ABSTRACT
Before explaining how Elvis Presley became an important part of my life, let me give you a brief history of life in The Netherlands after World War II. 1 From 1940 to 1945 our country, and many other countries in western Europe, had been occupied by the German army. In May 1945 the war ended; the Germans were kicked out of The Netherlands by both the Canadian and American armed forces. Besides giving back political freedom to the Dutch, they also gave us the first taste of a special form of cultural freedom—American popular music. From 1940 to 1945, no American or English recording artist had been allowed on Dutch radio. For five long years the Dutch people were subjected strictly to German propaganda music and film. And believe me, few things are worse than that. So after the end of the war, the Dutch were introduced to Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, and wild jitterbug dancing.
