Chapter Text
July Fifth, 1943
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED FORCES: FEMALE MILITARY DIVISIONS
Women ENGINEERS, NURSES, and all other women who are lending us their valuable time in the War Effort, those bold Rosie's who said “THIS IS MY WAR TOO!”
This is the first time many of our nations have come together with the fairer sex to secure freedom against tyranny! Together we, the ALLIED FORCES OF THE WORLD, are aware of the eyes upon our loveliest of Military members from other women and girls on the homefronts of CHINA, FRANCE, GREAT BRITAIN, RUSSIA, and NORTH AMERICA. In order to strike inspiration into the hearts of those at home and the frontlines, the ALLIED FORCES are assembling a group titled: THE FEMININE FIGHT FOR UNITY AND VICTORY!
Each country will send one representative as chosen by a LOTTERY. You will be offered a chance to enroll within the upcoming weeks. The lucky winners will be flown to NEW YORK CITY, where they will continue the fight for both the Elimination of Nazi Forces in Europe and the luxury of freedom in our combined nations. These winners will be announced on live television on SEPTEMBER FIFTEENTH, 1943 at NOON.
There are only two rules in order to enter:
- You must be a registered female military member or volunteer within one of our Allied Military Forces, and
- You must have a desire to inspire the hearts of many to continue their fight against the tyranny of Nazis, no matter the cost!
Being chosen as one of our representatives will include added objectives to your regular Military work, such as media appearances, interviews, meetings with the World Leaders, and free lodging at the glamorous Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. Being a UNITY GIRL will be a Great Honor! You will join the pages of History alongside your brothers in combat.
All we ask in return is for the ladies chosen to represent their respective country with GRACE and DIGNITY. This status as a UNITY GIRL will be added to your official military record, and will introduce you to the eyes of those all over both the Homefront and those in Active Duty. We as the ALLIED FORCES have full faith that these girls will be pivotal to the Victory of our Nations!
Good Luck! And may we all beseech the blessing of the Almighty to choose the best for our beloved UNITY GIRLS, a great and noble undertaking.
From the desks of,
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt,
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill,
Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King,
Chinese Director-General Chiang Kai-shek,
French President Albert Lebrun,
and Soviet Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin.
----
September Sixteenth, 1943
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED FORCES: FEMALE MILITARY DIVISIONS
You’ve heard the news, folks! Our team of UNITY GIRLS has been chosen to inspire the Nations of the World to continue the fight against the treacherous Axis Powers! Here is the official list of our newest fresh faces of our Militaries!
ALICE KIRKLAND, from Great Britain
AMELIA FAYE JONES, from The United States of America
ANASTASIA IVANOVNA BRAGINSKAYA, from the Soviet Union
HÉLÈNE BONNEFOY, from France
MATHILDE LILLIAN JONES, from Canada
WANG WENJIA, from the People’s Republic of China
These lovely ladies are currently being collected to begin their roles as UNITY GIRLS! If you see one of them pass your way, make sure to congratulate them and wish them luck on their new path towards supporting Victory for the free world.
Congratulations, girls! May you always listen to and follow the word of the Almighty as you continue to serve your country as your country has served you.
From the desks of,
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt,
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill,
Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King,
Chinese Director-General Chiang Kai-shek,
French President Albert Lebrun,
and Soviet Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin.
----
September Eighteenth, 1943
TO THE RESIDENCE OF:
Mister Eric & Lucy Jones
FROM:
Amelia Faye Jones,
Women Airforce Service Pilot
Class 44-W-1
Dear Mama (you too, Daddy)
WOW! What a week it’s been! Just this Monday morning I was doing work as usual on the field, to now being in NYC at the Roosevelt Hotel! Can you believe it? Your little girl is a bonafide Unity Girl for the Allied Forces!
I’ve been so busy getting ready this week that I have had absolutely no time to write! I thought I was busy before, chartering planes and fixing engines all day. Now it’s all of that, in addition to all of these new tasks in order to be Little Miss America of the Unity Girls! It’s been hard work, but Glory, is it wonderful! We landed just last night in New York City. I feel so terrible, though; I got too distracted looking around in all of the shop windows that we almost missed our first dinner with all of the girls together. We were intended to have time to mingle before the dinner, but since I was so late, I only got to meet everyone during dinner. I felt like I was being scolded: ‘eat your dinner, then straight to bed!’
