VE Day
If you're a History Channel geek like I am, you know that today is the 60th anniversary of V-E Day.
By no means was victory over the Nazis assured, although sometimes it is presented that way in history books. It is impossible for us to really understand what it was like in occupied Europe or even here in Fortress America during that time.
I came across this site that has audio clips of broadcasts Edward R Murrow made from London prior to and during the war in Europe. Walter Cronkite and the rest of the anchormen alive today wish they were half as good as Morrow was then. About halfway down is his broadcast from Piccadilly Square during the victory celebration.
It's part of this much larger site with different World War II audio and visual links. Listening and watching some of the clips is probably the closest to understanding what it was like for those of us who were not yet born when the war raged on.
I wish I had something really profound to say on this occasion, but the best I can come up with is this: Thank you to my uncle Peter Zupko and all of the other veterans who served in Europe during World War II, and to the civilians like my father who also served (Dad was ineligible for the draft due to asthma, but he worked as a mechanic, repairing planes for the Navy in Africa on loan from Pan Am). You really were America's Greatest Generation.
By no means was victory over the Nazis assured, although sometimes it is presented that way in history books. It is impossible for us to really understand what it was like in occupied Europe or even here in Fortress America during that time.
I came across this site that has audio clips of broadcasts Edward R Murrow made from London prior to and during the war in Europe. Walter Cronkite and the rest of the anchormen alive today wish they were half as good as Morrow was then. About halfway down is his broadcast from Piccadilly Square during the victory celebration.
It's part of this much larger site with different World War II audio and visual links. Listening and watching some of the clips is probably the closest to understanding what it was like for those of us who were not yet born when the war raged on.
I wish I had something really profound to say on this occasion, but the best I can come up with is this: Thank you to my uncle Peter Zupko and all of the other veterans who served in Europe during World War II, and to the civilians like my father who also served (Dad was ineligible for the draft due to asthma, but he worked as a mechanic, repairing planes for the Navy in Africa on loan from Pan Am). You really were America's Greatest Generation.
posted by KoryO @ 11:50 AM
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