I know VE day (for Americans) was on the 8th. I don't think I saw much coverage on news, or anyone even mentioning it. The only reason I'm even asking is because in Eastern Europe, May 9th (Moscow Time of the Official Surrender in Berlin) is a HUGE event.
Just wondering when VE day lost that similar status, or even if it ever had it in this country.
My guess is on VJ day.
Honestly though, I don't remember VE day ever being that big of an event here, though I can only account for the last 3 decades. Maybe it had more meaning in the 40s and 50s, but it hasn't in my lifetime.
I don't remember anything of significence in the late 40's and 50's on VE Day, or VJ day for that mater. I think Americans just wanted to put the war behind them. Many veterans just wanted their lives back, and a very large number were in colleges and universities and study came first. And keep in mind, the Korean War started 7 years after VJ Day. LOcally there may have been parades to honor VE of VJ, but nothing nationwide.
Fascinating I guess...This is the first year I've noticed this, and it struck me as odd. Coming from the "Eastern" front in that war, I (like many others from the old Soviet Bloc) have some strongly ingrained feelings about May 9th, and how it is celebrated.
Good to know that it's not something recent I suppose...
I remember as a kid, VE day being something we remembered with solemnity. Now we "celebrate" April First, the holiday given to us by Tovarich V.I. Lenin, as "Earth Day" formerly known as the International Workers ( Communist) Holiday. Life is full of little ironies. Of course, when I grew up ( sixties) most of the adults were of an age to have been in, or actively remember, the war.
Major Lord
p.s., I hope I did not upset any Druids who may celebrate Mayday by linking them with communists.
Quote from: Major Lord on May 10, 2012, 11:35:23 PM
I remember as a kid, VE day being something we remembered with solemnity. Now we "celebrate" April First, the holiday given to us by Tovarich V.I. Lenin, as "Earth Day" formerly known as the International Workers ( Communist) Holiday. Life is full of little ironies. Of course, when I grew up ( sixties) most of the adults were of an age to have been in, or actively remember, the war.
Major Lord
p.s., I hope I did not upset any Druids who may celebrate Mayday by linking them with communists.
Since when do we celebrate May Day on April 1st?
Quote from: ß τ ε on May 10, 2012, 11:45:42 PM
Quote from: Major Lord on May 10, 2012, 11:35:23 PM
I remember as a kid, VE day being something we remembered with solemnity. Now we "celebrate" April First, the holiday given to us by Tovarich V.I. Lenin, as "Earth Day" formerly known as the International Workers ( Communist) Holiday. Life is full of little ironies. Of course, when I grew up ( sixties) most of the adults were of an age to have been in, or actively remember, the war.
Major Lord
p.s., I hope I did not upset any Druids who may celebrate Mayday by linking them with communists.
Since when do we celebrate May Day on April 1st?
April Fools!!! >:D
Quote from: usafaux2004 on May 10, 2012, 10:43:31 PM
I know VE day (for Americans) was on the 8th. I don't think I saw much coverage on news, or anyone even mentioning it. The only reason I'm even asking is because in Eastern Europe, May 9th (Moscow Time of the Official Surrender in Berlin) is a HUGE event.
Just wondering when VE day lost that similar status, or even if it ever had it in this country.
I don't know when it became so average but we tend to have short term memories and even shorter forethoughts now a days. We care as a society more about Paris Hilton, Kim kardashian, and a bunch of dip dunk dough heads living on the Jersey Shore than we do about the things that really matter and the sacrfices those that went before us made so that we can afford to care about such trivia.
It was not, and is never just an avarge day for me or my family.
I went and sat at my great grandfaters grave for an hour and talked to him (member of pattons 3rd army and one of the first americans through the gate of mauthausen concentration camp). Then traveld to another graveyard and sat with my great uncle who was killed in the opening moments of the battle of the bulge. (I have his silver star and purple heart right next to me as I type this).
I then headed to a local univiersty where I gave a speech to history students on the need to remember the travesty in both theaters of war.
VE-day is hands down one of my favrotie days!!
I recall that only Rhode Island designated VJ day as a holiday.