Besides my first fumble, though, I’ve had just the most wonderful time so far. I think I’ve been shocked and delighted more times in the past week than all previous 19 years of my life! I know you’ve both seen the news of who the other Girls are, but let me tell you, I just about knocked over my seat when I found out that not only I was picked from the lottery, but Matty too! Mama, you should have seen the look on my face! I just about ran ten people over to try and send her a telegram (because surely there’s more than one Mathilde Lillian Jones in Canada, right? I had to make sure!) but they told me to save my breath, because I’d be meeting with her soon enough. I was so giddy to see if I was right, I just about crashed my plane in Newfoundland. Turns out, I WAS right; it’s our Matty! I even got to see Uncle Christopher, who was there with the other military officers to see her off. You would be ashamed of the scene I made, Mama, but I was so happy I near deafened them both.
Yes, I said I nearly crashed the plane— there was such a fuss with who would be flying me to New York that I said, “Say, boys, why argue over who pilots the plane when you got a true Army pilot right here?” I guess I must’ve surprised them, because one said that they didn’t even think of that. Another asked, “don’t you wanna be chauffeured?” and I was already itching so bad to leave I said, “I’d rather fly the thing myself then wait ‘til the War’s over to be chauffeured,” and you wanna know what one of those boys said? “Gee, Amelia, you’re rather strange.” Well! Pardon me for wanting to be on time and taking advantage of my talents!
Since we were bickering for so long over who would fly the damn plane, by the time I landed at Gander Airport Mathilde was practically falling asleep while standing. Poor thing! Since I had to look fresh and pretty during my landing (why them boys were so worried about my flying the plane), I had quickly put in rollers for the ride over. When I saw Matty and Uncle Chris, though, I ran over so fast I knocked out one of my curlers!!!
Let me tell you, Mama, Matty is just about as delicate as she was when she and Uncle Chris moved away. Granted, I was spinning her around so much that I made myself dizzy, but I just couldn’t believe that we both won that lottery! You know the best part? Since everything had already fallen apart somewhat from the military’s plan, they were mighty susceptible to suggestion. And you wanna know what I did?
I asked if Matty could fly with me in the cockpit! You should have seen her face when I suggested it! She said, “Amy, that’s rather dangerous,” but I assured her that it’d be perfectly safe. I gotta thank you again, Daddy, for teaching me to fly when I was a little girl. Who would’ve known it would result in my flying with my cousin over to New York together after being selected in a lottery consisting of all of the military girls from both of our countries? It gives me chills just thinking about it.
On the way over to NYC, Matty and I got to talking all about our lives since she moved away. Well, I’m ashamed to admit it, but it was mostly I who was talking. I can’t help it; you know how quiet little Matty can be! I told her all about Texas, and Kenny, and high school and just about anything that popped into my head. I think I made her dizzy! And since I know you’re curious, Mama, she’s been doing just fine. I was mighty shocked to see that she’s an official member of the military– I’m still just technically a volunteer! Who knew military agriculture was so important, or even a thing at all?
When we landed, I had to go straight to the tiny bathroom on the plane in order to fix my hair, do my makeup, and wiggle into a newly starched military uniform since my other one was mighty creased. I was so jealous of Matty– she’s so effortlessly pretty, even after hours on a plane. I have to do all sorts of tricks in order to look nice. I told her that, and she got all huffy at me. I know you’re shaking your head, Mama, but I can’t help it! Making Matty all flustered is just so much fun. It’s the perk of being as close as we are!
We were already late for dinner, but I admit, I kept getting pulled away by all the gorgeous window displays we were coming across. Matty was just about to knock me upside the head by the time we got there. But yes, we got there just fine, Mama.
Even though we’re called the ‘Unity Girls,’ Matty and I were the only ones there who were still young enough to be girls. Everyone else is either in their twenties or older; the one closest in age to us, the Russian girl, is still two years older. Two of them, the Frenchwoman and the Chinese lady, are both in their thirties!! I would’ve asked the Brit how old she was, but she didn’t seem mighty keen on talking much. The Frenchwoman, Hélène (isn’t that just the prettiest name you’ve ever heard?) said that it was both of their first times on a plane so she was still feeling sick, which I almost laughed at, but you should have seen how scary the Brit looked at me!! I nearly fell over in fright.
