“I am speaking to you from the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street. This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government an official note stating that unless we heard from them by eleven o’clock, that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and consequently this country is at war with Germany.”-Neville Chamberlain
On September 3rd, 1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain officially informed the British public, that on that day, their young men and women would be called once again, to fight in another world war, in what would be the deadliest war in human history. These words, along with the German invasion of Poland, were the start of World War II.
6 years later, on May 8th, 1945, was the day that the war, at least in Europe, ended officially, upon a German Surrender, and the Death of Hitler. It was with his final act of suicide that we saw the end of the Nazi reign of terror, as Soviet/Red army troops marched into Berlin, in a victorious cry. They defeated Germany in the East, and British and American troops crossing the Rhein, defeated the Germans in the West.
VE Day, as it is known across North America and Europe, is celebrated as the day that the the war in Europe officially ended. With the official German surrender being signed the day before, today was the day that military operations would be called to seize. Although, it is known that a few pockets of fanatical warriors fought for months, and the slow and arduous process of routing them out did take a tole on the few people who remained under the grip of war, yet across much of Europe, from the streets of Paris, to the villages across the Rhein, for the mountains of Italy, and the heartland of Germany itself, peace, a concept many had forgotten the feeling of, came to wash over the continent.
For each nation affected, this day was a momentous occasion and has taken up a place as a. national holiday in many nations. In the Netherlands, they thank Canada as Canadian troops lead the effort to liberate the Benelux. In the United Kingdom, soldiers place wreaths upon memorials dedicated to those who lost their lives in the effort to liberate fortress Europe. Famous squadrons do flybys over major cities, and so mini airshows, similar to the Thunderbirds and Blue Angles. And in the United States, while the holiday is relatively unknown, the communities who commemorate the soldiers who fought, celebrate with joy.
The war as we know it, was a brutal affair, beyond any other known to man, till today, and before. While there have been more devastating wars in terms of proportion of the world lost, (Mongol Conquests) World War II still remains the deadliest conflict in human history, with an estimated 75 million deaths from all belligerents involved. The many atrocities that occurred still haunt millions to this day, and should not be forgot. But even so, we can all know, today those millions who lost their lives, would not be forgotten.
I think the YouTube channel History Bombs put it best at the end of their video on WW2
“The entire world had been transformed, around this truly global war. Countless lives, in countless lands, lost so we might stand, together now the guns of ceased, as nations, side by side, in peace.”
I’ll end with an excerpt from a speech spoken by King George VI on VE Day In 1945.
“Today we give thanks to Almighty God for a great deliverance. Speaking from our Empire’s oldest capital city, war-battered but never for one moment daunted or dismayed – speaking from London, I ask you to join with me in that act of thanksgiving.
Germany, the enemy who drove all Europe into war, has been finally overcome. In the Far East we have yet to deal with the Japanese, a determined and cruel foe. To this we shall turn with the utmost resolve and with all our resources. But at this hour, when the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and homes in these islands, we may at last make one pause for thanksgiving and then turn our thoughts to the tasks all over the world which peace in Europe brings with it.
Let us remember those who will not come back, their constancy and courage in battle, their sacrifice and endurance in the face of a merciless enemy: let us remember the men in all the Services and the women in all the Services who have laid down their lives. We have come to the end of our tribulation, and they are not with us at the moment of our rejoicing…whether you are a monarchist or a republican, surely we can all learn a little from the sacrifice his speech reflects and the price our families paid across the nation and the world in WW2. Personally I hope we do.”
Sources
Moore, Amanda. “VE Day 1945 King George VI Speech.” Intriguing History, 11 May 2015, http://www.intriguing-history.com/ve-day-1945-king-george-vi-speech/. Accessed 8 May 2020.
History Bombs. “History of World War 2 (in One Take) | History Bombs.” YouTube, 5 Oct. 2016, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw6e9YBJUDc. Accessed 8 May 2020.
“Neville Chamberlain Quote.” A-Z Quotes, 2001, http://www.azquotes.com/quote/787878. Accessed 8 May 2020.