Transcripts For CSPAN3 End Of World War II 75th Anniversary 20240712

Of victory over japan day. Or vj day, the allied victories in the pacific and the end of world war ii, the deadliest conflict in Human History. 75 years have passed since millions of people around the globe celebrated the end of world war ii. Thank you for joining us to celebrate our world war ii veterans who served overseas. All of those who served on the home front and our allies who together helped defeat tyranny, preserve freedom, and literally save the world. Of the National World war ii memoriam, your friends online commemorations is a Small Nonprofit Organization Whose Mission is to honor and preserve the National Memory of world war ii, and to create the next greatest generation of tomorrow. The ceremonies taking place throughout the day today are part of the friends four year world war ii 75th anniversary commemoration, which began on pearl harbor day 2016. Friends is the only organization to have hosted a full four year 75th anniversary tribute, marking every major battle in which american troops participated during world war ii. Lord, please be honored here as we present our gratitude to you and also to the sacrificial andes in the United States allied forces and the demise of the axis powers in the Pacific Theater. As we in the u. S. Officially recognize this victory in the signing of the representatives of japan 75 years ago today, may we rejoice in this action as it officially ended the deadliest and most expensive set of hostilities that humans have ever experienced on planet earth, and thus finalizing world war ii. May heroes, their supporters consisted of family members and friends and their progeny be blessed on account of their sacrifices made to foil the tyrannical plans of a potentially one world dominating government, which was primarily led by the nationalist socialist party also known as the nazi party, and cojoining powers. In commemoration of this the honorable meaningful and historically informative, i pray this in the name of all names. Amen. When we commemorate in the 2nd of september the signing of on the deck of the missouri in tokyo bay of the surrender instrument in which the Imperial Japanese empire surrendered to the United States. We were represented principally by general Douglas Mcarthur and fleet admiral chester nimitz. The achievement of a surrender was long and controversial. Made in japan was much controverted and there was much worrying i guess i could call it that from various organizations in various parts of the Japanese Army in different parts of the pacific. That did not happen. Of course, the surrender was signed and eventually observed through switzerland. A few days later and that was the end of the war. We remember. We commemorate soldiers and marines who served and died there, the people that we honor and remember today. To use a quotation of winston churchill, succeeding generations must not be allowed theorget these triumphs and sacrifices made by the citizens and soldiers who prosecuted them. My name is jeff and its my honor to serve as the superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Park here in the nations capital. Its my pleasure to speak with in front of the world war ii memorial of the many memorials , one and the National Parks. They commemorate our nations military legacy and honor the veterans who served in many conflicts. This year marks the 75th anniversary at the end of world war ii. And vj day marks the final commemoration of those. This year might be one of our final opportunities to honor and andk world war ii veterans their families in person. It was a very difficult decision to cancel this years vj day service. We know how many people share our great disappointment and not being able to gather here to properly honor the fallen from world war ii. Especially as we mark 75 years since the wars and. We are indebted to the friends of the National World war ii memorial, our partner in the care of this special place, for providing the special forum. We share in the mission to ensure that the legacy and sacrifices of world war ii veterans are not forgotten. More than 4 million visitors come to the memorial each year, thank you to the volunteers and National Park Service Staff care for this magnificent place. The pride you take in your work is apparent to us. All i know how difficult it has been for you to be away from that. Especially with the observance of so many important anniversaries. I truly look forward to welcome you back when it is safe to do so. The surrender ceremony aboard the uss missouri in 1945, general Douglas Mcarthur said , its my earnest hope, indeed, the hope of all mankind that from this solemn occasion, a better world could emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past. A world founded upon faith and understanding. A world dedicated to dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance, and justice. In a world still struggling to achieve peace and understanding , herein lies history and the power of our sacred memorials. These places arent merely reminders of those deeds, of the men and women who fought and struggled and ultimately were victorious. They remind us that extraordinary things can come from people with otherwise ordinary lives. They help us understand the monumental trials and sacrifices that have shaped our nation, our government, and our society. And they remind us not only of what we can achieve when we Work Together as a nation but also the work that remains to be completed. National park service is proud to steward the memorial and the legacy. Know that we will be here every day of every year watching over the place to keep it protected, with all the reverence it demands. Thank you. On september 2, 1945, aboard the uss missouri, anchored in tokyo bay, allied and japanese officers signed the terms of japanese surrender. A day now remembered as victory over japan day or vj day. Japans