From the NFRW Armed Services Committee
May 8th is our official Victory in Europe Day or V-E Day. The document signed by Germany for unconditional surrender dictated that at 2301 Central Europe Time, 8 May 1945, all hostilities would end. Because this time meant that it was 9 May in Russia and many of the countries bordering it, that is their official day for celebrating.
Celebrations broke out throughout Europe, when the word went out. WWII had finally ended the strife and total domination that most Europeans had lived with for six years; WWII began with Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939, pulling Great Britain and France into war. This day continues to be celebrated each year in Europe.
Unfortunately, this did not mark the end of WWII as Japan had not surrendered and would not until the end of August later that year.
Most of our WWII veterans are gone, but the few that are still alive will talk about their experiences.
Visit the following sites if you can.
- The WWII Memorial in Washington, DC, is a grand tribute to the men and women who served their nation during this war.
- The National WWII Museum located in New Orleans is well worth the trip.
- U.S. cemeteries in Europe where our fallen are buried. This is the only land we asked for and call our own outside of the United States.