Today is Victory in Europe Day. This is the 73rd anniversary of VE Day, which also fell on a Tuesday. It was on Tuesday, May 8, 1945, that the war in Europe against Hitler and the Germans was officially considered over.
Of course, I never thought the Germans were the bumbling fools they were portrayed as in “Hogan’s Heroes,” but then again maybe they weren’t that smart. Or we Americans truly do have ingenuity.
I’ve written before I don’t think much of the game Monopoly because I’ve never had the patience to actually finish a game of Monopoly, but my view of Monopoly changed when I learned POWS in Germany used the game to help them escape. I’ll still stick with the excellent movie “Stalag 17” over Hogan’s Heroes when it comes to how World War II and Germans are depicted.
VE Day just happened to fall on Harry Truman’s birthday, so I would think Truman thought that was a pretty nice birthday present.
Of course, those who answered the call in World War II are considered The Greatest Generation and rightfully so.
My guess is not a whole lot will be said about VE Day today. For the most part, we’ll go on with our lives like it’s any other day.
And we can — and should — thank The Greatest Generation responsible for VE Day for that.
— Charles Whisnand