capitulation ended 60 ended 6 years of hostilities and bloodshed, officially concluding the war. Through the 1930s, japans imperial expansion, enabled by its modernized and formidable navy, posed a serious threat in the pacific. On december 7, 1941, tensions boiled over when japan attacked the American Fleet at pearl harbor. Shortly after this raid, japan launched similar attacks on American Forces on guam, week island, and the philippines. Each of which fell by mid1942. Before long, japan had claimed a huge collection of nations and violence under its new empire as its powerful navy secured its reach. America and its allies now had war to worryof about. The image of brutality against captured americans gave this new fight a sense of urgency. With the japanese fleet seemingly unstoppable, allied forces in the pacific reorganized and regrouped, looking for a way to halt this advance and regain ground. Fortunately, japanese actions to capture midway a toll midway atoll in june, 1942, were quelled with a decisive american victory that sank japans four carriers and several other vessels before forcing the remaining fleet to retreat. This battle was a monumental turning point that effectively halted japanese expansion by significantly crippling japans naval strength and reducing the number of carriers and skilled pilots. With japans momentum halted, the allies seized the initiative launched an Amphibious Assault on guadalcanal, which ultimately stopped Japanese Aggression in the solomon islands. From there, the allies launched a islandhopping campaign. A series of Amphibious Assaults aimed to bring American Forces closer to japan, and the occupied philippines by capturing strategic islands along the way and leapfrogging others to efficiently gain the most useful ground with less bloodshed. The first target, the assault that ended in an american victory but at an astounding cost over its fourday duration. Using the lessons learned, hardfought victories in the marshall islands, Mariana Islands and palau through 1944 brought allied forces ever closer to their ultimate objectives. With every victory on land, American Forces secured greater air and naval superiority. Yet casualties still climbed. In october, allied forces began Amphibious Operations to liberate the philippines. A task that would take ten months to complete. Allied forces elsewhere meanwhile continue to leapfrog closer to mainland japan into 1945. American air forces spearheaded by the new longrange b29 super fortress began a super balmy campaign against japan. Tough Amphibious Operations in the spring of 1945 captured the iwojima and leader okinawa. Each a important steppingstone for the invasion of the japanese mainland. Despite its rapid loss of military and imperial strength, as well as its beseech meant under strategic bombing, Japanese Forces did not surrender. And American Military leaders began to debate the necessity and human cost of an Amphibious Assault on japan itself. Instead, on august 6, 1945, an american b29 drop the first atomic bomb on the japanese city of hiroshima, causing catastrophic damage to the city and shocking the world. On august 9th, another b29 second bomb on nagasaki. Just one day after the soviet union no longer at war with a defeated germany, invaded the occupied manchuria. At last japan had had enough. After a few days of diplomatic assurances of the post war structure, on august 14th, august 15th in japan, japanese leaders agreed to surrender. The emperor, hirohito, issued a proclamation to the japanese people that they should accept this decision and honor its terms. That day in washington, president harry truman announced the news of japans surrender, an end to hostilities. Crowds of americans took to the streets in preparation for a moment they have been waiting for since that tack on pearl harbor. Ticker tape, parades, fireworks and bands overcrowded the streets as family, friends and strangers marked the occasion across the country. On the morning of september 2, 1945, general Douglas Mcarthur supported by admiral chester nimitz, along with several other top american officers received nine japanese delegates aboard the u. S. Flagship, the uss missouri, anchored in tokyo bay. Two copies of the official terms of surrender were signed at a small table on the missouris deck, by representatives by each warring nation in this theater. This event officially marked the end of the war in the pacific. Popularly known as victory over japan day, or vj day. After years of long and bloody fighting, with the surrender of japan, the guns at left fell silent. With its last belligerent defeated, world war ii at long last came to an end. Its 75 years since that vj day, oh do i remember it well even though it was 75 years ago. No i wasnt overseas at the time , i was in the Army Air Corps base in florida, but what a day it was. How we celebrated, and we are celebrating it again today. I do recall though all of us then went on to different ways and among some of the things i did was writing books. One of them was a book of poetry, and one poem in it was a remembrance of that great vj day. I will recite that for you now. Here it is. World war ii is over, at last, it was done oh how we celebrated was it ever fun soldiers, sailors, airman and marines in our spiffy dress uniforms, flooded the scenes pretty girls wearing gloves and cute little hats and high heeled shoes rather than flats. Greeted us everywhere we go on the streets or in bars or at the uso played little brown jug, we laugh and we jitterbug ever since then we heard anyone sing like sinatra, dina, ella, and bing god, we were young we were up for all challenges, for any test college days and so much more back in this now and in her we tour when those days on campus came to an end, onward we move to the roads next bend and then we got married to that girl we adored got a job and bought a house you could barely afford with children, with families, with friends, with