It happened in a flash. August 14, 1945. New York City was vibrating. People weren't just happy; they were delirious. World War II was finally, officially, over. In the middle of this chaos, a sailor grabbed a dental assistant and leaned her back for a kiss that would eventually become the most recognizable image of the 20th century. You’ve seen the VJ Day Times Square photo on posters, in history books, and probably on a thousand Pinterest boards.
But honestly? The story behind it is a lot messier than the romanticized version we’ve been sold for decades.
Who Were They, Anyway?
For years, nobody actually knew. It’s wild to think about. This image was published in Life magazine a week later, tucked away on page 27, and the photographer, Alfred Eisenstaedt, didn’t get their names. He was too busy dodging the crowds to ask for ID.
Eventually, a bunch of people claimed to be the "kissing sailor." It became a bit of a historical circus. At one point, there were at least ten different men insisting they were the guy in the white-hatted uniform. George Mendonsa was the one who finally convinced the world, mostly through modern forensic technology and 3D facial mapping. He was a sailor on leave from the USS The Sullivans. He’d been at a movie with his future wife, Rita Petry, when the news broke.
Think about that for a second. His actual date—the woman he would stay married to for 70 years—is literally in the background of some of the other shots from that day, grinning while her boyfriend kisses a complete stranger.
Then there’s Greta Zimmer Friedman. She was the woman in white. She wasn't a nurse, despite what everyone assumes because of the uniform. She was a dental assistant. She had just finished lunch and wandered into Times Square to see if the rumors of the Japanese surrender were true. She didn't see him coming. She didn't choose to be part of the VJ Day Times Square photo. It just happened to her.
The Photographer’s Perspective
Alfred Eisenstaedt was a legend. He used a Leica IIIc. He didn't have much time. He noticed the sailor running around, grabbing every woman in sight. He saw the white of the dental assistant’s uniform and knew he needed that contrast against the dark navy of the sailor’s suit.
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"If she had been wearing a dark dress, I would never have taken the picture," he later admitted. It was a technical choice. A split-second calculation about light and shadow that turned a random moment of physical contact into a piece of high art.
The Controversy You Can't Ignore
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. In 2026, our lens on history is much sharper than it was in the 1940s. For a long time, the VJ Day Times Square photo was the peak of "The Greatest Generation" nostalgia. It represented pure, unadulterated joy.
But if you look at Greta's own accounts from later in her life, the tone shifts. She was clear about it: it wasn't a romantic moment. She said, "It wasn't my choice to be kissed. The guy just came over and grabbed!"
There’s a tension there. On one hand, you have the collective relief of a world that had just lost millions of people. On the other, you have a woman being physically grabbed by a stranger without consent. Many modern critics view the image through the lens of sexual assault rather than celebration. It’s a difficult conversation because it pits historical context against modern ethics.
George was drunk. He’d been celebrating at a bar. He saw the uniform, he was caught up in the "War is Over" fever, and he acted. Whether you see it as a "moment of the times" or something more problematic, you can't deny that the image forced Greta into a spotlight she never asked for. She didn't even see the photo until the 1960s.
Why It Became So Famous
Why this one? There were other photographers there. Victor Jorgensen took a photo of the exact same moment from a different angle. His version is called "Kissing the War Farewell." It’s a good photo, but it doesn't have the same soul.
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Eisenstaedt’s version is perfectly composed. The Leading lines of the buildings, the way the sailor’s arm creates a strong horizontal bar, the curve of Greta’s back—it’s almost like a Renaissance painting. It captures the "Decisive Moment," a concept popularized by Henri Cartier-Bresson. It’s the one moment where everything aligns perfectly.
The Technical Side of the Shot
Eisenstaedt was shooting with 35mm film. No autofocus. No digital preview. He had to judge the distance and the light instantly.
- Camera: Leica IIIc
- Film: Black and white (of course)
- Shutter speed: Likely high to freeze the motion of the crowd
- Aperture: Narrow enough to keep them in focus but wide enough for that beautiful New York depth
The sheer skill required to nail that focus while being bumped around by thousands of screaming New Yorkers is mind-blowing. Most photographers today would struggle to get that shot even with burst mode and AI tracking.
What Happened to Them?
Greta passed away in 2016 at the age of 92. George died in 2019, just two days shy of his 96th birthday. They stayed in touch toward the end of their lives, exchanging Christmas cards. It’s a strange bond to have with someone—to be frozen in time with a stranger for the entire world to see.
Rita, the girl George was actually on a date with, never seemed to mind. She’s on record saying George was a good man and that the day was just "crazy."
Historical Context: The Real VJ Day
The VJ Day Times Square photo often makes us forget how grim things were leading up to that afternoon. The world was exhausted. The atomic bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki just days prior. The news of the surrender didn't come through a sleek smartphone notification; it came across a moving news ticker on the Times Tower.
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"OFFICIAL—TRUMAN ANNOUNCES JAPANESE SURRENDER."
That's when the "roar" happened. People who were there described it as a physical wall of sound. The kiss wasn't an isolated event. There were people dancing, crying, and, yes, kissing all over the city. This one just happened to be framed perfectly.
Why the Photo Still Matters in 2026
We live in a world of "staged" photos. Everything is an Instagram aesthetic or a carefully curated TikTok. The VJ Day Times Square photo is the opposite. It’s raw. It’s messy. Even the controversy surrounding it makes it more human.
It reminds us that history isn't a neat, clean story. It’s a collection of perspectives. To the sailor, it was a victory lap. To the woman, it was a sudden shock. To the photographer, it was a masterclass in composition. To the world, it was the end of a nightmare.
We can't look at it the same way we did in 1945, and that’s probably a good thing. We can appreciate the artistry and the historical weight while still acknowledging the complicated reality of the people in the frame.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs and Photographers
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of this moment or improve your own street photography, here is how you can apply the lessons of the VJ Day Times Square photo:
- Study Compositional Contrast: Look at how Eisenstaedt used the sailor's dark suit against the white uniform. When shooting in B&W, look for "value" (the lightness or darkness) rather than color.
- Visit the Site: Times Square has changed, but the spot where the photo was taken (near 44th and 7th) still holds that energy. Look at the shadows between the buildings at different times of day to see how the light falls.
- Read the Primary Sources: Don't just take the "romantic" legend at face value. Look up Greta Zimmer Friedman's interviews with the Veterans History Project. Hearing the story in her own voice changes how you see the image.
- Practice the "Decisive Moment": Set your camera to manual and try to capture motion in a crowded area without looking at your screen. It builds an intuitive sense of timing that digital crutches often kill.
- Explore the "Other" Photos: Seek out Victor Jorgensen’s "Kissing the War Farewell." Comparing the two shots of the same moment is a fantastic exercise in understanding how perspective and framing change a story's narrative.
The image isn't going anywhere. It’s etched into the collective memory of the world. Understanding the truth behind it doesn't diminish its power; it just makes it real.