Quote from: ß τ ε on May 10, 2012, 11:45:42 PM
Quote from: Major Lord on May 10, 2012, 11:35:23 PM
I remember as a kid, VE day being something we remembered with solemnity. Now we "celebrate" April First, the holiday given to us by Tovarich V.I. Lenin, as "Earth Day" formerly known as the International Workers ( Communist) Holiday. Life is full of little ironies. Of course, when I grew up ( sixties) most of the adults were of an age to have been in, or actively remember, the war.
Major Lord
p.s., I hope I did not upset any Druids who may celebrate Mayday by linking them with communists.
Since when do we celebrate May Day on April 1st?
Hah! Caught you you comrade! You just admitted you celebrate commie-day!
Major Lord
Quote from: usafaux2004 on May 10, 2012, 10:43:31 PM
I know VE day (for Americans) was on the 8th. I don't think I saw much coverage on news, or anyone even mentioning it. The only reason I'm even asking is because in Eastern Europe, May 9th (Moscow Time of the Official Surrender in Berlin) is a HUGE event.
Just wondering when VE day lost that similar status, or even if it ever had it in this country.
Well in Europe....most of those countries were not at war with Japan....so it is a non issue to them....so VE day was the end of the war for them.
We (the U.S.) had four more months of war to do......so at this remove VE day is sort of like Spring Break of your senior year....pretty cool....but the big day was Graduation.
Well in Europe....most of those countries were not at war with Japan....so it is a non issue to them....so VE day was the end of the war for them.[/quote]
Except for the British Crown Colonies, French Indochina, Dutch East Indies, Portuguese Macau...
Quote from: AdAstra on May 11, 2012, 06:18:39 PM
QuoteWell in Europe....most of those countries were not at war with Japan....so it is a non issue to them....so VE day was the end of the war for them.
Except for the British Crown Colonies, French Indochina, Dutch East Indies, Portuguese Macau...
Yes....but even with them....the Home countries were more concerned with the Germans....they (with maybe the exception of the UK) did not really do a whole lot of fighting against the Japanese. Russia for instance was neutral towards Japan until June of 45 IIRC.
Quote from: lordmonar on May 11, 2012, 05:12:57 AM
Quote from: usafaux2004 on May 10, 2012, 10:43:31 PM
I know VE day (for Americans) was on the 8th. I don't think I saw much coverage on news, or anyone even mentioning it. The only reason I'm even asking is because in Eastern Europe, May 9th (Moscow Time of the Official Surrender in Berlin) is a HUGE event.
Just wondering when VE day lost that similar status, or even if it ever had it in this country.
Well in Europe....most of those countries were not at war with Japan....so it is a non issue to them....so VE day was the end of the war for them.
We (the U.S.) had four more months of war to do......so at this remove VE day is sort of like Spring Break of your senior year....pretty cool....but the big day was Graduation.
UK and the Empire were fighting the Japanese until the end, France still had it's Indochina colonies (Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia), Dutch had Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies, Soviet Union declared war against Japan when they were officially informed about the A-bomb at the Potsdam conference. So most of the Allied countries of Europe were at war with Japan.
Quote from: MSG Mac on May 11, 2012, 10:10:52 PM
Quote from: lordmonar on May 11, 2012, 05:12:57 AM
Quote from: usafaux2004 on May 10, 2012, 10:43:31 PM
I know VE day (for Americans) was on the 8th. I don't think I saw much coverage on news, or anyone even mentioning it. The only reason I'm even asking is because in Eastern Europe, May 9th (Moscow Time of the Official Surrender in Berlin) is a HUGE event.
Just wondering when VE day lost that similar status, or even if it ever had it in this country.
Well in Europe....most of those countries were not at war with Japan....so it is a non issue to them....so VE day was the end of the war for them.
We (the U.S.) had four more months of war to do......so at this remove VE day is sort of like Spring Break of your senior year....pretty cool....but the big day was Graduation.
UK and the Empire were fighting the Japanese until the end, France still had it's Indochina colonies (Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia), Dutch had Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies, Soviet Union declared war against Japan when they were officially informed about the A-bomb at the Potsdam conference. So most of the Allied countries of Europe were at war with Japan.
Yep...not saying they did not do any fighting (I misspoke when I said they were not at war with them).......But France, and the Dutch were occupied by the Germans, the soviets had them at their gates.....so for them VE day is much more important than VJ day.