VE Day – 70 Years On

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Spikey

Hello Ice Warriors

On the 8th of May 2015 it was officially 70 years from VE day in Europe. I would like to give a tribute to the men and women that died or fought against evil.

Victory in Europe Day, generally known as V-E Day, VE Day or simply V Day was the public holiday celebrated on 8 May 1945 (7 May in Commonwealth realms) to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces. It thus marked the end of World War II in Europe.

On 30 April, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, committed suicide during the Battle of Berlin. Germany’s surrender, therefore, was authorised by his successor, Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz. The administration headed by Dönitz was known as the Flensburg Government. The act of military surrender was signed on 7 May in Reims, France and on 8 May in Berlin, Germany.

Upon the defeat of Germany, celebrations erupted throughout the world. From Moscow to Los Angeles, people celebrated. In the United Kingdom, more than one million people celebrated in the streets to mark the end of the European part of the war. In London, crowds massed in Trafalgar Square and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace, where King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds.

In the United States, the victory happened on President Harry Truman’s 61st birthday. He dedicated the victory to the memory of his predecessor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had died of a cerebral hemorrhage less than a month earlier, on 12 April. Flags remained at half-mast for the remainder of the 30-day mourning period. Truman said of dedicating the victory to Roosevelt’s memory and keeping the flags at half-mast that his only wish was “that Franklin D. Roosevelt had lived to witness this day.” Later that day, Truman said that the victory made it his most enjoyable birthday.

Massive celebrations also took place in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and especially in New York’s Times Square. It is important to remember the dates like these. The men and women sacrificed there lives to keep us safe and free.

As you go to bed tonight, give a thought to those men over 70 years ago that died. They never returned home to their love ones. But we shall never forget the sacrifice they made, let this be a lesson the world shall never forget.

WW2 1939-1945

But A more recent war has just finished, the war in Afghanistan that was 14 brutal and bloody years has finally ended. More men dying to keep people safe and live with freedom, so when you think about war. Not all wars are old, there are still many wars around the world that are still continuing for the same privileges as us. Next time you think that you have a bad life, what about the families that have lost a loved one? They will never be the same again.