It is one of the most enduring photos from the 20th century: the Navy sailor’s kiss with a woman in Times Square, celebrating the end of the Second World War. This iconic photograph, immortalized by Alfred Eisenstaedt, captures a remarkable moment in history.
In August 1945, George Mendonsa, a 22-year-old Navy quartermaster on leave, had plans to watch a movie at Radio City Music Hall. However, he never got to see the end of the film. As George recalls, there was a sudden commotion outside with pounding on the doors. The lights were turned on, and the show came to a halt as an announcement echoed through the theater: “The war is over, and the Japanese have surrendered!”
Overwhelmed with joy, George rushed into the streets of Times Square, where he spotted a woman wearing a nurse’s uniform. Her name was Greta Zimmer, a 21-year-old dental assistant from Queens who had heard rumors about the war’s end and decided to make her way to Times Square from her office on Lexington Avenue.
George, admittedly inebriated, was so caught up in the moment that he doesn’t even recall the kiss. However, Greta remembers it vividly. Spontaneously and swept away by the euphoria of the war’s conclusion, George embraced Greta and kissed her passionately. It was at that precise moment that Eisenstaedt, ready with his camera, captured this cherished photograph, which would go on to become one of the most beloved images in the world.
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