LIFE1936-1948

The March 31, 1941, cover of LIFE shows a Curtiss Helldiver and calls it the world’s best dive bomber. The aircraft carrier Enterprise is depicted with Douglas TBD torpedo bombers taking off from it’s deck practicing a mock attack. LIFE says, “they might be enemy bombers from an alien aircraft carrier coming in to attack the great Pearl Harbor base.” We know that just over eight months later this is exactly what happened on December 7,1941. The Enterprise was away from Hawaii on December 7th so it never got to defend the base. The Douglas TBD topedo bombers probably wouldn’t have done much good if they had been there. Three squadrons of the TBD’s totaling 41 planes were used against the Japanese fleet in mid 1942 during the Battle of Midway and only six survived. TBD torpedos that hit Japanese ships during the battle were often duds. The Douglas TBD was very susceptible to enemy flak and saw little action after this battle. The Curtiss Helldiver suffered many delays and modifications in it’s development and didn’t see action until November, 1943, at Rabual north of New Guinea. It was underpowered, had a short range, an unreliable electrical system and was often poorly manufactured. It spent most of the war as a trainer or pulling target tugs. LIFE rightly predicted that, “though it has little past to look back on, the aircraft carrier may have a history making future.”  LIFE could not have picked a better example of aircraft carrier effectiveness than the Enterprise.  The Enterprise collected 20 battle stars during WW II, more than any US War Ship.  The Enterprise is arguably the most honored ship in US naval history.

Rita Hayworth graces the Sept. 6, 1941, cover of LIFE in the midst of becoming a triple threat singing, dancing and glamor star. Meanwhile, America’s greatest hero of the 20th Century, Charles Lindbergh, was causing big problems as America was about to tumble into WWII. Lindbergh’s admiration for Germany was palpable. And he revealed his racism as he “expressed the hope that eventually Britain, a Germanized Europe and the U.S. would find themselves co-operating in a mutual “White” front against the more numerous but less skilful races of the world-Yellow, Brown and Black.” Serving as an apologist for Germany, he stated dangerous ideas about might and right. “In periods of satisfaction, ‘right’ becomes associated with the law, while in periods of strife it becomes an ally of force…” “Germany, as a ’strong people dissatisfied with it’s position,’ had turned to that primeval ‘right’ of force.” He led the America First movement that preached isolation and drew adoring crowds. Pearl Harbor put an end to America First and Lindbergh tried to get in the fight. But Roosevelt was furious with him and would have none of it. Later in the war as a civilian in the Pacific front, he flew 50 combat missions and was credited with destroying an enemy plane. Lindbergh also gave valuable aeronautical advice that improved the effectiveness and range of US war planes in the Pacific. After the war Lindbergh was an aviation consultant and had his reputation restored when President Eisenhower made him a Brigadier General in the reserves. Following the death of his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh (a pioneering aviator in her own right…and author)in 2001, it was revealed that Lindbergh fathered at least five children with two sisters in Germany. The entire article  is included because Lindbergh’s story is so complex.

Four years before Pearl Harbor and one week before the beginning of the Rape Of Nanking in which approximately 200,000 Chinese civilians were slaughtered by Japanese soldiers, the Dec. 6, 1937, LIFE features Japan’s conquest of China. It begins with an overview of the Emperor, Hirohito. The article lavishes praise on the quality of the Japanese soldiers and depicts them marching, picking up Chinese women and relaxing while one of the soldiers acts as a clown. The men leading the conquest of Asia are pictured and described as “capable, cultivated, sane gentlemen.” Hirohiro, who came to power in 1926, calls his reign the “Era of Radiant Peace.” It is surprising that this LIFE article treated the Japanese conquests in such a benign, uncritical fashion. It would soon change it’s tune as Japan’s true ambitions revealed themselves. Curiously, the swastika flags in the rear of the third picture denote a Buddhist first-aid organization.

This cover of LIFE features new coed fashions for 1939. In the meantime, a historic event took place when President Roosevelt invited a reigning British Monarch to set foot on American soil for the first time. With Europe on the brink of war Roosevelt moved to strengthen ties between the two democracies and foster a closer relationship. This signaled the dawn of a new era of friendship and cooperation between Britain and America. A new Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan was elected, James Colescott from Terre Haute, IN. His tenure did not go well. He displayed Nazi sympathies and added fuel the Detroit Race Riots in 1943. The IRS slapped a lien of $685,000 on the Klan in 1944 and it was dissolved. Actress Katharine Hepburn’s sister, Marion, is shown marrying “a Harvard man.” They remained happily married until her death at age 68. And Henry Ford II, the crown prince of Ford Motor Company is captured doing laundry for the Yale crew team during his junior year. In six short years he was named president of Ford…it’s nice to see a hardworking young man get ahead in the world. He is best remembered for firing Lee Iacocca who then moved to Chrysler to lead its’ resurgence.

Imagine flying on A Pan American Clipper from San Francisco to Honolulu, Midway, Wake Island, Guam, Manila and Singapore in the fall of 1941…several weeks before Japan launched all out war in the Pacific including the bombing of Pearl Harbor! Clair Boothe Luce’s trip captures for the last time this Pacific area just before the Japanese unleashed their fury. Luce describes the beauty of the Pacific, the preparation for war with Japan, the fading hope for peace, and a glimpse of the lives of lonely, soon to be doomed American military. “Give us another six months and we’ll be ready” they tell Luce in Manila. On the flight with Luce is Sir Alfred Duff-Cooper who on his way to lead British Empire defenses in Singapore. His ineffective leadership caused him to be sent home from Singapore in just a few weeks. Thus he avoided being captured by the Japanese and he and his wife spent the rest of the war living in one of London’s finest hotels.

Canada declared war in late 1939 against Germany but the actual fighting had not begun. At this point, Canada was attempting to ready 60,000 troops in case real war broke out. By 1945 1.1 million Canadians served their country. Most Canadian troops did not see action until the invasion of Normandy in mid 1944. It is estimated that 40% of eligible men between the ages of 18 to 45 served their country. Flight training was given priority and to speed up qualification air-training was compressed from 500 to 150 hours.

Two years before the outbreak of WWII, while Americans danced, warplanes were being developed and refined. The B 17 was continuously refined and more than 12,500 were built at an average cost of $238,000. The Eighth Air Force flew this plane in tight formations on their way to destroy German targets. It was unpressurized, unheated and flew at 200 mph. The B 17 Flying Fortress is considered the first mass produced large aircraft. The crew wore electrically heated suits and new headgear so they could fly at high altitudes. B 17’s carried twelve 500 pound bombs.