VE Day “celebrations”

I remember asking my father as a child how he felt about being called up on his 21st birthday. He told me that he needed to play his part to ensure that Britain would not be invaded. He said that if that had happened then my grandparents would have been shot or sent to a labour camp and that my mother would have been forced to marry an invading soldier. (Please not that I haven’t mentioned a nationality here.) For him that was all the reason he needed. Our freedom from tyranny was hard won and that is cause for gratitude and celebration.

One thing I won't be doing is watching TV or listening to the radio. While I am tremendously respectful and grateful to the people who made sacrifices to keep our country safe, I have been alive so long that I have seen and heard memories and movies about the war so often I just can't stand the thought of going through it all over again. Something about the world wars seem to be repeated every year now.

The fact that we won the war as well as peace being restored in Europe is worth celebrating.

No......not just that it’s over!! Far from it.
We won and the war being over was just one aspect.If we hadn’t won, then there would have been Nazi flags over Westminster and death camps everywhere for Jews.

Maybe people get confused about ‘celebrating’. It’s not about we’ve won.......it’s about ‘It’s over’. And ever since, remember, think of those we lost but make sure it NEVER happens again. You need to watch the Veterans from all over the world marching along the beaches in Normandy and their tears for their comrades who never survived mixed with the tears of gratitude shared by the locals. Then the hugs and the glass of wine ‘of honour’shared by all - to see how much it still means. Don’t make it about nationalism or disrespect, it’s not.

Agree with this, let’s celebrate when we’ve got something to celebrate

Well said Callistemon ???

Unfortunately, some left wing posters ( and in RL) are incapable of seeing a remembrance/ celebration of any military event ( even WW2) without shrieking things like
‘Braying nationalism/ crow about imagined superiority/fuelled by national dogma’ !
Actually there was nothing imagined about our superiority over the Nazis.
Fortunately most people in the UK recognise this and want to give thanks for what our armed forces at that time achieved and their sacrifice in doing so.

You are missing the point vegansrock - deliberately it seems.

Sark I'm glad you can see the difference, coming from the Channel Islands you will know what it was like and for much of Europe too. A celebration of an anniversary of the beginning of the end of such terror and remembering those who did not come back is not braying nationalism.
However, people are able to express their opinions because of their sacrifices.

If my 102 year old relative, who was in the Army in WW2 wishes to sing a wartime song when we phone him, we will join in with him.
Nothing nationalistic about it whatsoever, a song from a time when everyone was wishing for an end to fear and for happier, more peaceful times.

Unfortunately not all our fathers are in a grave in a cemetery which we could visit.

I agree Callistemon
It is a way of giving thanks.
Unfortunately we can't be there this year but we will be celebrating the liberation of the Channel Islands.

We can’t do “anything we want”, and it’s certainly not obligatory to remember the war dead by doing anything different on any particular day. It’s just an excuse to crow about imagined superiority, fuelled by nationalistic dogma. I’ve got my father’s and grandfather’s military medals and photos framed my hallway, I remember them everyday. I also think of those relatives who lie in cemeteries in France and the Far East. I don’t think that waving a flag is giving them thanks or celebrating anything.

Our young neighbours posted a leaflet asking everyone to sit outside and celebrate on Friday. Which I don't want to do [as per what Eloethan said]]. I don't go outside anyway when various children are riding their bikes and neighbours are chatting to each other. But it means that my husband will have to walk the dog really early and I won't be able to do the work on the garden that I'd planned. Is it correct that the Daily Mail have called it 'Victory over Europe Day instead of 'In Europe'?

braying nationalism

Since when has giving thanks and celebrating the end of a dreadful period in history, overcoming an evil regime, been considered to be braying nationalism?

Eloethan, very well said ?

Annecan well said.

vegansrock we can sing whatever songs we want to and wave the Union flag if we jolly well want to as well.
And why can we do that?

Think about it.

Well said, Annecan. I was meant to be in the cinema watching major live coverage of the VE Day celebrations. But sadly not able to now. It is celebrating our freedom and the bravery and achievement of those who fought for us. Not connected in any with the C-Virus. Coming together of communities is great in all ways, whichever aspect you look at and has long been missing in these modern times. Hopefully it will continue.

We can remember those who died and served without flag waving and singing old songs.

Eloethan
It’s not a comparison with ‘this sad time’, nothing to do with the government
We should remember and honour any time when people have laid down their lives for us
I am immensely proud to be British and I’m immensely indebted to those who sacrificed their lives for us.
It’s not a comparison or competition, it’s a fact that we are what we are today because thousands of young men did what they did,
I for one am overwhelmed with gratitude

Nothing happening here, AFAIK, though I wouldn’t object if anyone wanted a ‘distancing’ party. Quite a few of our neighbours were not U.K. born, so I was surprised some years ago when a Brit neighbour suggested a front-garden party for the Queen’s jubilee, everyone to bring something.

It went very well and was very jolly, lots of them joined in. One of my offerings was large jugs of Pimm’s - frequently replenished! - but since a number of neighbours are Muslim. or at least we presumed so given their country of origin, I felt obliged to keep pointing out that Pimm’s is alcoholic! They didn’t seem to care, hence a dd frequently running back to male another lot!

elothan good post I agree with you

In 1945 it was a celebration and a relief that the war was over.

I’ll have a day of reflection.

willow73 so sad for you and your father ?

Willow73
Thank you to your grandad
My grandfather is over100 and still talks about the war
I don’t see VE Day as a celebration but as remembering with immense gratitude and humility what my grand dad and yours and so many others like them did for us

Quite a few of those in the war are now in care homes, unable to see their loved ones. My father has dementia, in a care home and sings all the old songs. I haven't seen him since end of February, used to see him weekly and sing with him. I miss him so much, cry every day for him and will not be celebrating because I feel so sad.

To me it’s not about gloating or glorifying war, nor does it bear any relation to covid.
It’s about not forgetting those young men who sacrificed their lives to save us from a cruel regime and to protect their loved ones
To say it is jingoistic is cruel and crass
It’s celebrating the end of a dreadful period in history.,remembering the true heroism of those young men and saying we will never forget you

Again, the implied slur that people who object to these ostentatious events are in some way anti-British and not appreciative of British achievements.

I have huge regard for the countless numbers of people in all British communities and businesses who have given up their time, and in some cases their money and safety, to contribute to the wellbeing of others during this horrible time. We have much potential in this country, and - as in many crises - the commitment and sacrifice of "ordinary" people is often far greater than that of those who govern us.

I am very proud to be British and there are many of our achievements to celebrate but I agree with every word that Eloethan has written.

This is a celebration of the end of a wicked and evil regime - it is not "gloating" over the German people, I am sure the vast majority of them were equally pleased about the end of hostilities.

I wonder if those objecting are the same posters who seem to object to celebrating any British achievement.