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Dear All
Hello
On 15 August 1945, Japan surrended to the allied forces after nearly 6 years of war.
The end of war was marked by two-day holidays in the UK, the USA and Australia.
US President Harry S Truman broke the news at a press conference
at the White House.
He said the Japanese Government had agreed to comply in full with the Potsdam declaration which demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan.
But he warned that the task of creating a lasting peace still lay ahead.
In a broadcast to the nation, King George VI said:
"Our hearts are full to overflowing, as are your own. Yet there is not one of us who has experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel its inevitable consequences long after we have all forgotten our rejoicings today."
The Royal Family greeted cheering crowds from the Palace balcony. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret later mingled with the crowds outside the Palace.
Historic buildings were floodlit and throngs of people crowded onto the streets of every town and city singing, dancing and letting off fireworks.
Emperor Hirohito blamed the use of "a new and most cruel bomb" used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for Japan's surrender.
"Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in the ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation but would lead also to the total extinction of human civilisation."
Millions of people died, thousands suffered inhumane treatment and
there are still those who suffer today as a result of war.
Take gentle care
Sincere wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx
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One of my old bosses (a civilian from the Valleys in South Wales) was a Jap PoW.
Every year in February he would take one day off and take his wife for a meal.
He never spoke about his experience(s) in Singapore but this was a celebration memorial day for him.
He would not miss this day for anything, that I do recall clearly. Good for him!
He was a nice boss to me and I had great respect for him.
Sadly, I believe he has recently passed away.
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The announcement must have come as music to the ears of those brave PoW's who had undergone years of the most horrific ordeal during captivity.
My father had 2 such cousins - one held in Burma, the other in Java, having been in Singapore when it fell. They have never ever spoken of their ordeal, but according to my father, when they came home they were skeletons, broken men, without words to express their pain and sorrow and anguish, but certainly with plenty of memories and nightmares going on in the mind.
Both of them managed to rebuild their lives, to marry, and have families, without counselling, without compensation packages, they were told to 'get on with it' and they did.
And I have had the pleasure of knowing both, and am deeply proud of them.
Sadly, one of those cousins died earlier this year at the age of 96. He had been involved for many years with the FE PoW association and I sincerely hope that amongst his comrades he was able to find an outlet to express whatever he needed to, all that he couldn't to his family.
I applaud all those great men, those who came home and those who didn't.
God bless them all.
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Dear Barry and Karen
Hello to you both.
Thank you so much for sharing your family and friends experience.
It is a great pity in schools that students of all ages are not taught
about the human suffering of wars.
Sincere wishes and respect.
Elizabeth, EOS
xx
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nudging up for the night shift :-)
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