80 years ago, on August 15, 1945, the country came together for one of the biggest and most surprising celebrations of all time: World War II had officially come to an end. People threw spontaneous street parties, fireworks were set off and sailors climbed light poles to open up American flags. Victory over Japan Day, or more commonly referred to as VJ Day, was a celebration to end all celebrations, and the surreal moment has since lived on in iconic photographs and memories of those who were there to celebrate.
One of the most recognizable photos in the world was taken on a celebratory day, and that is the famous kiss photo taken in Times Square between a sailor and a nurse. The photo has inspired works of art, like posters and a 25-foot sculpture, and people have wondered for decades exactly who those two people were. But what do we actually know about that photograph and the people in it? Learn more about the VJ Day kiss and about the celebrations that took place on that memorable day.
The story behind the Times Square kiss photo
Whether you know it was from VJ Day or not, you’ve likely seen the photo of the sailor and the nurse kissing in the middle of the street. For years, folks debated who they were, whether they were in love or strangers and how the photo came to be. After decades of wondering and dozens of people claiming to be the subjects, their true identities were finally revealed.
The man was George Mendonsa, a Navy quartermaster who was on leave from the Pacific and the woman was Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant. There were other widely accepted theories as to who the couple was, with a woman named Edith Shain claiming she was the nurse. However, that was later debunked after many analyzed her height as compared to the photo.
Courtesy of Everett
The real duo were perfect strangers at the time of the photo and though they sparked a worldwide obsession, they have very different memories of the moment.
Mendonsa described the moment, explaining that once it was announced that Japan had surrendered, everyone began flooding the streets of New York City. Mendonsa had seen Friedman, whom he thought was a nurse, and wanted to thank her. So, he went up and kissed her in the middle of Times Square. With incredible luck, Navy journalist Victor Jorgensen and Alfred Eisenstadt captured the moment on their cameras from different angles.
Why the iconic image remains controversial
The image eventually went on to symbolize the relief and joy felt by everyone on that day, as everyone celebrated in the streets. However, Friedman tells a different tale of the moment.
“It wasn’t my choice to be kissed,” Friedman recalled. “The guy just came over and kissed or grabbed.”
During the #MeToo movement that sparked in 2017 raised the question of what the kiss really was. While most view it as a sweet, celebratory moment, others have wondered whether it was an unwarranted, non-consensual kiss. After Mendonsa died in 2019, the statue of the image in Florida was covered in red graffiti that said, “#MeToo,” and while the moment was likely nothing more than a celebratory moment, it is often a topic of debate.
