80th Anniversary of May 8, 1945  Liberation Without the End of War

In many European countries, the commemoration of the end of the Second World War coincides with the beginning of May. The Netherlands celebrates the day of liberation and victory over the Nazi regime on May 5, France and Germany on May 8 and Russia on May 9. The North American nations are also committed to remembering the fallen of the Second World War – just not with an official holiday on May 8. A transatlantic view on the 80th anniversary of the armistice on the European continent.

Contested Memories

The German unconditional surrender in the Second World War did not immediately mean "liberation" for Germany. Although the fighting ended, a different kind of suffering began for the German population due to the loss of their homes, hunger and a life in ruins. Over time, the division into occupation zones led to the creation of East and West Germany, which widely differed in commemorating the events of May 8. In the German Democratic Republic (GDR), under the influence of the Soviet Union, a "Day of Liberation from Fascism" was celebrated early on.

The situation was starkly different in West Germany. While attempts were made to create a positive meaning for the day with the adoption of the constitution in 1949, and a growing friendship with the former enemy USA – testified by the Berlin Airlift and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) joining NATO in 1955 –, the feeling of a painful defeat in the Second World War dominated for a long time. The historian Martin Sabrow even speaks of a “state-sanctioned consensus of silence” in the FRG, which prevented a reckoning with the terrors of the National Socialist regime. It was therefore nothing short of a seismic shift when Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker pronounced the following in the West German parliament in 1985:
 

Victory – in Europe

For the former Allies in the USA and Canada, May 8 is a day of historical significance, but not a national holiday. The date's current, rather subordinate role first became evident in 1945. Euphorically cheering crowds in New York City and Toronto testified to the joy on Victory in Europe Day (VE-Day). For the first time since the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, it was decided to floodlight landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Washington Monument, and the United States Capitol at nighttime.

President Harry S. Truman even had two reasons to celebrate: a victory and his birthday. Nevertheless, in his proclamation on the morning of May 8, 1945, the US President emphasized that there was still much to be done and that the victory achieved in the West now also had to be won in the East. This view was also shared by a mother interviewed by the Washington Post:

Events to mark May 8 are planned in both countries for this year, but official holidays to commemorate the deceased service men and women are celebrated in the USA on Memorial Day at the end of May and in Canada on Remembrance Day in November. Both traditions date back further than the Second World War. What was a turning point for Germany and many other European countries seemingly holds lees weight for North American nations.

Overlooked Allies

Mexico's role in the Second World War is often neglected, especially from a European perspective. The country declared war against the Axis powers in the summer of 1942 after German submarines had sunk two oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico. Individual Mexicans fought in Europe, such as pilot Luis Pérez Gómez for the Canadian Air Force in Operation Overlord and Medal of Honor recipient José M. López for the U.S. Army in the Battle of the Bulge. More well-known is the deployment of Mexican service members who fought alongside the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific until the end of the war in September 1945.
  Thousands of Mexicans also helped their Northern neighbor with farming and in manufacturing to make up for the labor shortage on the "Home front". This Bracero Program (Bracero = "manual laborer") only ended in 1964 after 22 years and was replaced by a visa category for work in farming. To this day, hundreds of thousands of people from Central and South America are employed in the agricultural sector in the USA. Thus, from a Mexican perspective, the end of the war in Europe also plays a rather minor role. Instead, the country commemorates the birthday of a national hero (although not as fervently) on May 8: Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the leader of the Mexican War of Independence.

What remains of May 8

On the one hand, current political debates in Germany about May 8 as a national holiday are characterized by fears about the economic consequences of granting an additional day of paid leave. On the other hand, parties and organizations argue about the historical significance of the date. Especially in right-wing extremist circles, the notion of "defeat" is rife to this day. In the United States, Donald Trump declared that May 8 should be recognized as "Victory Day for World War II" in the future – although the war was only officially over when Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945. Hence, even 80 years later, the debate on how to commemorate May 8 is still ongoing on both sides of the Atlantic.