All over the broad Atlantic, wherever they had been working or lying hid, the U-boats surfaced, confessing the war's end. A few of them, prompted by determination or struck by guilt, scuttled or destroyed themselves, or ran for shelter, not knowing that there was none; but mostly they did what they had been told to do, mostly they hoisted their black surrender flags, and stayed where they were, and waited for orders.
~ Nicolas Monsarrat ("V.E. Day," from The Cruel Sea)
I’m old enough to recall recognizing VE Day in school. And, VJ Day as well. Btw, there’s two dates recognized as VJ Day; August 15th our time is the date Japan surrendered and is generally recognized in the UK and September 2nd which is the date the terms of surrender was signed on the deck of the USS Missouri and is the date celebrated here in the US.
God bless America.
My dad celebrated it on Okinawa
I celebrated VE day at Times Square listening to “There’s A Star Spangled Banner waving some where” and “The ballad of Roger Young” that was on the PA system on Duffy’s Square by the mini Statue of Liberty. I was 6 yrs at the time, and the memory has been with me ever since. My aunt of was 23 at the time took me there,and she is still alive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_riot
There was also the VE Day Riot in Halifax.
Sailors and soldiers garrisoning the Canadian town that was the origin for many convoys to England said they would get even with the civilians that had been harassing and gouging them and they did.
Most US troops in Europe weren’t celebrating as they figured they were going to get shipped to the Pacific.
I believe Russia celebrates it on May 9.