1945.12.06 “Let’s Open the Gate”
by Ralph Lee (1906-1947)
15 x 24 in., ink on board
Coppola Collection
Ralph Lee was an editorial cartoonist for the Portland Oregonian. He died suddenly, at 41, in January 1947. His cousin, Art Bimrose, was the editorial cartoonist for the Oregonian for more than three decades. In 1937, the Oregonian hired him part-time to work on printing plates. Following Lee’s death, Bimrose was hired as the Sunday editorial cartoonist.
Wartime-to-peacetime transition problems erupted at the end of WW2, particularly regarding veteran reintegration and transportation shortages.
After the war, millions of U.S. soldiers were demobilized, but the return home was chaotic. Veterans were often stuck in camps or ports, either abroad or stateside, waiting for transport or relocation assistance. Press accounts and congressional testimony throughout late 1945 documented these complaints, often described as “the postwar transportation crisis.”
The U.S. military had a glut of unused equipment, trucks, planes, jeeps, which were not being repurposed quickly enough for civilian use. Resources were available but not accessible. So here we have a call for policy although, to be fair, military vehicles that were able to handles hundreds and hundreds of people at one time were being used and were loaded to the gills.
Operation Magic Carpet was the post-war operation to repatriate over 8 million American military personnel from locations all over the globe. Hundreds of Liberty ships, Victory ships, and troop transports began repatriating soldiers from Europe to the United States in June 1945. Beginning in October 1945, over 370 United States Navy ships were used for repatriation duties in the Pacific. Warships, such as aircraft carriers, battleships, hospital ships, and large numbers of assault transports, were used. The European phase of Operation Magic Carpet concluded in February 1946; the Pacific phase continued until September 1946.
The unexpectedly rapid end of the war, particularly the swift surrender of Japan, meant that pre-existing demobilization plans became obsolete. New plans had to be implemented quickly, which likely contributed to inefficiencies.
Soldiers, eager to return home after years of war, particularly with the upcoming holiday season, became increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of demobilization. This led to significant political pressure on military leadership from soldiers, their families, and Congress. Heavy storms at sea and congested rail lines across the country, as well as overcrowded repatriation centers, further hindered the movement of troops. The frustration and delays culminated in protests by soldiers in December 1945 and early 1946, demanding faster demobilization. Soldiers staged demonstrations and wrote numerous letters to officials, expressing their discontent.
