Figure 1.--VE Day is best known for the massive celebrations like the ones in London, Paris, and New York. There were, however, many smaller town and neigborhood celebrations. And there were family clebrations like the one in this bomb damaged London home. And their were bittersweet relections of loved ones lost or badly injured.

Britain was one of the four countries (including, Germany, Poland, and France) that was involved in the War from the very beginning. iou could add the Soviet Union because as a NAZI ally, they also invaded Poland and committed terrible atrocities (September 1939). The British people had done everything possible to avoid war, including appeasement Hitler to the point of near national destruction. For a time it looked to many around the world that Britain was lost. It took a great national effort, essentially drafting the whole nation for the military or war work, tearing children away from their familis, converting nearly the entire economy for war work, rationing on an unpecedented level, and acquiring a vast nation debt. Virtully everything people wanted was rationed--even the amount of water in the bath tub. Thus V-E Day was perhaps the greatest celebration in British hitory. Perhaps the most heart-felt celebration occurred in London, a city which only a few weeks earlier was still being pounded by V-2 atacks and in which large areas of rubble, devestated homes and other buildings, could still be fond. More than one million people poured out into the streets to mark the NAZI surrender and the end of the War. The celebrations began even before the official day of celebration on May 8. Londoners massed in Trafalgar Square and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace. Here King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds. In fact they appeared eight times to make sure that everyone in the flowing crowd could see them. Churchill later gave an impromptu speech on the balcony of the Ministry of Health, telling the crowds, 'This is your victory!' There were celebrations large and small, includiung neigborhood celbrations as well as family celebrtions. All over the country people held fancy dress parades for children, got drunk, made a din, sang and danced in the streets, and went to church to give thanks to God for victory. The victory was that of the British people, but most understood what a critical role that Churchill has played. he King and Queen along with Churchill appeared on Buckingham Palace. Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret were not there. They wanted to take part in the celebrations so they were allowed to disappear incognito into the crowd. One of the tragedies of the War is that President Roosevelt did not survive the War and could not make an appearance aftrwards on that balcony with Churchill nd the King and Queen.

Envolvemnent

Britain was one of the four countries (including, Germany, Poland, and France) that was involved in the War from the very beginning. iou could add the Soviet Union because as a NAZI ally, they also invaded Poland and committed terrible atrocities (September 1939). The British people had done everything possible to avoid war, including appeasement Hitler to the point of near national destruction. For a time after the fall of France it looked to many around the world that Britain was lost. It took a great national effort, essentially drafting the whole nation for the military or war work, tearing children away from their families, converting nearly the entire economy for war work, rationing on an unpecedented level, and acquiring a vast nation debt. Virtully everything people wanted was rationed--even the amount of water in the bath tub. Limiting viurtully everything the British wanted to eat from the dinner table. British kids spent the War in the homes of strangers and without candy. Sugar was one ofthe commodities most tightly rastioned.

Greatest Celebration in British History

Thus V-E Day was perhaps the greatest celebration in British hitory. Perhaps the most heart-felt celebration occurred in London, a city which only a few weeks earlier was still being pounded by V-2 atacks and in which large areas of rubble, devestated homes and other buildings, could still be fond.

London Celebration

Massive demonstrations spontaeously appeared in London. It was the British definance of Hitler that played a major role in his defeat. Their defiance of the Blitz stopped Hitler's string of victories cold. The celebration took place in the very city that had first successfully defied Hitler and who Churchill called the Huns. Substantial areas of the city were still mounds of rubble. The British people and Londoner in particular had earned this day which was long in coming. More than one million people poured out into the streets of London to mark the NAZI surrender and the end of the War. The celebrations began even before the official day of celebration on May 8. There was a carnival amosphere to the celebration which was celebrated by Londoners of all ages. But this was their day. Londoners massed in Trafalgar Square and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace. Here King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds. In fact they appeared eight times to make sure that everyone in the flowing crowd could see them. Churchill later gave an impromptu speech on the balcony of the Ministry of Health, telling the crowds, Churchill told the cheering crowds, "My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class. It's a victory of the great British nation as a whole. We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny. After a while we were left all alone against the most tremendous military power that has been seen. We were all alone for a whole year. ..." The victory was that of the British people, but most understood what a critical role that Churchill had played. One of the tragedies of the War is that President Roosevelt did not survive the War and could not make an appearance aftrwards on that balcony with Churchill and the King and Queen.

Neigborhood Celebrations

There were celebrations large and small, includiung neigborhood celbrations as well as family celebrtions. All over the country people held fancy dress parades for children, got drunk, made a din, sang and danced in the streets, and went to church to give thanks to God for victory. There were big celebrations in the down town areas. There were also smaller neighborhood celebrations. In communities throughoutBbritain there were outdoors banquets called block parties that were family celebrations (figure 1). For many of the children it mean that daddy would soon be headed home.

The Princesses

The King and Queen along with Churchill appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. Noteveryone notices thast Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret Rose were not there. They wanted to take part in the celebrations. The King andQueen gaveinto their pleading. So they were allowed to disappear incognito into the crowd.

Rationing

The British still had to make do with rationing which in fact would last several more years even afer the War. American reporter Edward R. Murrow broadcast from Piccadilly Circus just as he had broadcast to America during the Blitz.Joining in on the celebration were large numbers of American service personnel in London. A key part of the victory was the Anglo-American alliance--the most important militry alliance in history.

Reciprocal Links

Thank you for your interest in our site. If using any of our material, partially or in full, we ask that you always provide an active hyperlink to the pages that you have consulted.

Created: 12:06 AM 11/22/2017
Last updated: 110:01 AM 2/8/2019