Victory In Europe 5 May 1945

On over 80 years ago, much of the Western World celebrated VE day. Finally Germany signed the unconditional surrender and by May 8 and 9th celebrations rang out in Australia.

While numbers vary on the total number of casualties that Australia suffered in Europe, Australia lost its sons, daughters, sibblings, other family members and brothers in arms. What seemed like an eternity to end, the final battles in Europe fell quiet and by 25th May 1945, Europe was finally free from death and destruction caused by a world at war.

The war in Europe saw so many atrocities against human kind. For the Asian Pacific region, the war would rage until August 1945. As newspapers went to print, Australia awoke to celebrations, dancing in the streets and each major capital city held large victory celebrations.

The carnage had stopped in Europe, but the toll it took to the Australian Defence Forces, and the public was huge, and the toll it took to the world was monumental. The 5th of May is a memory for peace, the ecstatic euphoria that comes from stopping the intense pain, and suffering that war creates.

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All photos courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.