March 23, 1945 (Friday)

NICE PROGRAM. GOOD ATTENDANCE.

---

Fine day.

Finished painting the

living room to-day.

It looks very nice.

Henry began sowing

oats in field west of

house. Hank cultipack-

ing ahead of drill.

Henry and I went

to PTA to-night.

Edwina & Marion Carlson

were Program Comm.

Nice program. Mr. Kleinheksel

of Lowell showed pictures

of many species of birds

and war pictures

Good attendance.

---

A brief article in the March 29, 1945 edition of the Lowell Ledger referenced the PTA meeting that Henry and Edna attended.

Edna's handwriting made it difficult to discern the name of the person who presented "pictures of many species of birds."But there it was in the Ledger: Kleinhecksel.

The "war pictures" presented by Mr. Kleinhecksel, as reported by the Ledger, were entitled "Why We Fight."

Every time I search the archives of the Lowell Ledger, I am never disappointed. I almost always discover something to substantiate what Edna has noted in her journal.

"Why We Fight" was a series of propaganda films created by the US Department of War between 1942 and 1945. Initially intended for American soldiers to explain the United States' involvement in the war, President Roosevelt directed that they be released for public viewing.

All of the films in the Why We Fight series were directed by Frank Capra.

Yes, that's right. Frank Capra. THE Frank Capra.

During the 1930s, Capra emerged as one of America's most influential directors, winning three Academy Awards for Best Director: It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), and You Can't Take it with You (1938).

In 1945, what would become Capra's most famous work, It's a Wonderful Life, did not yet exist. He would earn another Best Director nomination for that film.

The Why We Fight series featured seven films: Prelude to War (1942), The Nazis Strike (1943), Divide and Conquer (1943), The Battle of Britain (1943), The Battle of Russia (1943), The Battle of China (1944), and War Comes to America (1945).

Capra won Best Director (documentary) for Prelude to War and was nominated as Best Director (documentary) for The Battle of Russia.

I am uncertain about which of the seven films Edna and Henry viewed that night in 1945. The Ledger mentioned it was about "the early phases of the war," so it could have been Prelude to War. However, War Comes to America was released in 1945, so it's plausible that this was the film they saw.

The Ledger also noted that "two interesting films" about the war were screened that evening. War Comes to America lasted over sixty minutes, so it's possible it might have been on two reels.

All seven films are available to watch for free on the US National Archives YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLugwVCjzrJsXwAiWBipTE9mTlFQC7H2rU

I watched War Comes to America (below). The impact and power of the propaganda employed in that film continue to resonate today. The imagery. The music. The narration. In 2025, I experienced the emotions Capra and the US Department of War intended for audiences in 1945.