Luckily for me, everyone else was very kind and talkative. I was surprised that everyone spoke proficient English, but I suppose that is another happy little coincidence. Matty had told me on the plane that Hélène was an opera singer and one of the minds behind the Unity Girls in the first place, so she served as our host for the evening. I swear, Mama, she wined and dined us ‘til nearly midnight. She led most of the conversations the entire time, and she told us all about her time in both the French Opera and Ballet. I just about fell in love with her.
(But, no, Mama, I did not actually drink. Matty and I were given juice.)
I know I said last night, but can I be honest, Mama? It’s three in the morning. Matty and I are rooming together (wahoo!!) and we were practicing our accents for when we get on television. They want all of us to try and do something akin to a Trans-Atlantic accent, like the ladies in the movies. I don’t know how they expect a Southern girl like me to achieve something so refined, but I’m trying my best! That Brit sure is lucky to already be so close to what they want. Maybe I’ll ask if I could just emphasize my Southern accent more so I can be a proper Southern Belle. Our first television appearance is scheduled to be filmed on Monday, so hopefully I can pull someone aside.
Well, Mama, I’m just about falling asleep where I’m sitting. We have to be up at eight, and Mathilde has been snoring away and making me jealous for the past thirty minutes. I’ll find time to write to you both soon.
Love,
Your Daughter + newly christened Unity Girl,
Amelia
September Twenty-Fifth, 1943
First ‘Unity Girls’ Broadcast (1/15) [Download HERE]
Ten Thirty AM, UTC
BBC Archive
REEL LENGTH: Ten minutes and twelve seconds.
CONTENTS: A broadcast of the first interview of the ‘Unity Girls,’ a group intended to be a symbol of unity and inspiration for both the Homefront and front lines of the Allied Forces. Within this broadcast, BBC documentary host Alver Costello introduces the girls, informing the audience of their role in the military and then allowing the girls to display an aspect of their topic of expertise. This broadcast is the first of fifteen monthly documentary style reels that were distributed around the country's movie houses to be shown before a film. If you cannot view this video, click [HERE] for a written transcription.
Redirecting…
[START TAPE]
[Music. Canned applause. The camera zooms in on ALVER COSTELLO, the host of the broadcast. The UNITY GIRLS are lined up in alphabetical order.]
[Music and applause fade.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Well, if you somehow haven’t been seeing the news, these six lovely ladies beside me are the newest additions to encourage our Nations to keep fighting off the Nazi occupation of Europe, all while keeping a smile on our faces. Let’s be polite and introduce ourselves, shall we?
[He turns towards the girls, and the camera follows. He gestures to ALICE, who looks like she’d been taken off-guard by the appearance of the camera. The music changes to ‘God Save the King.’]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
This is Alice Kirkland, a British nurse who has served as a kind face for injured soldiers since 1940. Though her disposition is that of a proper Englishwoman, don’t be fooled; she wields a needle with frightening precision.
[ALICE pulls out a needle, demonstrating how she pulls medicine from a glass ampule.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Though I trust Alice completely, I’ve always felt woozy around needles; luckily, Alice will use a sausage to demonstrate how to deliver a shot, where she emphasizes finding the ideal vein.
[ALICE pulls out a sausage, and the camera focuses on her hands as she presses around as if to find a vein. She then inserts the needle at an angle, with the camera fading back to show a look of distaste on Costello’s face.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Alice assures me that she won’t stick me full of the things, but I find myself itching to move on.
[The camera moves to AMELIA, who grins broadly and waves at the camera. The music changes to ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
The youngest of our group in both age and time her country spent in the war, Amelia Faye Jones is a WASP; a Women Airforce Service Pilot hailing from Texas, the country’s Heartland. Though she is technically a Military volunteer, that makes her no less a Unity Girl.
[The camera fades to show AMELIA under a recreation of a plane engine, still smiling as she fusses over an engine part.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Amelia grew up working in mechanics; her deftness with a wrench is something both fascinating to see and impossible for someone like me to understand.
