The UK, France and all the Allies rightly celebrate the ending of the Second World War in Europe 75 years ago.
It is wholly appropriate to celebrate the end (in Europe) of a conflict that undoubtedly cost between 70-85 Million human beings their lives, the loss of lives though continued with the conflict in the Far East and only finally came to an end with VJ Day on the 15th of August 1945 with the surrender of the Japanese Forces after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I'm probably out of step with my disregard for the "Jingoism" that is prevalent today and the idea of street parties leaves me cold.
However;
Bear with me though, I've been totally emotionally drained watching the BBC 2 programme "Britain's Greatest Generation" and I freely admit to shedding a tear while listening and watching those real heroes and their experiences during the war.
For them I celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE day, but can't find it in me to celebrate why we had to go to war in the first instance.
I'm not for a nano-second an apologist for Nazism and Hitler and both it and he, had to be defeated for the whole of society in general. What does rankle me is that had the Allies not insisted on such stringent reparations against the Weimar Republic of Germany in 1919. The size and terms of the reparations to be paid from the Versaille Treaty/Conference allied to the world economic collapse with the "Great Crash" of 1929; causing hyperinflation to the extent that the ordinary German citizen could have papered their living rooms with Million Deutschmark notes !
If that isn't a precursor for Fascism then what is. The countries who suffered most from this rampant inflation all ended up with Fascist Leaders, Mussolini and Franco in Italy and Spain respectively !
So for our "Greatest Britons", I truly salute you, the few that are still hale and hearty!
Was the war needed? It's not so clear cut to my mind !
It is wholly appropriate to celebrate the end (in Europe) of a conflict that undoubtedly cost between 70-85 Million human beings their lives, the loss of lives though continued with the conflict in the Far East and only finally came to an end with VJ Day on the 15th of August 1945 with the surrender of the Japanese Forces after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I'm probably out of step with my disregard for the "Jingoism" that is prevalent today and the idea of street parties leaves me cold.
However;
Bear with me though, I've been totally emotionally drained watching the BBC 2 programme "Britain's Greatest Generation" and I freely admit to shedding a tear while listening and watching those real heroes and their experiences during the war.
For them I celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE day, but can't find it in me to celebrate why we had to go to war in the first instance.
I'm not for a nano-second an apologist for Nazism and Hitler and both it and he, had to be defeated for the whole of society in general. What does rankle me is that had the Allies not insisted on such stringent reparations against the Weimar Republic of Germany in 1919. The size and terms of the reparations to be paid from the Versaille Treaty/Conference allied to the world economic collapse with the "Great Crash" of 1929; causing hyperinflation to the extent that the ordinary German citizen could have papered their living rooms with Million Deutschmark notes !
If that isn't a precursor for Fascism then what is. The countries who suffered most from this rampant inflation all ended up with Fascist Leaders, Mussolini and Franco in Italy and Spain respectively !
So for our "Greatest Britons", I truly salute you, the few that are still hale and hearty!
Was the war needed? It's not so clear cut to my mind !
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