{"id":2194095,"date":"2024-03-06T13:25:02","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T18:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/she-never-felt-violated-granddaughter-of-nurse-kissed-in-iconic-wwii-photo-responds-to-vas-woke-memo\/"},"modified":"2024-03-06T13:25:50","modified_gmt":"2024-03-06T18:25:50","slug":"she-never-felt-violated-granddaughter-of-nurse-kissed-in-iconic-wwii-photo-responds-to-vas-woke-memo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/she-never-felt-violated-granddaughter-of-nurse-kissed-in-iconic-wwii-photo-responds-to-vas-woke-memo\/","title":{"rendered":"Granddaughter of WWII nurse in iconic photo unfazed by VA&#8217;s woke memo"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fshe-never-felt-violated-granddaughter-of-nurse-kissed-in-iconic-wwii-photo-responds-to-vas-woke-memo%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2194095&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Iconic V-J Day Kiss\u200c Photo: A \u200cProud Moment for the Nurse and a Controversy for the VA<\/h2>\n<p>The granddaughter of the nurse featured in an iconic photo of her being kissed by a\u2063 random sailor after the announcement of the\u2062 end of World War II said \u2064her grandmother was \u201cproud of the image\u201d and\u200c \u201cnever \u200bfelt violated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On V-J Day in 1945, dental\u2062 nurse\u2062 Greta Zimmer, who was Jewish and had fled Austria to escape Hitler and the\u2064 Nazis in 1939, \u2062was walking through Times Square in New York City when a U.S. Navy\u2062 sailor, most likely George Mendonsa, grabbed her, bent her backwards and kissed her. Famed photographer \u200bAlfred Eisenstaedt snapped the photo, which \u2064was published a week later in Life magazine and immediately became immortal. Zimmer later married Mischa Friedman and had a son and daughter.<\/p>\n<p>But RimaAnn\u2064 Nelson, the VA assistant secretary for \u200bhealth for operations, sent a memo\u2062 in February to \u2062the Veterans Integrated Services Network Directors \u200bsaying the photo should be removed and \u200dreplaced at all VA facilities because\u200b it \u201cdepicted a non-consensual act,\u201d and \u201cis inconsistent with the\u2063 VA\u2019s no tolerance policy\u200b toward sexual harassment and assault.\u201d The \u200cmemo stated \u200bthat the photo needed to be removed to maintain the \u200ddepartment\u2019s \u201crespectful, safe and trauma-informed\u201d workplace.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">EXCLUSIVE:<\/p>\n<p>The \u200cDepartment Of Veterans Affairs just BANNED the V-J Day kiss photo from all department facilities.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;To \u2062promote a culture\u200c of inclusivity and awareness\u2026\u200b your cooperation is vital.&#8221;\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MZfNHbpV76\">pic.twitter.com\/MZfNHbpV76<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EndWokeness\/status\/1765005503040499813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 5, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>After backlash ensued, \u200bVA Secretary Denis McDonough later tweeted, \u201cLet me be \u200cclear: This\u200b image is not banned from VA facilities \u2014 and we will keep it in VA facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities \u2013 \u200dand we \u2062will keep \u2062it in VA \u2064facilities. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dYSikLxHAJ\">pic.twitter.com\/dYSikLxHAJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Secretary Denis McDonough (@SecVetAffairs) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecVetAffairs\/status\/1765030481299460188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 5, \u200b2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Caroline Branin<strong>, \u2062 <\/strong>Friedman\u2019s granddaughter,\u200b told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-13161023\/Granddaughter-nurse-kissed-Time-Square-iconic-V-J-Day-photo-proud.html\">The Daily Mail<\/a>, \u201cAs my grandmother told it to me, \u2063she was\u200d at work and \u2064she\u200c went downstairs at lunchtime to see what was happening. George grabbed \u200bher and kissed her.\u2064 It was a split second thing and the\u200c photographer \u2063just\u2063 happened to be there. She \u2062never felt violated or anything like that \u2026 She was always very proud\u200b of the image and she thought it was two young people\u2063 celebrating in the \u200dstreet \u2026 My grandma signed images of the photo up until \u2064she died. She was\u2062 proud to be an American citizen. She was a refugee from Austria \u200band so the end of the war marked \u200cmore to her than for everyday \u2063people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cShe never felt it was something inappropriate,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt\u2019s interesting\u200b they tried to\u200c reframe historical events in today\u2019s values. I have a \u200dpicture in my house that \u2064my grandma \u2063signed and even\u200d George Mendonsa signed it. My grandma stayed \u2062in contact\u200b with George and she did parades on V-J Day with him. She never said it\u2064 was anything she felt was uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1709832055898000&#038;usg=AOvVaw1WORlashB-9raOU6s8zghd\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cAt\u2063 college I had a women and\u2062 gender studies teacher who showed that image and said: \u2018This is a sexual assault,\u2019\u201d Branin\u200d recalled. \u201cI put \u2064my hand up and said that\u2019s actually my \u200cgrandma, she didn\u2019t view it that way. The teacher disagreed with me. I can\u200c understand\u200b the\u200c argument but for my grandmother it represented the end of the war and they\u2019re celebrating.