This week, I learned more about how WWII soldiers communicated with their families when they were overseas. Earlier in the week, I read about different forms of communication during WWII. An aspect of the reading that I found interesting was the transition from regular mail to V-mail. Due to the large quantity of letters being mailed overseas, the US initiated the use of V-mail. More letters were able to be delivered overseas because V-mail was lighter and took up less space. Facilitating the transportation of mail was so important because letters provided hope to those at home and motivation to those fighting overseas.
During Thursday’s class, I got the opportunity to explore letters written to Muhlenberg staff by Muhlenberg Alumni who fought in the war. I enjoyed being able to read both sides of the conversation. By having the letters sent to and from the soldiers, I was better able to understand what was being discussed. When exploring the letters, I found it interesting to see how the language–such as the slang–differed from what it is today. I also noticed that the letters were written in script, and today, people rarely write in script. Studying the letters helped me grasp a better understanding of what life was like for both the soldiers overseas and the people at home during the war. I am looking forward to continuing to learn about communication during WWII and more generally, about the effects letters have had throughout history.
