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Podcast: Today In History with The Retrospectors
Episode: What You Didn't Know About VE Day
Description: Today is the 80th anniversary of ‘Victory in Europe Day’, but despite the popular impression of the joyous street parties and jubilant crowds that took over London on 8th May, 1945, the reality was rather more complex.Â
For starters, the terms of Germany’s surrender itself had displeased the Soviet Union, and Stalin insisted on a second, official surrender in Berlin. This meant that while the West celebrated on May 8th, Russia and its allies marked Victory Day on May 9th.Â
Meanwhile, in Britain, the logistics behind our ‘spontaneous’ celebrations had actually been in the works since D-Day...