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Sombre day of reflection as Australians mark 80 years since Victory in the Pacific
The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II will be marked with commemorations around the country to honour those who served and the almost 40,000 men and women who didn't make it back home.
August 15 marks Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day after the war with the Japanese that lasted from 1941 to 1945.
Nearly one million Australians served in the armed forces during the war.
More than 17,000 Australians lost their lives while fighting in the war against Japan, some 8,000 of whom died in Japanese captivity. Almost 40,000 Australians died throughout World War 11 from 1939 to 1945.
READ MORE: A friendship preserved: unopened WWII beer honours soldiers' pact
RSL sub-branch secretary Bob Minns from Shellharbour told ACM it was a sobering day.
"When we think of the atrocities they had to go through," he said.
"It has now come full circle as Japan is now one of our major defence partners. Does time heal? I'm not sure."
Mr Minns said he would remember family members such as his grandfather and numerous uncles who served in World War II.
"I had an uncle who didn't make it back," he said.
"There were close to 40,000 that didn't make it back home."
He described the world as on a knife-edge, questioning whether history would repeat itself.
Esperance RSL sub-branch president Michael Johnson, from the south coast of Tasmania, said he believed there should be a stronger focus by the government on VP Day.
"It's underrated and understated," he said.
"It's the end of the biggest war in history, and I don't think it is being commemorated properly," he said.
"It hasn't been portrayed that way by the government, certainly not in Tasmania."
READ MORE: 'Disappointing': Kokoda track shuts indefinitely after landowner blockade
He said Australia's involvement was devastating.
"The Japanese were very tenacious and a hard enemy to fight and also quite cruel," he said.
"The conditions in the jungle also made it difficult with diseases.
"Most who served in the jungle would have suffered malaria, typhus and cholera."
Wollongong RSL president John Sperring hoped younger generations would understand the significance of the day.
"There was a lot of sacrifice," he said.
"We live in the land of plenty, and it is hard for younger generations to comprehend what happened," he said.
"It is also important to honour those who weren't on the front line but were at home suffering from war shortages," he said.
The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II will be marked with commemorations around the country to honour those who served and the almost 40,000 men and women who didn't make it back home.
August 15 marks Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day after the war with the Japanese that lasted from 1941 to 1945.
Nearly one million Australians served in the armed forces during the war.
More than 17,000 Australians lost their lives while fighting in the war against Japan, some 8,000 of whom died in Japanese captivity. Almost 40,000 Australians died throughout World War 11 from 1939 to 1945.
READ MORE: A friendship preserved: unopened WWII beer honours soldiers' pact
RSL sub-branch secretary Bob Minns from Shellharbour told ACM it was a sobering day.
"When we think of the atrocities they had to go through," he said.
"It has now come full circle as Japan is now one of our major defence partners. Does time heal? I'm not sure."
Mr Minns said he would remember family members such as his grandfather and numerous uncles who served in World War II.
"I had an uncle who didn't make it back," he said.
"There were close to 40,000 that didn't make it back home."
He described the world as on a knife-edge, questioning whether history would repeat itself.
Esperance RSL sub-branch president Michael Johnson, from the south coast of Tasmania, said he believed there should be a stronger focus by the government on VP Day.
"It's underrated and understated," he said.
"It's the end of the biggest war in history, and I don't think it is being commemorated properly," he said.
"It hasn't been portrayed that way by the government, certainly not in Tasmania."
READ MORE: 'Disappointing': Kokoda track shuts indefinitely after landowner blockade
He said Australia's involvement was devastating.
"The Japanese were very tenacious and a hard enemy to fight and also quite cruel," he said.
"The conditions in the jungle also made it difficult with diseases.
"Most who served in the jungle would have suffered malaria, typhus and cholera."
Wollongong RSL president John Sperring hoped younger generations would understand the significance of the day.
"There was a lot of sacrifice," he said.
"We live in the land of plenty, and it is hard for younger generations to comprehend what happened," he said.
"It is also important to honour those who weren't on the front line but were at home suffering from war shortages," he said.
