With the 8th of May 1945, came the end of fighting in World War II. The ratification of Germany’s surrender in Rheims the day before was confirmed in Berlin. The Allies had succeeded in halting the Nazi threat, but not without huge sacrifices. Yesterday and all this week we remember those who fought and died, those who survived, and those left at home: the protected ones. Though we won the battles, we didn’t win the war for there can be no winner because everybody loses.

My mother’s father is currently writing some of his memoirs of his war experiences, fighting in Italy, North Africa, escaping from a prisoner of war camp. His mind is constantly focused on that time, all his experiences are grounded in it. My father’s father doesn’t talk about it; he was stationed in England throughout the war, building ships that others would valiantly sail away on. His contribution to the proction of the country is, to me, just as real and just as heartrending. Whether he doesn’t speak about it because it was a time he prefers to forget or because he feels his effort is valued as less, I don’t know for I’ve never dared to ask him about it. I know that I view them both with great respect.

We are at war right now, as a nation. Somehow it doesn’t affect us quite so directly as war impacted the country in the 30s and 40s. We’re not under attack by a great big enemy that we can see building troops; we face an unknown theat, whether that is terrorism or inequality, I don’t know; both are dangerous. We don’t melt down our pots and pans for their metal, we hardly notice the impact in our taxes. War today isn’t the sacrifice for citizens that it should be. We should feel the stress and economic drain that war brings, making it real for those of us lucky enough not to be on the front line. Today we could almost forget that we are at war; how is this even possible? I wrote to my respective grandparents yesterday, a very short note to thank them. It feels self-serving and somehow pathetic to only write a note to say thank-you, but it’s something I find valuable. I want them to know, want people who made sacrifices to know, that we thank them and that we love them for it. I want them to know that their gift was the greatest gift someone can ever give to their nation, and that we all respect that.

VE Day information:
infoplease
BBC Radio4
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
The Scotsman news coverage

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