Remembering V-E Day [video]

World War Two in Europe ended 69 years ago today. Looking at our studio TV monitor this morning, I commented to Scot how much I would love to have a time machine. I would love to see and experience first-hand the jubilation that took place in New York's Times Square after President Harry Truman's announcement, delivered from the radio room at the White House:

THIS IS a solemn but a glorious hour. I only wish that Franklin D. Roosevelt had lived to
witness this day. General Eisenhower informs me that the forces of Germany have surrendered
to the United Nations. The flags of freedom fly over all Europe. For this victory, we join in offering our thanks to the Providence which has guided and sustained
us through the dark days of adversity.

Truman continued:

We must work to finish the war. Our victory is but half-won. The West is free, but the East is
still in bondage to the treacherous tyranny of the Japanese. When the last Japanese division has
surrendered unconditionally, then only will our fighting job be done.
We must work to bind up the wounds of a suffering world--to build an abiding peace, a peace
rooted in justice and in law. We can build such a peace only by hard, toilsome, painstaking
work--by understanding and working with our allies in peace as we have in war.
The job ahead is no less important, no less urgent, no less difficult than the task which now
happily is done.

As I said, I would love to travel back in time to share the joy and relief that announcement brought to a war-weary America. As long as we're fantasizing, I wouldn't mind witnessing the celebrations in London, Paris, and Moscow as well.

I remember asking my dad, Jake, what his reaction was when he received the news in Linz, Austria. He told me the men in his squad had "purloined" a keg or two of beer with the intention of drunken revelry. It wasn't to be, however. So many other soldiers joined in that each man got the equivalent of one beer. He didn't seem to mind. His worry was being re-assigned to the Pacific Theater to finish off Japan. Luckily, that didn't happen either. V-J Day took place shortly thereafter in August.

Since I've got no time machine, let's take a look at some footage from this date in 1945: