On May 8th of 1945, the allied nations accepted Nazi Germany’s surrender in the war and hailing it Victory in Europe Day. The war in the East did not end until 15 August 1945, when Japan surrendered, a day that is separately celebrated as Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day).
World War II claimed tens of millions of lives and devastated countless cities — including in Germany, a further reason why this day is a day to remember the end of Nazi terror and remember those who fell victim to Adolf Hitler’s tyranny as well as those who fought to end the darkest chapter in the history of that nation.
Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed his nation at 3 pm UK time to announce the end of World War II in Europe. He said the Germans had signed an unconditional surrender of all their land, sea and air forces across the European continent to the Allied Expeditionary Forces and Soviet High Command.
“Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight tonight,” he said. “This is your victory, victory of the cause of freedom in every land. In all our long history, we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best. Everyone has tried, none have flinched.”
Germany’s debt of gratitude to Allied forces
In Germany this Thursday, the new Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, expressed his country’s debt of gratitude to Allied forces and Germany’s responsibility to defend its hard-won freedom in Europe.
“No day has shaped our history like May 8, 1945,” Wadephul said. He said that day, 80 years ago, marked the start of an “unprecedented phase of peace in Europe.”
“Our freedom was the result of the enormous sacrifices of the Allied forces. For that, we are forever grateful,” he said, while acknowledging that peace did not come overnight despite the end of the global conflagration. “Thee historic responsibility for this betrayal of civilisation and the memory of the millions of victims of the Second World War unleashed by Nazi Germany make it our responsibility to defend peace and freedom in Europe today resolutely.”
But not all today is hype and saucer. “Once again, war has returned to our continent, once again cities are being bombed, civilians attacked, families torn apart,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. “The people of Ukraine are fighting not only for their land, but for freedom, for sovereignty, for democracy, just as our parents and our grandparents once did.”
Alexandre Churchill: ‘Carry on fighting for freedom’
Alexandre Churchill, the 10-year-old great-great-grandson of Churchill, said, “Young Britons should never forget their war heroes.” He is scheduled to deliver a speech in a thanksgiving service marking the celebrations at Westminster Abbey.
“I think people can learn that they should never forget all of the people who have sacrificed and helped us restore freedom to England and Europe, and also I think it’s very important that they should carry on fighting for freedom.”
As we mark this momentous day in history, here are a couple of quotes that are still relevant 80 years later.
- “Humility must be the measure of a man whose success was bought with the blood of his subordinates, and paid for with the lives of his friends.” General Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” Winston Churchill
