On Thursday night, President Donald Trump announced plans to designate May 8 as “Victory Day” for World War II in the United States.
This date aligns with “Victory in Europe Day,” which has been observed across most of Europe since Germany’s surrender in 1945.
Trump took to Truth Social to share his thoughts, acknowledging that “many of our allies and friends” already commemorate May 8.
However, he emphasized that America should join in the celebration because, as he put it, “we did more than any other country, by far, in producing a victorious result.”
The historical significance of May 7, 1945, when Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces, marks the beginning of this victory.
The next day, May 8, 1945, officially became “Victory in Europe Day.” Although the war didn’t fully end until later that year, when Japan signed the instrument of surrender on September 2, the announcement of Japan’s surrender on August 14 was a defining moment.
This was just one week after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which led to Japan’s decision to give up.
While the U.S. does not have a public holiday dedicated specifically to World War II, there have been various remembrance ceremonies across the country during May, August, and September for decades.
Former President Harry Truman, who served at the end of World War II, had previously proclaimed August 14 as “Victory Over Japan Day” in 1946.
In a similar vein, Trump’s proclamation also included plans to observe November 11 as World War I “Victory Day.”
He noted that the U.S. had emerged victorious in both World Wars, claiming, “We won both Wars; nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything.” Trump went on to say, “That’s because we don’t have leaders anymore who know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again!”
Disclaimer- Our team has thoroughly fact-checked this article to ensure its accuracy and maintain its credibility. We are committed to providing honest and reliable content for our readers.