North Platte Canteen Research Paper

The North Platte Canteen affected the mentality of six million troops in World War II and gave the soldiers a reason to fight for America (The North Platte Canteen). The canteen started officially on Christmas Day in 1941 and did not stop serving American troops till the very last cargo train rolled into the North Platte Depot on April 1, 1946. Sixteen million troops fought in World War II; there was a one and three chance the soldier standing next to you paid a visit to the little town of North Platte (The North Platte Canteen, Nebraska Studies.Org, Statistic Brain). One young lady, Rae Wilson, wrote a letter to the editor in the local newspaper about the soldiers at the train station. This tiny article caused this amazing organization to take place (Letter to the Editor). She then banded together the most influential people in North Platte on December 22, 1941 and started the canteen three days later (Nebraska Studies.Org). Mrs. Wilson and the town of North Platte were completely unaware of what this small idea would lead to. Fifty thousand volunteers from across Nebraska and Denver made long trips to North Platte, not only donating their own family's dinner, but also missing a day of work (Lecture). One of these thousands of workers was seventeen year
When the train pulled into the station the crowd hushed. No one knew these soldiers. They said they were from Kansas and then after a long awkward pause, people began passing their Christmas presents meant for their family and friends through the train windows (The North Platte Canteen). Rae Wilson was at the depot that day and she wrote in the local newspaper with a simple idea. She wanted to restart the World War One Canteen at the North Platte depot. She said “Let’s do something and do it in a hurry!” (The North Platte