The 8th May 1945 marked the end of World War Two in Europe. The day was one of celebration in Britain after the terrible hardships endured by all our armed forces and the civilian population. People came together to celebrate the victory in streets up and down the country.
The 2020 Coronavirus outbreak means that there will be no street parties, parades, or concerts to commemorate VE Day this year, but nonetheless there will be a wide range of other initiatives to mark the occasion, and wreaths will be left at war memorials to remember the dead who fell in battle.
Perhaps it is fitting then, after seventy-five years, that our generation will have time this year to reflect on the sacrifices made by former generations in a slightly more sober manner, understanding more than ever the need for society to come together and make sacrifices when it’s very foundations are under threat.
I am not suggesting that there can be any direct comparisons between the current situation and the Second World War, but at least we are able to feel a slightly enhanced degree of empathy for those who lost their lives and those they left behind in a time of global trauma.
Furthermore, we can now more readily understand the parallels that exist in a time of national emergency in terms of mass mobilisation of resources, rapid technological and scientific innovation and changes in social and financial behaviour needed to fight the enemy. We all know too, the human and economic cost that must, unfortunately, be borne by us all to secure victory and make the world a safer place for future generations.
Like all wars, as time goes by there are fewer and fewer remaining people who took part in and experienced them. That does not mean that we should forget the importance of their actions. The whole history of Europe, and indeed the world, was changed by the allied victory which defeated one of the most evil and genocidal regimes in history. Since then, generally speaking, we have enjoyed a long period of peace, prosperity, and stability for which we all owe an enduring thanks to those who fought, died, and kept the country running during the terrible years between 1939 and 1945. Without their courage, determination, stoicism, and sacrifice, none of us would be living in the free world we have all now come to accept as our human right.
Coming from a military family, I am especially aware of the valour, hardships, and individual sacrifices made by all our armed servicemen and women during the Second World War. On VE Day my father was a young officer commanding part of the defence force that gave immediate security to Field Marshal Montgomery’s Army Group HQ. They had received the surrender of all German forces at Luneburg Heath on 5th May. My mother was in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) decoding Japanese signals traffic, so for her, the war had months to run. That knowledge leaves me determined to do all I can to ensure that their efforts are not forgotten, that their modern-day colleagues are supported and respected, and that we do all we can to avoid the threat of such a total war ever happening again.
Please see : https://twitter.com/mattwarman/status/1258684336175550464