V-E Day: Victory in Europe for the American Soldier

Today, May 8, is the anniversary of V-E or Victory in Europe Day. On this day in 1945, America and its Allies celebrated the defeat of the Nazis and the end of the bloody war in Europe. National Socialism and its racist, tyrannical ideology had been defeated, as had Italian Fascism; freedom was triumphant.

World War II was not over, as Japan remained a formidable ally, but the first vital and difficult victory was won. It is unfortunate that many Nazis were allowed to hold important positions in both Germany and America after the war, but certainly on May 8 of 1945, millions of Americans could rejoice with unbridled relief.

No more American soldiers would face Nazi guns in Europe, no more families wait for the heart-wrenching news of a beloved relative killed in Europe, and the end of war began to be a real and achievable prospect. And that victory was due in the largest measure not to the decisions of incompetent and too-cautious American leaders, but to the heroism and determination of the ordinary—or not-so-ordinary—American soldier.

The following write-up from the U.S. Army website is informative and inspiring, though somewhat exaggerative of the overall merits of U.S. generals (Patton and MacArthur were great generals, but Eisenhower, Bradley, and the rest regularly made disastrous decisions that cost many thousands of lives):

‘Emissaries of the German government surrendered on 7 May 1945, at General Eisenhower's Headquarters in Reims, France. The next day, 8 May, was designated as V-E Day (Victory in Europe), the official end of the war in Europe. The American contributions to the liberation of Europe had been predominant in both manpower and as an “arsenal for democracy” with American factories producing weapons, tanks, ships, and planes for ourselves and our allies. U.S. Army Generalship proved remarkably effective as their theories of war were put to the test on the battlefields with enormous success. It was however, the steadfast determination, courage and tenacity of the American Soldier that broke the German ability and will to resist.’

The U.S. Army website adds that “we honor the 11 million American Soldiers who defended freedom and defeated fascism and tyranny 75 years ago,” and we especially honor the over 135,000 U.S. soldiers who gave the last full measure of devotion, dying in Western Europe in WWII for freedom.

Today, let us honor the heroes of WWII not just by remembering what they did but by taking up where they left off. Each generation must face a formidable enemy, foreign or domestic, attempting to crush America. On V-E Day, let us take up the torch and resolve to stand for liberty and justice no matter what the obstacles or risks we must face.