- Somber reflections, ceremonies mark 60th anniversary of VE Day
by : Ryan Jones
Date : Sun, 08 May 2005 12:02:00 GMT
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The world remembers this day well; May 8, 1945 to be exact, but perhaps not as well as it should. It was on a Tuesday 60 years ago that the World War II formally ended paving the way to a trouble free world for the future generations. This day is remembered as 'Victory in Europe' (VE) Day, and marked the end of a brutal war that had the world on tenterhooks for the best part of six years.
The end of the war was signaled after the Berlin armistice was signed at General Dwight Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims on 7 May. The next day was marked as the Victory in Europe day and triggered massive celebrations across Europe and America even though the war had ravaged just about everyone. Perhaps, our forefathers were celebrating having control over their own lives, or perhaps they were relieved that they could finally begin the process of rebuilding.
The war has undoubtedly taught us many lessons; prime among them being the futility of armed conflicts. Yet the world today is at crossroads, the Iraq continues to boil over, Chechnya still seethes at apparent injustices meted out to it and North Korea and Iran are turning a blind eye on just about every concern in the world and continue to chase nuclear status.
But the VE day should serve as a remainder to all of the world's nations that war only leads to grief there are no victors or losers here, but the whole populace is affected. Russian President Vladimir Putin is intensely aware of the precarious situation that Russia finds herself in; perhaps he wants the Russian people to see the effects of war firsthand. That is why the VE day is going to be marked by a grandiose celebration at Moscows Red Square.
The celebrations are to feature some of the world's most powerful leaders including American President George W Bush; who is scheduled to review a military parade at the square. Putin hopes to showcase the fact that Russia also suffered considerable losses in the war. He hopes to aver the blame for the forcible ascension of the Baltic states which continue to remain bitter about the whole episode.
President Bush is in the Netherlands today and on his part has vowed that he will never again comprise freedom for stability, "The alliance that won the war is remembered today in carefully tended cemeteries in Normandy, Margraten, St. Petersburg, and other places across Europe, where we recall brief lives of great honor," Bush said on Saturday in Riga, Latvia. "We offer this pledge: We will always be grateful." He has also decided to honor those who never lived to see the dawn of peace in the world. He further emphasized that his meeting with President Putin in the latter's dacha on Monday will feature queries about Putin's commitment to democracy in Russia.
Elsewhere in Europe, Germany will mark the VE Day with a 48-hour Festival of Democracy at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. French President Jacques Chirac will attend a ceremony on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. And London will hold a concert in Trafalgar Square, featuring the wartime singer Vera Lynn to mark the occasion.
The victory of the Allies in World War II should serve as a lesson to the future generations. War brings with it more questions than answers, on this occasion, let us pray that the leaders of the Nations respond to stressful situations with foresight and absolute moral clarity.