Short Answer
Between 1942 and 1945, the mail bag and the newsreel screen served as two of the most vital conduits of the war. While combat raged across Europe and the Pacific, millions of Americans, Canadians, and Britons found connection through handwritten letters, diary entries, and the flickering images of cinema newsreels. At a time when information was slow and heavily censored, these primary sources provided not only news but also emotional sustenance. As historian and veteran Paul Fussell later recalled, “Letters were a great comfort. And the mail was indispensable. We couldn’t have won the war without it. It was terribly important as a motivator of the troops. Mail call whenever it happened it was a delight.”
What Happened?
The Second World War produced an unprecedented volume of personal correspondence and visual documentation. In the early months, military mail delivery was slow and erratic. To address this, the United States military introduced V-mail (Victory Mail) in June 1942. This system allowed letters to be written on a special one-sided form, then photographed onto reels of 16 mm microfilm. Each reel contained approximately 18,000 letters and was flown overseas to receiving stations, where the letters were printed onto 4-inch by 5-inch photographic paper, placed in envelopes, and delivered to troops. A single mail sack could hold 150,000 one-page letters that would otherwise have required 37 sacks and weighed 2,575 pounds. Between June 15, 1942, and the end of the war, more than 556 million pieces of V-mail were delivered to servicemen overseas, who sent some 510 million pieces in return.
Meanwhile, combat photographers and film units documented the war from the front lines. For example, Sergeant Hugh McCaughey, a Canadian combat cameraman who enlisted in 1942, wrote dozens of letters home to his family in Vancouver while following the advance of the Canadian Film and Photo Unit across northwestern Europe. His letters, along with his war diary, were later donated to the Canadian War Museum. In a similar vein, American soldiers on D-Day and the subsequent campaigns wrote home, often after the fact because of censorship, describing the terrors and monotony of war.
How It Was Seen at the Time
Contemporaries understood these letters and films as lifelines. Soldiers wrote to maintain morale and to reassure families, while families wrote to remind soldiers of the world they were fighting for. Censorship was a constant presence; letters were opened and read by army censors, and details of locations and duties were often stripped away. Nevertheless, the words that reached home conveyed the emotional weight of combat. One American soldier wrote from France on July 22, 1944: “Yesterday I had to visit all the units again, to get statements for my report. The regiment is in contact with the enemy, so such trips always have their skin-prickling moments.” The letter, preserved in the American Experience archive, shows the blend of duty and fear that characterized frontline correspondence.
Historical Snapshot
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | 1939–1945 (World War II) |
| Place | Global, including North America, Europe, Pacific, and the home front |
| People | Soldiers, sailors, airmen, war correspondents, photographers, and families |
| What Happened | Letters, diaries, and newsreels served as primary sources of information and morale during the war |
| Why It Mattered | They connected the front lines to the home front, shaped public opinion, and preserved the human experience of the conflict |
What People Knew at the Time
| What People Knew Then | What We Know Now |
|---|---|
| Soldiers’ letters were heavily censored; families often did not know exact locations or duties. | Modern historians use these letters to reconstruct the everyday realities of war, including the emotional and psychological toll. |
| Newsreels presented a sanitized, optimistic view of the war, often omitting graphic violence. | Historians recognize that newsreels were produced under government oversight and reflected official narratives. |
| The public relied on delayed reports and letters, often weeks old. | Archival research has revealed the full scope of casualties and events that were initially hidden. |
Letters & Diaries
The personal letters and diaries of soldiers and civilians offer the most intimate window into the era. The Canadian War Museum holds the collection of Sgt. Hugh McCord, who wrote 215 letters home to his family in Vancouver. His letters, written between 1942 and 1945, describe the daily life of a combat cameraman—the danger, the boredom, and the camaraderie. In one letter, he notes the heavy equipment he carried and the constant threat of enemy fire.
Similarly, the Gilder Lehrman Institute preserves D-Day correspondence between a soldier and his wife. These letters, written in 1944, capture the anxiety of separation and the hope for the future. In one letter, the soldier writes, “I am thinking of you all the time. I hope this will be over soon.” The letters were often read aloud in homes, shared among family members, and kept as treasured mementos.
“Yesterday I had to visit all the units again, to get statements for my report. The regiment is in contact with the enemy, so such trips always have their skin-prickling moments. I got back pretty tired about 7 o’clock, just in time to get a phone call from the CO of one of Sirrine’s battalions, also in the line, requesting me to come up to discuss personal problems of his body-guard, a fine young fellow who had simultaneously received word that his sister, an army nurse, and a brother, a flyer, had both been killed in the So. Pacific, and that his remaining brother had been critically wounded with another division here in France.” — American soldier, France, July 22, 1944, quoted in the American Experience collection.
Eyewitness Accounts
Eyewitness accounts come from letters, diaries, and also from the official reports of combat photographers. Sgt. Hugh McCord’s letters to his family are a prime example. He described the experience of filming the front lines: “The camera is my weapon. I must record what I see, even if it costs me my life.” His letters were later published in a collection and are now in the Canadian War Museum. The American Experience also includes letters from soldiers who landed on D-Day, describing the chaos of the beach and the heavy fire.
How Historians See It Today
Modern historians recognize that primary sources like letters and diaries are invaluable for understanding the subjective experience of war. They also acknowledge the limitations of these sources, which are often filtered through censorship, self-censorship, and the desire to protect loved ones from the worst. Scholars now read these documents critically, looking for what is left unsaid as much as what is written. The V-mail program, once seen as a logistical marvel, is now studied for its role in maintaining morale and its impact on the home front. Historians also note the disparity between the official newsreel narrative and the private accounts of soldiers, which often reveal a more brutal and chaotic reality.
Common Misconceptions
Related Primary Sources
- PBS Ken Burns: The War – Communication: Letters & Diaries
- WW2 letters to home from combat cameraman – RCI
- Letters from the Front – American Experience
- D-Day correspondence – Gilder Lehrman Institute
FAQ
How did V-mail work?
V-mail letters were written on a special form, then photographed onto reels of microfilm. The reels were flown to overseas receiving stations, where the letters were printed onto photographic paper and delivered. This saved weight and space, allowing more mail to be shipped quickly.
Were all letters censored?
Yes, military mail was routinely opened and read by censors. Soldiers were told not to include sensitive details about locations, troop movements, or future operations. This is why many letters are vague about the writer's exact situation.
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