The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II will be marked with commemorations around the country to honour those who served and the almost 40,000 men and women who didn't make it back home.
August 15 marks Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day after the war with the Japanese that lasted from 1941 to 1945.
Nearly one million Australians served in the armed forces during the war.
More than 17,000 Australians lost their lives while fighting in the war against Japan, some 8,000 of whom died in Japanese captivity. Almost 40,000 Australians died throughout World War 11 from 1939 to 1945.
READ MORE: A friendship preserved: unopened WWII beer honours soldiers' pact
RSL sub-branch secretary Bob Minns from Shellharbour told ACM it was a sobering day.
"When we think of the atrocities they had to go through," he said.
"It has now come full circle as Japan is now one of our major defence partners. Does time heal? I'm not sure."
Mr Minns said he would remember family members such as his grandfather and numerous uncles who served in World War II.
"I had an uncle who didn't make it back," he said.
"There were close to 40,000 that didn't make it back home."
He described the world as on a knife-edge, questioning whether history would repeat itself.
Esperance RSL sub-branch president Michael Johnson, from the south coast of Tasmania, said he believed there should be a stronger focus by the government on VP Day.
"It's underrated and understated," he said.
"It's the end of the biggest war in history, and I don't think it is being commemorated properly," he said.
"It hasn't been portrayed that way by the government, certainly not in Tasmania."
READ MORE: 'Disappointing': Kokoda track shuts indefinitely after landowner blockade
He said Australia's involvement was devastating.
"The Japanese were very tenacious and a hard enemy to fight and also quite cruel," he said.
"The conditions in the jungle also made it difficult with diseases.
"Most who served in the jungle would have suffered malaria, typhus and cholera."
Wollongong RSL president John Sperring hoped younger generations would understand the significance of the day.
"There was a lot of sacrifice," he said.
"We live in the land of plenty, and it is hard for younger generations to comprehend what happened," he said.
"It is also important to honour those who weren't on the front line but were at home suffering from war shortages," he said.
The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II will be marked with commemorations around the country to honour those who served and the almost 40,000 men and women who didn't make it back home.
August 15 marks Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day after the war with the Japanese that lasted from 1941 to 1945.
Nearly one million Australians served in the armed forces during the war.
More than 17,000 Australians lost their lives while fighting in the war against Japan, some 8,000 of whom died in Japanese captivity. Almost 40,000 Australians died throughout World War 11 from 1939 to 1945.
READ MORE: A friendship preserved: unopened WWII beer honours soldiers' pact
RSL sub-branch secretary Bob Minns from Shellharbour told ACM it was a sobering day.
"When we think of the atrocities they had to go through," he said.
"It has now come full circle as Japan is now one of our major defence partners. Does time heal? I'm not sure."
Mr Minns said he would remember family members such as his grandfather and numerous uncles who served in World War II.
"I had an uncle who didn't make it back," he said.
"There were close to 40,000 that didn't make it back home."
He described the world as on a knife-edge, questioning whether history would repeat itself.
Esperance RSL sub-branch president Michael Johnson, from the south coast of Tasmania, said he believed there should be a stronger focus by the government on VP Day.
"It's underrated and understated," he said.
"It's the end of the biggest war in history, and I don't think it is being commemorated properly," he said.
"It hasn't been portrayed that way by the government, certainly not in Tasmania."
READ MORE: 'Disappointing': Kokoda track shuts indefinitely after landowner blockade
He said Australia's involvement was devastating.
"The Japanese were very tenacious and a hard enemy to fight and also quite cruel," he said.
"The conditions in the jungle also made it difficult with diseases.
"Most who served in the jungle would have suffered malaria, typhus and cholera."
Wollongong RSL president John Sperring hoped younger generations would understand the significance of the day.
"There was a lot of sacrifice," he said.
"We live in the land of plenty, and it is hard for younger generations to comprehend what happened," he said.
"It is also important to honour those who weren't on the front line but were at home suffering from war shortages," he said.
