War-bride
Encyclopedia
War bride is a term used in reference to wartime marriages, especially - but not exclusively - during World War I
and World War II
.
One of the largest and best documented war bride phenomenons is American soldiers marrying German "Fräuleins" after World War II
. By 1949, over 20,000 German war brides had emigrated into the US.
Furthermore, it is estimated that there are "... 15,000 Australia
n women who married American servicemen based in Australia
during World War II and moved to the US to be with their husbands".
Allied servicemen also married many women in other countries where they were stationed at the end of the war, including France
, Luxembourg
, Philippines
, and Japan
. This also occurred in Korea
and Vietnam
with the later wars in those countries involving U.S. troops.
As many as 100,000 GI war brides left the United Kingdom
, 150,000 to 200,000 hailed from continental Europe
, 15,500 from Australia and 1,500 from New Zealand
, between the years 1942 and 1952. Of these, approximately 44,000 went to Canada accompanied by some 22,000 children. They emigrated mainly in 1946 in specially commissioned "war bride ships," like the Queen Mary, Leticia, or Mauretania, landing at Pier 21
in Halifax. A war bride museum is currently located on that site at Pier 21
.
In 2008 the Royal British Columbia Museum
in Victoria
, B.C., Canada, had as its major exhibit paintings by Calgary artist Bev Tosh. The exhibit chronicled the warbride experience in Canada
and New Zealand
via a painting medium.
left Liverpool, England, on 4 February 1946 as the first dedicated war bride ship to Canada bound for Pier 21
in Halifax.
About 650 Japanese war brides migrated to Australia after the ban on Japanese migration, imposed at the outbreak of the Pacific War, was lifted in 1952 when the San Francisco Peace Treaty came into force. They had married Australian soldiers involved in the Occupation of Japan.
.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
One of the largest and best documented war bride phenomenons is American soldiers marrying German "Fräuleins" after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. By 1949, over 20,000 German war brides had emigrated into the US.
Furthermore, it is estimated that there are "... 15,000 Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n women who married American servicemen based in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during World War II and moved to the US to be with their husbands".
Allied servicemen also married many women in other countries where they were stationed at the end of the war, including France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. This also occurred in Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
with the later wars in those countries involving U.S. troops.
As many as 100,000 GI war brides left the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, 150,000 to 200,000 hailed from continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, 15,500 from Australia and 1,500 from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, between the years 1942 and 1952. Of these, approximately 44,000 went to Canada accompanied by some 22,000 children. They emigrated mainly in 1946 in specially commissioned "war bride ships," like the Queen Mary, Leticia, or Mauretania, landing at Pier 21
Pier 21
Pier 21, a former ocean liner terminal, is Canada's National Museum of Immigration in Halifax, Nova Scotia.It operated as an ocean liner terminal and immigration shed from 1928 to 1971 and became an immigration museum in 1999. Pier 21 is Canada's last remaining ocean immigration shed...
in Halifax. A war bride museum is currently located on that site at Pier 21
Pier 21
Pier 21, a former ocean liner terminal, is Canada's National Museum of Immigration in Halifax, Nova Scotia.It operated as an ocean liner terminal and immigration shed from 1928 to 1971 and became an immigration museum in 1999. Pier 21 is Canada's last remaining ocean immigration shed...
.
In 2008 the Royal British Columbia Museum
Royal British Columbia Museum
The Royal British Columbia Museum is a natural history and human history museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1886. The "Royal" title was approved by Queen Elizabeth II and bestowed by HRH Prince Philip in 1987, to coincide with a Royal tour that year...
in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, B.C., Canada, had as its major exhibit paintings by Calgary artist Bev Tosh. The exhibit chronicled the warbride experience in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
via a painting medium.
Famous American War Brides
- Anni Neuman Adams b. November 11, 1926-
- Elfrieda Berthiaume Shukert and Barbara Smith Scibetta
War brides in World War II
During and immediately after WWII, more than 60,000 servicemen that married women were promised that their wives and babies would be delivered to their doorsteps free of charge. The U.S. Army's "Operation War Bride", which would eventually transport more than 70,000 women and children, began in Britain in early 1946. The first batch of war brides – 455 British women and their 132 children – arrived in the US on February 4, 1946. The RMS MauretaniaRMS Mauretania (1938)
RMS Mauretania was launched on 28 July 1938 at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, England and was completed in May 1939. A successor to RMS Mauretania , the second Mauretania was the first ship built for the newly formed Cunard White Star company following the merger in April 1934 of the Cunard...
left Liverpool, England, on 4 February 1946 as the first dedicated war bride ship to Canada bound for Pier 21
Pier 21
Pier 21, a former ocean liner terminal, is Canada's National Museum of Immigration in Halifax, Nova Scotia.It operated as an ocean liner terminal and immigration shed from 1928 to 1971 and became an immigration museum in 1999. Pier 21 is Canada's last remaining ocean immigration shed...
in Halifax.
About 650 Japanese war brides migrated to Australia after the ban on Japanese migration, imposed at the outbreak of the Pacific War, was lifted in 1952 when the San Francisco Peace Treaty came into force. They had married Australian soldiers involved in the Occupation of Japan.
Korean War
6,423 Korean women married US military personnel as war brides during and immediately after the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Vietnam War
8,040 Vietnamese women came to the United States as war brides between 1965 and 1975.2003 Iraq War
War brides from wars subsequent to Vietnam became less common due to differences in religion and culture, shorter durations of wars, and direct orders. As of 2006, about 1,500 visa requests had been made by US military personnel for Iraqi spouses and fiancees. There have been several well publicized cases of US soldiers marrying Iraqi women.See also
- Anni Adams
- Eswyn LysterEswyn LysterCoral Eswyn Lyster, was a Canadian author best known for writing extensively on the Canadian war bride experience...
- Most Excellent Citizens, Trafford Press 2010 - War childrenWar childrenA war child refers to a child born to a native parent and a parent belonging to a foreign military force . It also refers to children of parents collaborating with an occupying force...
External links
- "American War Bride Experience; Fact, Stories about American War Brides"; American War World II GI Brides. website
- Luxembourg War Brides; "The Meeting of Anni Adams: The Butterfly of Luxembourg"; American War Brides. website
- Australian War Brides website
- Canadian War Brides of WW II website
- Newfoundland & Labrador War Brides website
- Canadian War Brides from Veterans' Affairs Canada website
- CBC Digital Archives – Love and War: Canadian War Brides
- Yankee boys, Kiwi girls history webpage
- Marriages from Problems of the 2NZEF (eText of Official History of New Zealand in WW II)
- New Zealand servicemen and their war brides, 1946 (photo)
- Eswyn Lyster's Canadian War Bride page - the book "Most Excellent Citizens"
- War brides of World War II reunion 2007
- Canadian War Brides of the First World War website