VE Day “celebrations”

This is certainly not the time for this jingoistic nonsense. I do not understand this determined link between Covid-19 and World Wars. I am well aware that this is a time for us to look out for each other, but we do not need a warp in time to do that. Have a party by all means, have it because we are happy to see each other, and possibly some let up of the lockdown.

Ingeloran. My son usually plays the Last Post at several Anzac Day services, and I’m proud that he stood outside his house to play it this year.
I remember our street party on VE Day very vividly. I was almost 7, and I don’t think that I really understood what it was about. The abnormal life during the war was just normal to me. I couldn’t remember my father, and felt very uncomfortable about this stranger who had moved in with us. I think that my mother found it difficult, too, after being in charge for so long.
I haven’t heard of any local celebrations. My choir had planned a concert, now aborted, of course. I will mark the occasion by quietly thinking about those who haven’t returned from the wars, and the hospitals.

Seem to be some on here who regard life as a miserable slog to be endured and definitely not enjoyed.

OH’s Uncle who was killed at 23 years old would have been the first up and dancing so I doubt he would begrudge people marking VE Day however they choose. Isn’t that one of the reasons the war was fought? To allow people choice in their own destiny?

Craftycat, I am with you. My maternal Grandfather was a prisoner in Burma and my father was in the RAF also in the Far East - my Mum is not celebrating. Grandad came home on a train and walked the last 3 miles with his kitbag. He was very bitter about the lack of recognition compared to the VE day victory parades.

The end of such an appalling war where 40 million civilians last their lives particularly in the concentration camps and is certainly one that should be remembered and reflected on.

I feel a bit uncomfortable if it becomes a celebration which doesn’t sit well with me.

Agree entirely with your comments

What we are going through now is of no comparison
It’s dreadful people have lost their lives through the virus
But those young men are our past, our saviours and suffered immeasurably
We should celebrate that it ended in Europe and commemorate those true heroes
To use what is happening now as an excuse to feel sorry for ourselves, or to even compare it to what they went through makes no sense

I'm not sure I want to celebrate VE day anyway.
Commemorating those who lost their lives is one thing but celebrating??

We must remember and yes why not celebrate
Thousands and thousands of young men lost their lives
We owe them everything

Yes I’ve had a letter dropped through my door about it in my street. I ever celebrate VE Day , that was there time and their war....... Covid 19 ,is a stealthy ... unseen enemy... and hits all of us ... and is truly a ‘ world war’. I see nothing to celebrate at all.In 20 years time does anyone think we’ll be celebrating what can only be classed as human failure... as all wars are! I don’t think so! I will observe the silence but there will be NO jingoistic flag waving.

On the other hand the village children (and my own grandchildren who
Live far away in th UK ) have been learning about the war and VE day in particular in their home learning this week and are interested in the topic. . We are planning a picnic in front of our houses at 4 pm n my street with some music from the 1940s and most (not all) seem keen to join in, especially the younger families. A chance socialise with neighbours in a harmless way and we all need a bit of a break at the moment.
And to me its not celebrating war, or victory but being grateful for peace which we have had by and large for the last 75 years in this country. (Although Im aware that there is always conflict in some parts of the world). Im doing if largely for the children.

GillT57 I so agree. We have been at peace with Germany for 75 years - let's celebrate peace, not victory. No triumphalism.

For anyone who has a different view than the "celebration of VE Day" look for Ruth Wisharts article in the National last weekend .It sums up the views of almost everyone I know including veterans of WW11 and more recent conflicts .There are some very valid statements on Veterans for Independence sites too .
No "celebration of VE day " here ,my father and all my uncles came back with serious health and mental health issues...BUT they were deeply saddened at being sent to bomb civilians in Germany ,people just like their own families who didn't ask for war or want it .Not because these poor people were a threat just to show them "Great" Britain was a superior force.War is never good and rarely right .

My neighbour has put a note through the door saying what the order of events will be on the day. As far as know no one has asked her to do this and everyone in our cul-de-sac is expected to join in.

She has decided an 'event' every couple of hours ending with us all singing 'We'll meet again' on our door steps at 9pm. I can't think of anything worse.

This is definitely not my thing and I really don't wont to join in but feel I'm being forced to

I was still in the WAAF on VE Day and still had to go on duty and had to wait until the evening for my husband to come off guard duty. Many of my friends fiancés and husbands were still fighting in the Far East.

Too many people dying right now to celebrate anything which is why I don't do any clapping on a Thursday as it seems so disrespectful. Poor things, none of this is their faults they didn't deserve to die.

I am chair of the events subcommittee on our Town Council. Back in January we discussed VE Day 75th anniversary arrangements at some length. There were many concerns, particularly as for many the war didn't come to an abrupt end on VE Day and some councillors thought it would be more appropriate and sensitive to commemorate VJ Day.

We decided to go along with whatever was planned nationally, to work with local churches in whatever they felt appropriate (possibly to include an evening concert in the Parish church) - and to make the market place available to any group (e.g. British Legion) if they wanted to do more.

In the absence of any steer from government, we also asked councillors how they would wish to commemorate VJ Day.

Of course - none of this will happen now. However - I would just like to say that for me the important word is Commemoration - and NOT Celebration. The public may have felt celebratory at the time, but now is the time to remember those who lost their lives and to mark the end of conflict.

Many .... typo, sorry.

I was born in the 1960s, both my parents were born during the war and one grandfather was in the RAF. I was speaking about this with my mother and we both agreed that for several decades after the end of the war, particularly the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties, there was a much more subdued feeling of wanting to forget about it and carry on with life. The only commemoration was Remembrance Sunday. My grandfather used to speak of six wasted years if it was mentioned - he had a young wife and two small daughters - and, naturally, missed them dreadfully. My grandmother tore up the ration books as soon as rationing ended. Like man of that generation they rarely spoke about the war. In the last twenty years or so, as it has become more distant, the opposite has occurred and we have to mark every anniversary in a more ostentatious manner. I am grateful for the wartime generation, of course l am, but it sometimes feels as if lest we forget has turned into an enforced we must never be allowed to forget.

Having said that I remember the relief and celebratory feeling of May 8th 1945, I should also say that 75 years later, I see no point in reprising the celebrations at a time when we have so little cause to celebrate and there is still so much war, repression and injustice in this world.

In Denmark we celebrate on the 4th and 5th of May because those two dates saw the end of the German occupation.

This year all public celebrations where wreaths are laid at memorials have been reduced to only a very few people present.

This I personally find more suitable at the moment than planning a street party or the like, but others probably feel that every cloud has a silver lining and that right now we need to feel that.

One of our neighbours sent a message on WhatsApp asking if we were having a socially distanced party but got no response. I would not have joined in to be honest as I don't really feel that it is appropriate at this time.

I won’t celebrate VE Day because war is nothing to celebrate but I will commemorate it during the silence with thoughts of all those , of all nations , who died. On VJ Day I hope we remember the horror of atomic warfare but again nothing to celebrate.

I prefer to think of it as celebrating the defeat of an evil, murderous regime, rather than glorifying war.

I shall raise a flag but no big celebration. Prefer to donate to a veteran's charity. I think Colonel Tom would approve!