The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

V-E Day in Chicago Cause for Celebration and Worry-- Part 1

From the May 10, 2015, Chicago Tribune "Chicago Flashback" by Ron Grossman.

The war against Germany was ending, but only very, very slowly.  Everyone knew it.  V-E day, Victory in Europe, was coming, but when.  then came a week of really bug headlines: April 30 was the death of Benito Mussolini; on May 2, the death of Adolf Hitler, May 3rd the Soviet Union taking Berlin.

The Chicago Tribune observed, "World War II European phase is not ending in a single, clear cut surrender like World War I, but is rushing toward its close in a series of smashing climaxes."

V-E day finally did arrive on May 8th, 70 years ago.  Chicagoans celebrated in their own ways, but with the knowledge that the war still continued in the Pacific, although clearly won there as well by this time.  And, there were uncertainties about what the post-war world would be like.

But, At Least Part of the War Was Over.  --GreGen

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