Click the covers above to see single cover displays

End of War,
But Struggles Remain

After many false announcements the day before, VJ Day was finally declared on August 15. 19451. Victory in Japan marked the end of World War II and the beginning of an era of reconstruction in Europe and Southeast Asia. It was also a time of economic opportunity and uncertainty in the U.S.

The Cold War had already begun for America. Some mark the beginning of that struggle at the Yalta Conference in February 1945. The leader that had lead America through the Depression and WWII, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was dead. And so, it was a era that mixed great optimism, with a degree of uncertainty.

Soldiers returning home needed jobs. Unemployment jumped from 1.9% to 3.9% in the year following the war, and rose to almost 6% by 1950. Immediately following WWII, from 1945 to 1946, U.S. Gross Domestic Product fell by $700 million. 3 In 1946 the U.S. saw some of the most severe work stoppages in years due to labor unrest. The electrical, steel and coal industries were particularly hard hit. Without the war demand, the US needed to retool and reorganize to lead the growing world economy.

Also in this exhibit...

Street & Smith's radio voice that became a legend...

Hillman Periodicals' long running comic book success...

Fawcett Publishing's winner in the comic book hero wars...

Lev Gleason's Comic House's success that lead to failure...

More links for these books

1 When was VJ Day

2 coldwar1 - The Cold War Begins

3 Information Please - 1945 and 1946

Photo of Yalta Conference from the University of San Diego Archives