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Friedman only learned \u200cabout the photograph in the 1960s and \u2062immediately recognized herself. She \u200cand \u2064Mendonsa communicated \u2063in later years and\u2062 became friends; she died in 2016 at \u2064the age of \u206392.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u200bWhat was \u200bGreta Zimmer&#8217;s perspective on \u2064the sailor&#8217;s kiss in the photo?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  By-sailor-V-J-Day-photo.html&#8221;>The Daily Mail<\/a> that her grandmother never saw the kiss\u200c as a non-consensual act. She stated, \u201cShe always said that\u200d the \u200bsailor was so happy that he grabbed the first girl \u2063he saw,\u2062 and it was her.\u201d According to Branin, her grandmother felt that the kiss symbolized the joy and relief of the end of the war and was a proud moment for \u200cher.<\/p>\n<p>Branin also expressed her disappointment with the VA\u2019s initial decision to remove the photo. She \u200dbelieved that it was an overreaction \u2063and that the photo should be seen as a historical moment rather than a \u2063depiction of sexual harassment. Branin argued that it is crucial to preserve such images\u200c as they serve as reminders of the\u200b sacrifices made during the war and the celebration of victory.<\/p>\n<p>This controversy raises important\u200d questions about the interpretation \u200bof historical images in the context of modern values.\u2062 While it is essential to acknowledge and address issues related to consent and harassment, it is equally important to consider the historical and cultural significance of certain images. The\u2062 V-J\u200c Day kiss photo captured a moment of jubilation and\u2062 relief\u2063 for millions of people, marking the end of a devastating war.<\/p>\n<p>The controversy also highlights \u2062the challenges\u200c faced \u200cby \u2063institutions such as the VA in balancing historical preservation with creating a safe and inclusive environment for their employees and visitors. The VA\u2019s initial decision to remove the photo was likely driven by a desire to uphold their commitment to promoting a respectful workplace free from harassment. \u2063However, it is crucial to approach such decisions with sensitivity and ensure that\u2064 the removal of a historical image \u2062does not erase or diminish important historical \u2064events.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary McDonough\u2019s clarification that the photo will remain in \u200bVA facilities is a step in the right direction. It sends a message that historical \u200dimages \u200bshould be \u2063respected and preserved, even if they\u200c depict moments that may be viewed differently through a contemporary lens. By keeping\u200c the photo, the VA\u200d acknowledges the complexity\u200c of history and the importance of preserving and reflecting on past events, both the positive and the controversial.<\/p>\n<p>As we navigate the complexities of\u2064 interpreting historical photographs, it is essential \u2064to engage in thoughtful and \u200cnuanced discussions.\u200d It is through dialogue and understanding that we can learn from the past while striving to create a \u200cmore inclusive and respectful society in the present\u2062 and future.<\/p>\n<p>In the \u200dcase of the V-J Day kiss photo, \u200dit is crucial to recognize the\u2063 perspectives of those directly involved, such as Greta Zimmer and her family. \u200cTheir understanding of the\u2064 moment and its significance should inform our interpretation of the image. At the same time, we must remain mindful of the need \u200dto address issues of consent and respect\u2062 in our discussions about\u200d historical \u2063events \u2064and their representations.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the V-J Day kiss\u2062 photo \u2063remains an iconic image that represents the emotions and experiences of a \u2064specific moment in history. It is not only a reminder of \u2064the joyous celebration of the end of World War II but also a reminder of the complexities surrounding\u2062 historical interpretation. We should continue to\u200c engage in open and respectful \u2064dialogue to better understand and contextualize such images, ensuring that they contribute to a more comprehensive\u2063 understanding of our past.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The nurse&#8217;s granddaughter revealed that her grandmother, Greta Zimmer, who was Jewish and had escaped persecution, felt proud and unharmed by the famous photo capturing her being kissed by a stranger on V-J Day in 1945. Greta cherished the image and never considered it a violation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":2194096,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-156350823.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2194095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-156350823.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2194095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2194095"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2194095\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2194096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2194095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2194095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2194095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}