2V-J Day in Times Square (1945)

This iconic photograph, taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14, 1945, shows a sailor kissing a nurse in New York City’s Times Square on Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day). The image captures the euphoria of the end of World War II. The spontaneous embrace of two strangers became a lasting symbol of relief, joy, and the profound human connection that arises in moments of great national and global importance.