by Alan Storkey, Premier Christianity
In the aftermath of the second world war, the Western world had an opportunity to lay down their weapons. Instead, they chose a path of militarism over peace, argues Alan Storkey. On the 80th anniversary of VE day he says it is time to consider what was lost
Hitler died on 30 April, 1945 in his Berlin bunker. Germany had let him down and had lost the war. The other Nazi leaders were running and the European War finally ended on 8 of May, 1945, VE day, which we celebrate today, a lifetime later.
The evils of Fascism and the Nazi faith in the Führer had been defeated, uncrushing people everywhere (except in Japan), and people danced in the streets. It was the triumph of good over evil, and the horrific evidence of the evil came from the concentration camps and the battle-scarred lands.
The British war story
We all know the narrative – the Blitz, Churchill, Spitfires and the Battle of Britain, North Africa, Pearl Harbor, the US entering the war, D-Day and victory. We will remember them, and have for 80 years, for evil was defeated and the debt is vast. Yet, this truth of their sacrifice for us, made into a total British history, is really no longer adequate.
We have to ask more questions of that war as we face war after war during our lifetimes, up to today. Christians especially need to do it, because central truths of the Christian faith were deliberately buried around 1945.