VJ day coverage

My late father-in-law was a POW, captured when Singapore fell.

Truman only authorised the use of the atomic bombs. There were many other aspects to the situation and countries involved. This is a huge topic but I couldn't let the previous post stand uncommented.

It's right to remember and honour those who served. I'm glad President Truman terminated the war as he did. I hope we shall remember those who later served in Korea.

I was in a dept store in Cumbria browsing the kitchenware when it was announced there would be a 2 min silence. I stopped browsing and stood still. I was standing mid way between 2 of those JML promotional video displays that run constantly throughout the day. Nobody thought to turn them off 😡

Aveline the husband of one of my mums close friends was among those held.
He was apparently an amazingly gregarious and active person when he left to fight but he certainly came back in a state of some mental anguish, from which he never recovered.

I don't remember him actually laughing, ever. He did sometimes smile though.
He never spoke to anyone about what he had endured, not even his wife.

I think about him as a true casualty of war and about the shock of his so-vibrant wife when he got home.
What a terrible waste war is.

Witzend

I was surprised while in the local small Asda yesterday, to hear them announce that there would be (IIRC) a minute’s silence for VJ Day at 12 noon.
I’d paid and left before then, so I don’t know how well it was observed.

DD was in Tesco and said that everything stopped there at noon too.

My great uncle was in a Japanese PoW camp. He made it home. I remember my Granny saying how shocked she was when she met him at the station. Just a walking skeleton. That was after being well treated and fed on the ship bringing those poor men home. He never really recovered and died in his 50s.

TBH I was astonished when in the early 80s my folks took a Far East holiday that included Japan!

Maybe it laid some ghosts to rest for them Witzend?

Aveline

Just watching this made me think of my Gran and Grandad waiting at home for news of my dad, their only child. It must have been agonising but everyone had to put on a brave face. Dad did make it home from Burma having had septicemia treated with the first antibiotics. We never knew how he'd been injured. He never talked about the war except to say that he'd ridden a motorbike through the Vice Roy's fountain on VJ day. Most unlike him.
However, he'd never have a Japanese car. 😑

My father was in the Royal Navy, and took part in the last action against the Japanese in Singapore. His ship took some of the skeletal PoWs who’d been in Changi jail, and it was many years before he would have anything Japanese in the house.

TBH I was astonished when in the early 80s my folks took a Far East holiday that included Japan!

I was surprised while in the local small Asda yesterday, to hear them announce that there would be (IIRC) a minute’s silence for VJ Day at 12 noon.
I’d paid and left before then, so I don’t know how well it was observed.

LadyBridgerton

Good to see VJ day getting proper recognition at long last, it used to infuriate my mother when VE day was called the end of the war, my dad had been in the Far East.

Luckily my relatives of fighting age all served in Europe, but they said there was always a chance they could be sent to the Far East if we decided to invade Japan, and it was like a waiting game for servicemen not involved in occupying Germany or considered unfit for combat duty. Fortunately Japan surrendered in time.

Who was doing the BBC voice over? I thought that they were much better than others in recent times.

Just watching this made me think of my Gran and Grandad waiting at home for news of my dad, their only child. It must have been agonising but everyone had to put on a brave face. Dad did make it home from Burma having had septicemia treated with the first antibiotics. We never knew how he'd been injured. He never talked about the war except to say that he'd ridden a motorbike through the Vice Roy's fountain on VJ day. Most unlike him.
However, he'd never have a Japanese car. 😑

Good to see VJ day getting proper recognition at long last, it used to infuriate my mother when VE day was called the end of the war, my dad had been in the Far East.

I've just watched this and thought it was an outstanding tribute.
The Arboretum is an amazing place and provided a stunning setting.

I was there on Wednesday with my three minded boys (11, 7, 7).
We saw a lot of the preparations and the troops rehearsing, the boys were spellbound watching them.

I found it very moving and at 66 years of age with family who would be ‘called up’ to serve for their country echo the thoughts of Olga.
Do the young of today appreciate the sacrifices of those of similar age, a few decades ago? I don’t think so…

We must never forget the civilians who were also interned in Japanese POW camps, many of them children

Olga Henderson, who was a child at the time, has described this and is still visibly moved by those memories today.

"What was it all for?" she asked.

Lives loved and lost,a very touching tribute to the men and women who sacrificed so much.Very few are left now.I hope many young people watched.

The sitar player was fantastic. So talented. I loved the dove kite things too. Beautiful music throughout in all its varieties from marine bands to violin solo and lovely singing (although I thought that woman in the red dress murdered 'I'll be seeing you'. This wasn't the occasion for pub style singing.

NotSpaghetti

I hope I can watch this later as I was travelling today.
I have read some of the coverage.

I was out today too.
DH went to a VJ service but watched some of it when he came home.

It was a lovely tribute and I found it very moving

I hope I can watch this later as I was travelling today.
I have read some of the coverage.

Aveline

Wasn't that a lovely programme? So well presented and with such touching first person accounts. I thought the king looked quite tearful at times.

I had an extended lunch to watch it and loved seeing the veterans telling their stories about serving in the Far East as it's likely the last time we'll see them. Also the Indian playing the sitar was really good.