Is it a bank holiday over there? Nothing particularly special is happening here despite Canadians being heavily involved in the war in Europe.
It’s 80 years, is it still worth all this hoopla that seems to be going on in the UK? Kind of ironic that a week after many voted for Reform that a historical defeat of facism is being celebrated. Seems to me that a more current facist threat from a former ally should be more relevant
I am not underestimating the sacrifices and the extreme losses of life that occurred in WW II, but there is already a day to remember those annually in November
The main ceremonies were on the May Day bank holiday (the Red Arrows flew over our garden on the way to Buckingham Palace). Lots of press coverage today but I can’t say I noticed any sense of occasion in the streets around here.
Couple of flags round here no party just a day to remember if you choose which I think is how it should be
This is a big anniversary not every year and I doubt any vets will be alive on the 100th so yes I think it’s worth celebrating. Strange it’s not in Canada considering their huge sacrifices at Normandy.
Like I said the sacrifices are noted here and honoured in November, same as UK.
Just checked, there are actually some low key ceremonies going on here, so I was a bit wrong about that. I work next door to an ex-serviceman’s club, normally we get bagpipes on such occasions but I haven’t heard any this week.
Be grateful for small mercies.
I’m of the same opinion as @Dai.
What troubles me is that, time and again, we are told that remembering means such events ‘will never happen again’. Maybe not in Europe, perhaps. But for the rest of the world?
Every day I hear horrific stories from war zones around the world, accompanied by countless reasons from powerful governments as to why the conflicts cannot be stopped. And while we have our street parties a whole nation is being starved into submission before our very eyes.
There’s a war on in Europe right now.
True enough.
Then thank goodness for Brexit!
There are three* high-profile wars in our news and plenty which are not in the daily reports. We really don’t need any more.
(*) I’m including India v Pakistan
There are two generations of CWGC in Mrs F’s family, so it has been a busy few months. You might have unknowingly seen my BIL on the telly.
My local FB is alive with the news that the chip shop has a flag up, but the CoOp does not. Even out here on the edge of the Fens, we have keyboard warriors.
Yes, it absolutely is still worth all the hoopla. My fear is that as the last of the greatest generation slips into history, so people will begin to forget what it is they are supposed to be remembering, and future events may become an horrendous theme park Disneyfied version of history. That said, many of the current flag wavers may well be amongst those about to vote in a fascist government at the next UK election, and there seems an enormous disconnect between soberly remembering the lessons of the past and linking them to the dangers of the current political mood in our own country.
Heard a poignant quote the other day … when did pride in your country become prejudice?
Greatest generation? What about the Great War lot? Let’s call them the Lesser Generation!
In November I’ll stand, far away from the throng, in silence (twice – the 11th and the Sunday). I was talking to an octogenarian today when all this ‘hoopla’ started and she couldn’t remember it happening when she was young. I suggested ‘the Falklands’ and we both nodded. The original geezers didn’t want to talk about war at all. I don’t blame ’em!!!
The ‘greatest generation’ is a generally accepted phrase for those who participated by dint of age in World War II, also known as the World War II generation. Those who participated in WWI are often termed the ‘lost generation’ for obvious reasons. The ‘greatest generation’ phrase has been around since the 1950s, first coined in America.
It’s a term popularized by Tom Brokaw, an American journalist, in conjunction with his book of the same name from 1998.
Why would the Great War generation ‘obviously’ be the “Lost Generation?”
Because they’re now dead? So we’re all destined to be lost generations!
Bizarrely, aren’t the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who etc. part of the… erm… “Quiet Generation”?
I think your fears are already reflected in Remembrance Day, which due to the anniversary always seemed to focus more on the First World War than later conflicts. As the last veterans fade away the emotion is invested in symbols instead of living links, and it has become at least partly a competition to see who can create the most spectacular poppy-themed display. The message seems to be the bigger equals more ‘respectful’.
I think VE Day is slightly different to Remembrance Day. On the latter we clearly commemorate the fallen. I think VE Day also celebrates those who had to live through the war and carry on. My Mum was dragged to an air raid shelter crying and screaming most nights. On VE Day they celebrated the end of that bombing and the end of those blackouts. This day is in remembrance of them as much as the fighters.
My now-deceased mother was very often very sad when she reflected on VE Day. She was 13 years old and the oldest of 5 children, one with special needs. Her mother (my Grandmother) had left the family home to meet up with my Grandfather, who fought for the British Army in Europe. They didn’t come back for three days.
My Grandfather wasn’t a nice man and prioritised the pub before family, often spending his entire weeks’ wages on Friday night. When challenged over this, he would respond violently.
They lived in Bradford and the war years were peaceful for the family (Bradford was largely spared by the Luftwaffe) as regular money was coming in and he wasn’t there.
The fact that large numbers of German bombs and rockets fell on parts of the UK, as well as our servicemen getting killed or maimed fighting in Europe, makes VE Day a bit more pertinent for us on this side of The Great Pond.
Of course a lot of servicemen and civilians from our Empire of the time suffered, but it’s a bit more personal here.
Having said that, the media seem to be making a lot more of it than the UK citizenry.
But I’ll digress a bit and mention something I heard in a great YouTube interview of veteran UK guitarist Jim Mullen. He mentioned old people griping to the youth “We fought a World War for the likes of you”. Most of today’s UK oldies, like myself, are too young for WW2. We’re veterans of Mods vs. Rockers on Brighton’s shingly beach, Hyde Park free concerts, the two Isle Of Wight Festivals, Bickerstaff and Woodstock.
I’m off to Normandy at the end of next week with a mate on our motorbikes. 5 days based on Bayeux. I’m an emotional bugger so I expect to get through a few hankies.
We had two minutes silence and then stood for God save the King at the start of the cricket this morning. It was pretty surreal, not least because some of the older blokes continued their conversation right through it (not sure if I was supposed to say something or not). Can’t be certain if this led to our batting collapsed or not but it can’t have helped.
A sharp, “Shut up and have some respect” would have been my brief contribution.