Victory in Europe, or VE Day, is celebrated on May 8 each year in many European countries to commemorate the acceptance of the unconditional surrender of Germany, thus formally ending World War II. This year, May 8 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. To celebrate the momentous occasion, the Veterans History Project, a project of the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress, has created an online exhibit, Experiencing War: End of World War II, 75th Anniversary. The exhibit features interviews with just a few of the 16 million Americans who served our country during World War II and offers some insight into the wartime experiences of these brave men and women, experiences that not only affected history but also touched their personal lives. You will meet:
a Navy Commander who was at Normandy on D-Day, in Europe on the day that the war ended there, and on board the first ship to enter Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered;
a Japanese-American medic who escaped three times from the Germans and was the only non-Caucasian in his POW camp;
a technician for the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion who survived German bombing raids in London; and
a technician in the Army’s 45th Infantry Division, who was one of the first Americans to enter the concentration camp at Dachau.
These are only handful of veterans whose stories are featured in this online exhibit. However, there are many other veterans from various wars who have contributed their stories to the Veterans History Project. Past exhibits include: Experiencing War: Voices of War and Experiencing War: End of World War II, 70th Anniversary.
Note: In 2000, Congress, recognizing the need to preserve the oral histories of veterans for future generations, enacted Pub. L. 106-380, which authorized the American Folklife Center to establish the Veterans History Project. If you would like to participate in the project or know someone who would, check out the Veterans History Project How to Participate page for more information.