Victory Day - Monday, 8 August 2022
Prior to 1975, when all states except Rhode Island ceased celebrating Victory Day, the holiday was observed nationwide. It is still a state holiday in Rhode Island, meaning that many individuals have the day off to take part in the festivities. Some businesses, all schools, and government facilities are also closed.
History
Japan launched a surprise aerial assault on Pearl Harbor, an American naval facility in Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. As a result of this strike, the United States quickly declared war on Japan, officially escalating the conflict in Europe into a global conflict. The battle against Japan was one-sided and Japan suffered significantly more casualties than the Allies as a result of the Allies' enormous war might and better technology.
The Potsdam Declaration, which was published on July 26, 1945, was a warning to Japan to submit or face repercussions. Since the Japanese government refused to submit, the United States detonated their first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6. The United States dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days later. On the following day, Japan unconditionally accepted the terms of the capitulation. This practically put an end to World War II, leading to huge celebrations in Europe and the United States. The surrender papers were signed by Japanese representatives on September 2 aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
VJ Day, also known as "Victory in Japan Day," was established by President Truman on September 2. Other nations, including China and Taiwan, now recognize and commemorate this day. Truman chose the day of Japan's surrender, Wednesday the 14th of August, for the celebration of triumph when he declared it should be honored as Victory Day in 1946.
I urge the American people to observe Victory Day as a day of solemn remembrance of the devotion of the men and women whose sacrifices led to victory, as well as a day of prayer and strong resolve that the causes of justice, freedom, peace, and international good will shall be advanced with undiminished and unremitting efforts, motivated by the bravery of our heroes in the Armed Services.
Victory Day in Rhode Island
Victory Day was originally observed in 1948, and at that time it was observed across the country. Its link with atomic weapons caused it to lose popularity over time. It has also come to be confused with VJ Day, which has made it contentious because many people believe that the event is insensitive to Japan and Japanese Americans and glorifies the destruction brought on by atomic bombs.
There have been petitions, and politicians have also demanded that the holiday's name be changed. The names "Celebrate Rhode Day" and "Ocean Day" have been suggested, but veteran organizations have vehemently objected, therefore Victory Day will remain the name of the holiday.
Due to its close links to the U.S. Navy, Rhode Island is the only state that continues to observe Victory Day, allowing them to continue paying tribute to and honoring the soldiers from Rhode Island who lost their lives on the Pacific front. The most soldiers were dispatched and lost in the war against Japan from Rhode Island.
How Victory Day is Celebrated
For Victory Day, there are a lot of celebrations and parades taking place in Rhode Island to remember the war's fallen heroes and celebrate the Allies' victory. Victory weekend is one of the busiest beach-going weeks of the summer, so many people take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the beach.
By The Numbers
2 – the number of waves in which the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor was executed.
183 – the number of planes in the first wave of the attack.
171– the number of planes in the second wave of the attack.
2,403 – the number of Americans who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
18 – the number of ships that sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
1945 – the year when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
214,000 – the estimated number of people killed in the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Five Incredible Facts About V-J Day’s Aftermath
1.Binocular Vision?
As previously established, the well-known "Kiss" photograph was actually two comparable shots of the same event: one published in the New York Times and credited to Navy photographer Victor Jorgensen, and the other appearing in Life magazine thanks to photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt. To varied degrees of believability, several men and women over the years have asserted that they are the pair in the picture.
2.One official and one unofficial commemorative date
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to about more than 200,000 casualties.
3.A huge price to pay
Numerous Japanese soldiers committed suicide in the days after the Japanese surrendered because they could not bear the embarrassment of losing the war, while almost 100 American prisoners held by the Japanese were brutally killed.
4.Back to the status quo
Although the officials of the island of Hong Kong dubbed the end of the war their “Liberation Day” from fascist forces, Hong Kong was simply handed back over to the British Royal Navy, once again becoming a British dependency.
5.Tiny and alone
Over 77 years after the famous day, the only state in the United States to recognize V-J Day as an official holiday is Rhode Island, where it’s celebrated yearly on the second Monday in August. In the 70s it was renamed simply “Victory Day” to remove any implication that its celebration would be due in any part to gloating over the loss of Japanese lives.
Why VJ Day is Important
1.It marked the end of years of nearly incomprehensible losses of life and property.
Over two dozen nations took part in the worst conflict in human history, World War II, and the staggering death tolls—upwards of 80 million people died in bloody combat—remain shocking to this day. The cessation of hostilities allowed the war-torn peoples and nations to breathe a sigh of relief.
2.It led to the rebuilding of Europe and Japan.
The Marshall Plan, which provided friendly nations abroad with about 12 billion dollars in aid (128 billion in today's dollars), was implemented by the United States in 1948, primarily to aid in the reconstruction of European and Pacific region infrastructure and economies but also in part to prevent the spread of Communism in Europe.
3.It inspires us to seek peace
As we mentioned, the First World War was called "the war to end all wars,” but in the century since then of near-continuous fighting, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East operations, has unfortunately turned that phrase on its head. But if anything, the prevalence of armed conflict itself can heighten our appreciation for the times when things are calm and peaceful in our world.
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