delight we kept surging forward with all of our might but the years kept passing and then one day i noticed my hair was turning gray so what if i was a little bit older . I just ignored it like the pain of my shoulder. I kept right on enjoying the world that we saved from those tyrants so evil and depraved but now, faster and faster the years go by and many of my dear pals have said goodbye todays world might consider sold, they should have seen us when we were young in bold fewer than 1 million of us march along but i remember all six teen million strong i remember as world war ii buddies, not as some out of date Fuddy Duddies i remember that time when we went off to war them return to a world which was better than before i will remember all those who served, the greatest generation, a title deserved that is it and i am going to go celebrate the 75th. So with that, i will say off we go into the Wild Blue Yonder climbing into the sun. Hello, as senator bob doles cochairman to build the world war ii memorial, it is my honor on the 75th anniversary of vj day to pay tribute to the millions of americans who served and those who built the arsenal of democracy at home. The gold stars on this beautiful monument represent hundreds of thousands of comrades who lost their lives help defeat the greatest tyranny in history. The Pacific Theater was particularly brutal and difficult for those who served their. We are forever in the debt of these a veterans and must never forget the sacrifices they made for all of us. Tom hello, i am tom brokaw and it is my great personal privilege to participate in this commemoration of vj day. The end of the greatest war in the history of mankind. I was just a child but i was living at an army base at the time and the extraordinary celebration that erupted across that base in the small towns of southwestern south dakota. I knew this was an event that will define my lifetime and the lifetime of everyone who comes after. So we need to be reminded again about what happens when America Works together for common cause because we are going through another kind of war right now and we need to prevail because this is an unseen threat. But, nonetheless, it is a war that depends on all of us pulling together and finding that Great American spirit that has gotten us through so many, many challenges in the past. I am confident we can do it again and if we remember, the elation of vjday and the triumph of the western nations against the greatest war in the history of mankind, the greatest enemies, we can do it again. On behalf of the 2. 3 million soldiers, sailors, airman, marine, and coast guards, i all to say thank you to world war ii veterans. Living legends of the greatest generation and their families watching online across the nation and around the world. Patriots like you fought the bloodiest war in Human History and your generation, the great generation, took up arms against tyranny in the Second World War fought for something. You fought to achieve a better peace. From the ashes of destruction, death, and bloodshed of that war, you established a rules based global order rooted in political and economic liberty that has maintained great of our peace for over seven decades. My father and mother both were part of that generation. My father was with the Fourth Marine Division and may landings in iwo jima. My mother served at leaving hospital in seattle taking care of the wounded coming back from the pacific battles. Although both have passed on, i carry the example of integrity and Selfless Service as daily inspiration. While my parents served in the Pacific Theater, the Second World War was truly a global conflict. Many others fought across the atlantic, in north africa, in italy, at normandy, and on the eastern front. In fact, in june, 1944, as my father at the beach of saipan with the fighting fourth, his brother was at normandy on the other side of the world on the way to liberate paris from nazi control. Its an incredible tale of one familys service and it helps illustrate the scope and scale of the conflict our nation was then fighting and the sacrifice of every American Family during world war ii. I often reflect on my Parents Service to this nation and the lessons i take from their example has shaped my view on americas role and place in the world. My parents instilled in me a sense of service and an understanding of how lucky am to be an american. How lucky i was to grow up in a country where we have freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and all the other rights and privileges that we, as americans, enjoy in our daily lives. Today, those with firsthand knowledge of world war ii are becoming fewer and fewer and so we must never forget. Never forget the horrific cause the horrific cost of the great war and the sacrifices that went before us. Last year, i had the opportunity to go to the 75th anniversary of the normandy landings. I was talking to several of the veterans there and asked one of them simply, what is your lesson from world war ii . Lesson here great for those of us in uniform today . He looked up at me and tears came to his eyes and he simply said, general, never let it happen again. Never let it happen again. As the chairman of the joint chief of staff, on behalf of all those wearing the cloth of our nation, we send our sincere thanks to world war ii veterans for passing onto us the gift of freedom and we renew our commitment to preserving the peace you established and to protect the constitution and the values you fought so hard to defend. Today, we remember the people that died during the war in the pacific and the more than 60 Million People lost worldwide including 400,000 americans during the deadliest military conflict in Human History. They are not forgotten. You are watching American History tv. All weekend, every weekend, on cspan3. To join the conversation, like us on each week, American History tvs american artifacts visits