology of World War II events --
For further reading
index.
The era is unforgettable and a collection such as this provides a touching memento.
February 3, 2012
Even though I am in the middle of several(!) other books, I picked this up and couldn't put it down. I found the letters of women on the home front to be fascinating reading. It is incredible what some of these women endured and accomplished during the war years. My only complaint is that I wish this book had been longer. The authors collected some 25,000 letters. Couldn't they have included more?
May 16, 2014
This is a really nice overview of women's lives on the WWII homefront, and includes some diversity of letter-writers. It's not quite as devastating as Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam, but then, what could be? For non-combat letters, these do a great job of communicating the stress of wartime.
September 26, 2015
Great book for history lovers and for writers looking to improve their craft. These letters not only provide a clear picture of what life was like in the 40s but it also helps understand the personalities of these women. It became one of my favorite books ever. I highly recommend it.
November 15, 2009
I really enjoyed this historical snapshot about one of my favorite aspects of history (women in World War II).
May 18, 2010
I thought this was going to be interesting and help with my research, I was sadly mistaken.
June 9, 2012
Very interesting to read letters to soldiers in WW2. Some were sad, sad, sad especially when it was noted the soldier died the day before the letter was written etc.
April 19, 2016
Six billion letters written to American servicemen during World War II. A collection of letters women wrote their men, this book gives a wonderful slice of life on the homefront.
September 18, 2014
Occasionally sad, but always hopeful.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews