Title: Barbara D. Loughman Le Lièvre Diary, 1945

ID: SC/BDL

Extent: 0.2 Linear Feet

Barbara Le Lièvre kept a diary while living in Washington D.C. and Paris, France in 1945, during the final days of World War II. Early entries in the diary highlight Le Lièvre's daily activities in Washington D.C. and New York, including her attendance with her husband, Lucien, at a formal reception at the French Embassy in Washington where she met the new French ambassador to the U.S. She often refers to world events in her entries, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death and VJ Day, about which she wrote on August 16, "V-J Day--official holiday, Japan has surrendered!!" She and her husband sailed for France aboard a ship she describes as "a dingy troop transport," and arrived in Paris by way of Marseille on August 30. She writes that she feels "horror at the sight of Paris" as it rebuilds following the war, but over her time there gradually makes friends, finds a place to live with Lucien, attends dinners and fashion shows, visits museums and other tourist sites like Notre Dame and the Trocadéro, and rides her bicycle or walks through the Bois de Boulogne. Entries are fairly consistent, but end upon her return to the United States in December 1945.

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Scope and Contents: In 1945, as World War II concluded, Barbara Le Lièvre kept a diary while living in Washington D.C. and Paris, France with her husband, Lucien, who was an attorney. The diary's early pages are filled with doodles, notes, and practice signatures, and has a filled-out "Important Phone Numbers" section. Early entries in the diary highlight Le Lièvre's daily activities in Washington D.C. and New York. These include her attendance with her husband, at numerous cocktail and other parties, especially a formal reception at the French Embassy in Washington where she met the new French ambassador to the U.S. She typically stays at the Ritz when visiting New York, and frequently goes to the movies to see films like Experiment Perilous, The Thin Man, The Great Dictator, and others. Other activities include visiting with her sister Betty to discuss Betty's wedding and unhappy marriage, seeing the Ballet Russe, visiting Potomac Falls, picnicking at the Potomac River, and taking weekend trips to Anapolis. She often refers to world events in her entries, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death and VJ Day, about which she wrote on August 16, "V-J Day--official holiday, Japan has surrendered!!" She and her husband sailed for France aboard a ship she describes as "a dingy troop transport," and arrived in Paris by way of Marseille on August 30. She writes that she feels "horror at the sight of Paris" as it rebuilds following the war, but over her time there gradually makes friends, finds a place to live, attends dinners and fashion shows, visits museums and other tourist sites like Notre Dame and the Trocadéro, and rides her bicycle or walks through the Bois de Boulogne. Entries are fairly consistent, but end upon her return to the United States in December 1945.