Some may not remember the importance that May 8 has for this country, but hopefully some will remember and be ever so thankful. It was a different time for the United States of America 78 years ago. WWII had been going on since Sept. 1, 1939, with Nazi Germany invading and taking over several counties, killing, looting and causing atrocities. On Dec. 7, 1941, the United States entered WWII after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Young men from the farming communities, men in the cities and some women left their homes and families to serve their country uncertain of what lay ahead for them but knowing it was something that had to be done.

On June 6, 1944, Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, and many brave lives were lost in battles there. The Allied Forces continued the fight across Frances and on into Germany. In less than a year, the German Nazis surrendered, May 8, 1945.

On that memorable day, an unconditional surrender document was signed in Reims, France, by General Alfred Jodi, Chief of Staff of the Third Reich. The document was signed at General Dwight D. Eisehower’s headquarters in Reims in Northeast France. The following day other surrender documents were signed in Berlin, Germany. Thus ending the Nazi rule. It brought the end of the dictator Adolf Hitler.

May 8, 1945, was termed as Victory in Europe Day, or more commonly known as V-E Day, and is still celebrated today, though certainly not like it was 78 years ago. When word was heard of the surrender, an eruption of celebration was heard and felt all around the world. New York City’s Times Square was closed to traffic for six hours as hundreds or thousands of people poured into the streets, cheering, hugging, all so happy that the European War had ended. Ticker tapes fell all over Wall Street, and the subway had to rush extra trains into New York to service the growing crowds.

In a broadcast, President Truman cautioned everyone that the Allies must, “work to finish the war,” which meant defeating the Japanese in the Pacific. Truman also went on to share that May 8 was also his birthday.

President Truman added in a press conference, “We can repay the debt which we owe to our God, to our dead and to our children, only by work, by ceaseless devotion to the responsibilities which lie ahead of us. We must work to finish the war, our victory is only half over.” He then declared Sunday, May 13, 1945, as a day of prayer,” to unite in offering joyful thoughts to God for the victory we have won and to pray that He will support us to the end.”

On Aug. 15, 1945, about four months following V-E Day, Japan surrendered.

Let us never forget all the sacrifices made for freedom and in the defeat of countries that were trying to end that precious freedom.