Esper and joint chiefs of staff chair general mark milley. Hello. Im honored to host this ve day commemorati commemoration. This day ended over five years of brutal fighting. President harry truman called it a solemn but glorious hour. Celebrations erupted all over the United States. Americans gathered together to express a range of emotions. Their euphoria that friends and family would be coming home and their grief for those who would never come home again. For a moment the world celebrated a hope of peace. I wish that franklin d. Roosevelt lived to see this day. [ gunfire ] general ieisenhower informs e they have surrendered. The war came to an end on may 8, 1945. The flags of freedom fly all over europe. The power of our people to defend themselves against all enemies will be proved in the pacific war as it was proved in europe. To those watching from home who fought for global peace 75 years ago, whether you wore a uniform, built a plane or grew vegetables, we want to thank you fo
In world war ii. Whoral mason was a veteran served in the european theater in George Pattons third army and went on to have a long career in the military. Several retiring, held highranking positions in the pentagon, including assistant deputy chief of all operations and special assistant to the deputy chief of logistics. So it is a very special night any time we have a mason lecture at the museum. Thanks to the generosity of general mason and his family, we are proud to host tonights by one, a Public Lecture of the worlds most distinguished holocaust scholars. Museum,to think, at the we tell the story of the entire experience of world war ii and feel that too often the holocaust and world war ii are studied as separate, almost isolated topics. We believe it is our role to help our audiences understand the broader context surrounding the holocaust and the legacies it continues to impact on her world. We have one more exhibition to come. Believe it or not, there is room for one more bui
After pearl harbor and americas entrance into the war. Two days after the fifth army captured the eternal city, general dwight d. Eisenhowers forces hit the normandy beaches in a massive amphibious assault. Despite bitter german resistance, we built up an enormous beachhead and finally broke through. Our seventh army, commanded by general alexander patch, landed in Southern France and pushed along the rome river valley. 10 days later, paris was liberated. In italy, the fifth army crossed the arno river and is swept on toward bellona. In the pacific, General Macarthurs forces invaded, putting them within 300 miles of the philippines. General stillwell was making progress in burma, with british and chinese units. [explosions] the tide of war was turning against the aggressors with a vengeance. Just 97 days after the assault on omaha beach, the army had crossed the german border. The battle for france was nearing its end. The battle for germany was about to begin. The nazi reich was soon
Narrator with the coming of spring 1944, the winter stalemate in italy was broken. Our forces resumed fighting their way up the west coast of the italian boot towards rome. Against bitter german opposition. [explosions] the british advanced up the east coast, in the face of equally bitter opposition. [explosions] in the pacific, troops of the First Calvary Division landed on los negros and another island to wipe out all japanese resistance and complete the occupation of the entire group of islands. [explosions and gunfire] we landed in large forces on the north coast of new guinea. General stillwell and his troops were fighting the japanese in burma. [explosions] this was global warfare on a scale never known before. [explosions] less than three years before, hitler had addressed the nation. Willrmany, italy and japan face war on the United States to a positive conclusion. Narrator in rome, his counterpart declared on the side of japan against the United States. Narrator a japanese mil
Pres. Trump i stand before you at this noble fortress of american liberty to pay tribute to the immortal souls who fought and died to keep us free. Earlier today the first lady and in their sacred honor at Arlington National cemetery. Now we come together to salute the flag they gave their lives so boldly and brilliantly we pledge and their Cherished Memories that this majestic flag will proudly fly forever. We are joined for todays ceremony by secretary of defense mark esper. Secretary of the interior david bernhardt, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general congressman andy harris, and a number of Service Members and veterans of the armed forces. The dignity, daring, and devotion of the American Military is unrivaled anywhere in history and anywhere in the world. In recent months our nation and the world have been engaged in a new form of battle against an invisible enemy. The men and women of the United States military have answered the call to duty and raced into danger. T