Arlett Bredeson: "Today is 'V-E Day'."

Arlett Bredeson of Minneapolis was one of several friends who kept up correspondence with a local boy, Orville R. Mikelson, who was serving in the Pacific with the US Navy. When victory over the Nazis was announced on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day), she sat down and wrote an account to Mikelson of the day's celebration in Minneapolis.

Letter Excerpt

May 8, 1945
3:00 P.M.

Dear Orv,

Today, as you know, is "V-E Day" (Victory in Europe) - a day for which we all have been hoping and praying, and are at this moment praying for victory soon over Japan.

Thought you'd like to know what we here did today. First of all, every retail store including department, grocery & meat, hardware and even the liquor stores have been closed all day. However, we at Cargill worked until 12:30. Downtown Mpls. was quite littered with papers of all kinds like ticker tape confetti, and scraps of paper. However, there were no public demonstrations, and when I went home everything seemed to be very peaceful and quiet.

Both NBC and CBS cancelled all their scheduled "soap programs" today. Instead we've heard how the people in England are celebrating, those in Mpls., and also heard speakers from the Frisco conference. They also broadcasted transcriptions of speeches given by Winston Churchill and the king of England. At 8 this morning president Truman read the formal Proclamation, which was followed by Churchill's speech. Truman declared May 13 to be set aside as a day of prayer. At the present time they are playing tributes to our Armed Forces, and are now playing "Anchors Aweigh."

We, of course, are having services in church tonight, and the choir is supposed to be there by 7:00 to practise, thus eliminating our practise tomorrow night.

Dad just told me that this morning all the American generals spoke, and at 12 noon all the five-star generals and the admirals of the navy spoke.

Sunday, Mother's Day, we're having a patriotic service.

Might just as well describe the weather here today too. Although it's May 8 we have snow, and it's real cold and windy. The snow comes and goes, and because it's mostly flurries, there's no snow left on the sidewalk. Quite a contrast with Sunday when the thermometer read 80º, and it was too warm for a coat. ...

...Well this will be it until next week.
Arlett

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