Matthew Litt tells the story of the American spirit and the remarkable first Christmas after World War II. President Truman declared a four day Christmas weekend for federal employees, a hiatus unique to American culture, and Americans in towns, villages, and cities happily followed. The U.S. Military launched "Operation Magic Carpet" to get tens of thousands of GIs, in Europe and Asia, home for Christmas, and in the States, the U.S. Army and Navy launched "Operation Santa Claus" to quickly process those thousands of GIs for discharge. With happy spirits, the veterans set out for home, filling rail depots, bus stations and airports, creating at that time, the greatest traffic jam in the nation's history. Some of the more fortunate GIs were driven home thousands of miles by grateful citizens sharing a Christmas spirit in their own generous way. Across the nation, people crowded churches praying with gratitude for the peace in place, and reached out to wounded veterancs, children who lost fathers, and neighbors who lost sons. Americans in big cities and small participated in displays of the intrinsic love so indicative of the Christmas spirit. And newspapers, united by the wire services, connected Americans with their neighbors, bringing to them Christmas stories and news creating a national unity based on good fellowship and the true spirit of Christmas. - Jacket flap.