World War II dominated the decade of the 1940s.
It was a time of strength and sacrifice, new entertainment and music, unusual art and architecture and the beginning of a new sports era. And the period is vividly displayed on new U.S. postage stamps.The continuation of the "Celebrate the Century" series by the U.S. Postal Service, featuring 15 new 33-cent stamps honoring the 1940s, depicts its most significant people, places and events. Previous stamps in the series highlighted the 1900s, 1910s, 1920s and 1930s.
Portrayed foremost in the 1940s is a stamp showing a World War II scene. More than 16 million Americans served in the armed forces, leading the Allies to victory over Germany and Japan.
President Harry S. Truman appears on one of the stamps. Women supporting the war effort are noted on another. The GI Bill of 1944, which helped millions of Americans attend college, is shown. Also pictured is Jackie Robinson who broke baseball's color barrier in 1947. That opened the way for other blacks to play in the major leagues.
Among the other subjects noted on new stamps are television beginning to entertain America and the world, jitterbug dancing sweeping America, the movie "Citizen Kane" in 1941, Broadway hit "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 1947, and the Big Band popularity, the toy world's "slinky" and the postwar baby boom.
Also noted is the emergence of antibiotics as a medical breakthrough and the international style of architecture.
The 1940s stamps are now available at your local post office.