V.E. Day: 73 years ago today.

[BrodieBartfast]

73 years ago today, the Second World War ended in Europe. Here in Britain, mass celebrations lasted all day, and well into the small hours of the next morning. As the Western Allies celebrated, the peoples of Europe began the overwhelming task of scraping together the shattered remnants of their previous lives. A continent that had been subject to the ravages of war for nearly six years was finally at peace.

IMG_0628[1].jpgIMG_0577[1].jpg

There were no illusions of the trials that remained ahead. In his speech from the cabinet room of 10 Downing Street, Winston Churchill was solemn but confident. In it, he had this to say.

"We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing; but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead. Japan with all her treachery and greed, remains unsubdued.

"We must now devote all our strength and resources to the completion of our task, both at home and abroad. Advance Britannia. God save the King."

Nearly four months later, on the 2nd September, the Japanese signed the instrument of their surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri. So ended the most lethal, destructive, all-encompassing conflict that mankind had ever seen. Six years. Sixty million lives. Something that must never again be repeated.

Regards, B.B.

[RH1941]

From a scrapbook I just picked up . Gary

[Jb4046]

“The victory won in the west must now be won in the east. The whole world must be cleansed of the evil of which half the world has been freed” - harry truman.

Im not American but i always found it quite sad Franklin D. Roosevelt died before he could see Germany and japan surrender.

I shall forever remain proud of my relatives and their contribution to war effort and that generations from now , the stories and the lessons learned may not be forgotten. Good post B.B

[reneblacky]

Adding to the thread

[BrodieBartfast]

There's just something about V.E. Day newspapers that makes them so fun to collect. You can feel the jubilation and relief just by reading the front pages. All those photographs of grinning faces, so happy that the war was finally over.

B.B.