Download VE Day - The Marches School

Discussion:
What do you think these people are doing?
Why are they celebrating and having a good time?
LCE
What is VE Day?
Watch this video to find out everything you
need to know about VE Day.
All you need to know about VE Day
LCE
The Second World War
Discussion: Why was this war called a world war?
?
Read the following slides to find out.
LCE
The Second World War
• The Second World War was a global conflict with fighting
taking place in many countries and continents. It had started
in Europe 1939 with Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland and
then Western Europe, Soviet Russia, and through the Balkans.
The collapse of the countries in Western Europe had also
resulted in Nazi Germany and the Axis powers such as Italy
and Japan moving into Africa and Asia.
• By the end of 1940, the only European country not occupied
but still fighting Germany was Britain. For the next three and a
half years, Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth fought
with Germany around the globe - in North Africa, South East
Asia and many other places.
• In December 1941, the United States entered the war on the
side of Britain and her Allies after it was attacked by Japanese
forces.
LCE
The Second World War
• For large parts of the war the countries and people that were most
affected were in Europe. Many countries were invaded or bombed.
British towns and cities were bombed from the summer of 1940
until 1945. That is five years of killing and injuring thousands and
making many more homeless. Most food and goods we taken for
granted such as meat, cheese, fruit, sweets, clothes and petrol were
rationed – that means you could only have a certain amount and
then only if you had the right tokens.
• Millions of men and women from Britain and the British Empire and
Commonwealth joined the Armed Services or took part in war
work. They served and fought all across the world and risked their
lives. The ages of those that served in the forces were 17 years to
their mid-forties. Others carried out important war work such as
mining or working in the factories which were always dangerous
but also risked becoming targets for bombing. Millions of lives were
changed.
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VE Day
• In May 1945 the War in Europe and North Africa
and the Middle East came to an end. There were
no more bombing raids and the threat of attack
and injury went away.
• As soon as the announcement was made that the
war was over people went to the streets to
celebrate.
• People danced in the streets, bells across the
country pealed, tugs on the Thames sounded
their horns, planes roared overhead and flags
appeared everywhere – finally it was over.
LCE
What is VE Day?
Discussion: How did people reacted to the end
of war?
VE Day
Watch this video to find out.
LCE
What did Princess
Elizabeth do?
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What did Princess
Elizabeth do?
• Shortly after Churchill’s speech King George VI, Queen
Elizabeth and the two princesses came out onto the
balcony at Buckingham Palace to acknowledge the
ecstatic, cheering throng. It was to be the first of eight
appearances by the King and Queen on VE Day. When
the doors onto the balcony were opened again at
5.30pm, the Royal Family stepped out accompanied by
the man of the hour, Churchill.
• Later that evening, when the King and Queen appeared
once more, amongst the joyful crowd below were their
two daughters. Princess Elizabeth and Princess
Margaret had slipped out of the Palace to join in and
experience the jubilation.
LCE
What did Princess
Elizabeth do?
Later in 1985, HM Queen Elizabeth II recalled that
day:
“… my sister and I realised we couldn’t see what the
crowds were enjoying … so we asked my parents if
we could go out and see for ourselves … After
crossing Green Park we stood outside and shouted,
‘We want the King’, and were successful in seeing
my parents on the balcony, having cheated slightly
because we sent a message into the house to say
we were waiting outside. I think it was one of the
most memorable nights of my life.”
LCE
No celebrations in the Far
East
• While Britain was awash with street parties and bonfires to
celebrate VE Day, thousands of miles away, British and
Commonwealth Armed Forces were still fighting in Burma,
Singapore and Thailand. It was there that they heard the
news that the war was over in Europe.
• It was the longest campaign of the war with continuous
fighting for three full years. Unlike their comrades fighting
in Europe, the British Forces had no leave during which
they could go home, even if it was for just a few days. They
were there for the duration; their only hope of seeing
England was in victory. Six years of warfare which had
caused untold loss and misery to the world came to the end
with the surrender of Japan.
LCE
70 years on
Today we remember all those whose lives were
affected by the Second World War. We remember
those that were killed and injured and those that
returned from battle with terrible injuries and
memories. We remember the children whose lives
were changed and those that people that carried
out war work. We can reflect on how war affects
the lives of many ordinary people. We can
contemplate how pleased they were in 1945 that
the war was brought to an end and that peace had
finally been won.
LCE
Remembering
“When you go home,
tell them of us and say,
For your Tomorrow, we
gave our Today”
LCE
70 years on
Discussion: Why should we celebrate VE
Day 70 years on?
LCE