Christmas comes to a post-war world -- 70 year anniversary of the end of World War II

The largest armed conflict in human history, one that killed or injured tens of millions of soldiers and civilians, came to an end exactly 70 years ago. Beginning in 1939 and lasting six long, aching years, the war ravaged huge sections of our world and left scars that continue to gnaw and fester today.

When the United States entered World War II and fully mobilized, its impact was deadly and decisive. At its peak in 1944, America's military numbered over 12 million men and women, of whom 7.6 million were stationed overseas.

When hostilities came to an end in September 1945, demobilization began swiftly, with the intent being to get as many people as possible home by Christmas. The effort was dubbed "Operation Magic Carpet." What occurred was a logistical nightmare involving all forms of transportation stressed beyond their limits.

The crush of military travelers overwhelmed seaports and railroads, creating a situation regarded as the worst traffic jam in the nation's history. In the Pacific, 179,000 troops traveled from battle zones to seaports on the West Coast from Seattle to San Diego. On a single day, December 24th, 40,000 men and women returned from duty overseas. On Christmas day, 53 thousand servicemen were stuck in the San Francisco area awaiting ground or air transportation. The situation was similar on the Atlantic coast -- 15,000 uniformed personnel were marooned in New York City alone. Local residents invited many home to share Christmas dinner.

Many interesting stories occurred during this time. Five sailors stranded in San Pedro, Ca., paid a taxi driver to take them to Dallas, then another to drive the remaining four onward to Atlanta. The president of the Union Pacific Railroad learned of a group of Army nurses stranded in Los Angeles and turned over his private railroad business car to transport them east. In Glenwood Springs, Colo., townspeople provided a Christmas dinner in the train depot to all soldiers awaiting the clearance of snowbound mountain passes. As passenger trains leaving Chicago filled to capacity and disappointed troops packed the depots, the governors of Illinois and Indiana called out state militias to drive veterans home. A strike affecting Greyhound buses in 18 states compounded the gridlock.

In 1945, Christmas Day fell on a Tuesday and President Harry Truman declared a four-day holiday to allow war-weary workers extra time to share the holiday with families. And through "Operation Santa Claus," the Army and Navy attempted to process the discharge of military personnel in record time.

Though many could not get home and were forced to content themselves with long distance telephone calls, at least they had survived the war and safely returned. The matter of a few days or weeks would be of no consequence in the long run.

On Christmas Eve 1945, a crowd of 10,000 gathered on the south lawn of the White House to witness the lighting of the colorfully decorated National Christmas Tree. The ceremony had been cancelled between 1942 and 1944, so this represented the dawn of a new era. President Harry Truman turned the switch lighting the tree, symbolizing the city lights now blazing peacefully around the globe.

"This is the Christmas that a war-weary world has prayed for through long and awful years," he intoned in his high-pitched voice. "With peace comes joy and gladness. The gloom of the war fades as once more we light the National Christmas Tree."

Christmas today is a special time of year for nearly all Americans, just as in 1945. The holiday may be more commercialized today than 70 years ago, but the warm feelings of togetherness and goodwill remain the same. As we celebrate the 2015 Christmas season, let's take a moment to remember those who sacrificed for us in the past and, of equal importance, to learn from history and take heed of its many lessons.

From everyone at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, please accept our best wishes for a warm, happy and safe holiday season.