Handwritten 'Austrian Girls' identifies this candid snapshot of two young women relaxing in a grassy field, taken by a soldier of the U.S. 44th Infantry Division during the American occupation of Austria following V-E Day in May 1945. Personal photographs like this, capturing everyday encounters between American servicemen and local civilians, offer an intimate counterpoint to official combat photography, reflecting the transition from war to occupation in postwar Europe. Project: 218403