Letters
to or from members of the armed forces were written on sheets of very thin paper
called Victory Mail, or V-Mail. The paper was then folded up to make its own
envelope. When people at home received a letter from someone in service, they
were often disturbed to find that many words, or even entire sentences, had
been blacked out. This was the work of government censors, men and women who
read every piece of mail and cut or censored, any bit of information that could
possibly help the enemy. For example, if a soldier mentioned how many men were
in his unit or what kind of weapon he was training with, the censor would remove
that information.
Even in times of peace there are soldiers who
are on duty in many areas of the world. To these men and women mail from home
is a chance to take a break from their responsibilities and helps to relieve
feelings of being homesick. In todays world of technology soldiers can not
only communicate through mail, but also by phone and email.
Together with your class write letters to military
personnel thanking them for the sacrifices they have made to keep us safe
at home. Have your teacher find a place to send your letters to.