[COSTELLO is shown leaning against the recreated engine, looking increasingly perplexed as Amelia speaks mutely and with her hands about the plane engine.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
I guess it’s true; it’s impossible to separate the history of airplanes with American history.
[The camera fades off of AMELIA, and onto ANASTASIA. She is holding a rifle, and is serenely holding it out for Costello to inspect. He makes a face towards the camera. Music: Dance of the Reed Flutes.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Hailing from the Soviet Union, Anastasia swiftly tells me two things; that she goes by Anya, and that she would like me to hold her rifle.
[COSTELLO takes the rifle, and to his apparent shock, ANASTASIA swiftly starts adjusting his grip and his hold. She gestures towards the sights, which Costello squints through.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
I’m not one to disobey a Russian’s direct orders, but I find myself growing more and more nervous that Anya is training me to be the Red Army’s next sniper.
[COSTELLO fakes shooting the rifle, causing ANASTASIA to bounce on her heels and clap while giggling. COSTELLO hurriedly puts the rifle down and wipes his hands on his jacket. The camera fades to COSTELLO and HÉLÈNE, COSTELLO fanning himself as HÉLÈNEpresses a kiss to his cheek. Music: Clair de Lune.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Now we find ourselves moving on to England’s neighbor, France. Hélène Bonnefoy is an Opera singer, former Ballerina, and proud Frenchwoman. She is one of the brains behind the operation, and the de facto leader of our Unity Girls.
[The camera fades to the two at a recreation of a phone operating setup, with HÉLÈNE pointing and describing how it works to COSTELLO.]
COSTELLO: (voiceover):
Right now, Hélène is using her lovely voice to answer and redirect calls with the French military. Even our most refined women are rolling their sleeves up and working for the War Effort. It must be a relief for our poor French soldiers to have a call redirected by this most proper Frenchwoman.
[The camera fades to COSTELLO and MATHILDE leaning over a pallet of sprouts, MATHILDE holding a seedpack and seemingly explaining to him what the sprouts will grow to be. COSTELLO nods, asking a silent question about a particular seedling. Music: O, Canada.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
One of the more underrated aspects of the military is how they have enough food to feed all of those hungry soldiers. Mathilde Lillian Jones, a member of the Canadian agriculture military unit, is a woman who thinks more about what most don’t, a near perfect reversal of her American cousin, Miss Amelia.
[The camera fades to MATHILDE filling tiny pots of dirt, pressing in a hole, then distributing seeds. COSTELLO follows along.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Though it is a quiet Military operation set within a quiet country, it reminds us that there is no bombastic Victory without planning; those who are willing to do the work some consider boring.
[The camera fades to WENJIA next to a military map, pointing out different spots with COSTELLO squished comically into a child-sized seat. Despite the comedy, COSTELLO still nods seriously along to what WENJIA is lecturing him on. Music: Ballad of North Henan Providence.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
Wang Wenjia is a member of the Guangxi Women’s Battalion, where she helps organize battles and operations to save those in unfortunate situations from the invading Japanese army. These groups, founded partially by Chiang Kai-shek’s wife, are a team of female guerilla fighters.
[The camera fades to a scene of WENJIA displaying a drawing of a trench, with her seemingly explaining to COSTELLO how they were dug and created.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
A delicate lotus flower these women are not; they are warriors who hold their own, but often fight more to get innocents out of the harm of battle. Even in China, where Confucian gender roles are seen as normal as breathing air, the women are resisting tyranny and taking the war into their capable hands.
[The camera fades once more back into where everyone was at the start, talking amongst each other and COSTELLO.]
COSTELLO (voiceover):
With the threat of Nazism at hand, everybody must pitch in and do their part. Perhaps you feel inspired to work in a factory like Amelia, or grow more in your Victory Garden thanks to Mathilde. No matter what you choose, it assists in the fight against that terrible threat the Axis poses; the threat to our freedom. Wave goodbye, girls. And those at home, make sure you add our Unity Girls into your prayers at night.
[The final tableau is all of the UNITY GIRLS waving goodbye to the camera, then COSTELLO turns and strikes up a conversation with HÉLÈNE.]
[END CARD.]
[END OF TAPE]