Victory, Finally

The morning started just like the others - with air of Gloom and Doom

The sky was gray. The air was thick. 

Mid-afternoon, we heard lots of noises coming from the Russian Club which was right across the street from our Longtang's front gate, in the French Concession- the French Settlement.

"What is happening?" we wondered.
There had been little activities at the Russian Club since the Japanese soldiers marched into the Settlements in 1941.
There used to be a Russian Bakery close-by and they baked the most heavenly, mouth-watering breads and other goodies. Every afternoon around four, the wonderful smell of baking would permeate the area. We would go there and purchase a loaf or two, fresh out of the oven. Then, of course, with the rationing of everything, the Bakery stopped baking. 

August, 1945. (I believe it was August 15 in Shanghai) -
That day, on the street., the soldiers disappeared.
The stores began to close - boarding up their fronts.
There was More Fear in the air.
Fear of the unknown.
Fear of arson.
Fear of looting.
Fear of disorder - since there were no soldiers or policemen around.
We all wondered, "What was going on?"
Then, we heard the Russians singing, and saw them dancing - in the street. We smelt Vodka.
"The War was over," some people said.
"The Japanese surrendered," others echoed.
Some people with short-wave radio received the news of Victory for the Allies. America, England, French, and China defeated Germany and Japan.

News of Atomic Bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not reach us until later. News of any details of Victory eventually did come to us. 

Shanghai went wild with joy.

Soon the American GIs marched into the city.
There was order in the city, but recovery was slow.
However, we scrounged up enough money to buy GI rations - Butter, Chocolate, Nylon stockings  . . . things we had not had for a long, long time.
The Blackout curtains came down.
We saw smiles on people's faces.
We still had to deal with shortages of many things - we did begin our journey of Recovery.

Peace, however, was short-lived.