Latest news with #wartimegeneration
Sky News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
King uses VJ Day address to send stark message about current global conflicts
The King has used his VJ Day speech to send a stark message about current global conflicts. He describes the anniversary as a reminder that "war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life - a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today". In a powerful audio recording to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War in the Far East, he warns of the importance of never forgetting the "service and sacrifice of the wartime generation and what it shows us about the ongoing need for international cooperation". King Charles says: "Those heroes of VJ Day gave us more than freedom; they left us the example of how it can and must be protected. "Countries and communities that had never before fought together learned to coordinate their efforts across vast distances, faiths and cultural divides. "Together they proved that, in times of war and in times of peace, the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear, but the arms you link. "That remains a vital lesson for our times". The message, which was recorded in the Morning Room at Clarence House earlier this month, echoes the address to the nation made by his grandfather, King George VI, at the end of the war in 1945. It also mirrors sentiments King Charles made in his speech to mark the anniversary of VE Day back in May and can be seen as indicative of his concerns about current world events and conflicts. He goes on to say, "We recall, too, the prisoners of war who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance. "Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too. "Their experience reminds us that war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life - a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today." 11:31 In July, King Charles welcomed President Zelenskyy to Windsor Castle for an audience, after showing support for Ukraine since the war began. In December, the King attended a reception for charity workers who have been operating in the Middle East to thank them for their efforts. Ahead of Donald Trump's arrival for a state visit to the UK in September, the King specifically praises the USA but combined with a more personal reflection. "While that final victory in the Pacific was achieved under the strategic command of our steadfast American allies," he says, "the war in South East Asia had reached its climax under the leadership of my great uncle, Lord Mountbatten, from whom I learned so much about the particular horrors and heroism witnessed in those furthest fields of combat." He does not specifically mention Japan, which, on 15 August 1945, surrendered to Allied Forces. As King Charles acknowledges, "the forces on the ground sometimes considered themselves 'the Forgotten Army'". With Victory in Europe (VE Day) declared in May 1945, some have felt that historically, VJ Day has been overlooked, undervaluing the sacrifices of those who continued to fight on for another three months. The monarch ends his message: "Let us, above all, remember the epitaph in the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery on the battlefield of Kohima: 'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today'." The King and Queen Camilla will also publicly mark the anniversary and meet veterans, as they did for VE Day, by attending the National Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. 1:09 The service, run in partnership with the Royal British Legion, will be attended by Burma Star recipients, a veteran of the British Indian Army and those involved in the Battles of Kohima and Imphal, as well as Prisoners of War. A two-minute national silence will be held at midday.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
'The greatest weapons are not the arms you bear but the arms you link': King uses VJ speech to send stark message about current conflicts
The King has used his VJ Day speech to send a stark message about current global conflicts. He describes the anniversary as a reminder that "war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life - a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today". In a powerful audio recording to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War in the Far East, he warns of the importance of never forgetting the "service and sacrifice of the wartime generation and what it shows us about the ongoing need for international cooperation". King Charles says: "Those heroes of VJ Day gave us more than freedom; they left us the example of how it can and must be protected. "Countries and communities that had never before fought together learned to coordinate their efforts across vast distances, faiths and cultural divides. "Together they proved that, in times of war and in times of peace, the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear, but the arms you link. "That remains a vital lesson for our times". The message, which was recorded in the Morning Room at Clarence House earlier this month, echoes the address to the nation made by his grandfather, King George VI, at the end of the war in 1945. It also mirrors sentiments King Charles made in his speech to mark the anniversary of VE Day back in May and can be seen as indicative of his concerns about current world events and conflicts. He goes on to say, "We recall, too, the prisoners of war who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance. "Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too. "Their experience reminds us that war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life - a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today." 11:31 In July, King Charles welcomed President Zelenskyy to Windsor Castle for an audience, after showing support for Ukraine since the war began. In December, the King attended a reception for charity workers who have been operating in the Middle East to thank them for their efforts. Ahead of Donald Trump's arrival for a state visit to the UK in September, the King specifically praises the USA but combined with a more personal reflection. "While that final victory in the Pacific was achieved under the strategic command of our steadfast American allies," he says, "the war in South East Asia had reached its climax under the leadership of my great uncle, Lord Mountbatten, from whom I learned so much about the particular horrors and heroism witnessed in those furthest fields of combat." He does not specifically mention Japan, which, on 15 August 1945, surrendered to Allied Forces. As King Charles acknowledges, "the forces on the ground sometimes considered themselves 'the Forgotten Army'". With Victory in Europe (VE Day) declared in May 1945, some have felt that historically, VJ Day has been overlooked, undervaluing the sacrifices of those who continued to fight on for another three months. The monarch ends his message: "Let us, above all, remember the epitaph in the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery on the battlefield of Kohima: 'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today'." The King and Queen Camilla will also publicly mark the anniversary and meet veterans, as they did for VE Day, by attending the National Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. 1:09 The service, run in partnership with the Royal British Legion, will be attended by Burma Star recipients, a veteran of the British Indian Army and those involved in the Battles of Kohima and Imphal, as well as Prisoners of War. A two-minute national silence will be held at midday.
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
In VE Day speech, King calls for renewed commitment to peace
King Charles has delivered a VE Day message emphasising the importance of global peace and unity. Speaking on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, he paid tribute to the wartime generation's sacrifices and the allied victory achieved through international collaboration. The King called for a renewed commitment to peace, diplomacy, and conflict prevention, referencing ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, India, and Pakistan. Charles also reminded the crowds of the words of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, who said, 'Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war'. The King and other dignitaries attended a Westminster Abbey service earlier in the day.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
The King's message in full on the 80th anniversary of VE Day
The King has said the debt owed to the wartime generation can never truly be repaid as he called for a global commitment to restoring peace on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Here is the King's VE Day message in full: 'It is now eighty years since my grandfather, King George VI, announced to the nation and the Commonwealth that 'the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and our homes'. 'The liberation of Europe was secured. 'His words echo down through history as all this week, and especially today, we unite to celebrate and remember with an unwavering and heartfelt gratitude, the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation who made that hard-fought victory possible. 'While our greatest debt is owed to all those who paid the ultimate price, we should never forget how the war changed the lives of virtually everyone. 'Now, as then, we are united in giving utmost thanks to all those who served in the Armed Forces, the uniformed services, the Home Front – indeed all the people of this country, the Commonwealth and beyond whose firm resolve and fortitude helped destroy Nazism and carry our allied nations through to VE Day. 'That debt can never truly be repaid; but we can, and we will, remember them. 'Over the course of the last year, there have been 80th anniversaries across Europe, from the hills of Monte Cassino to the Lower Rhine at Arnhem. 'Last June, my wife and I were profoundly moved to join veterans of D-Day at the new national memorial overlooking Gold Beach, as they returned to honour their comrades who never came home. 'In January, as the world marked the liberation of Auschwitz, I met survivors whose stories of unspeakable horror were the most vivid reminder of why Victory in Europe truly was the triumph of good over evil. 'All these moments, and more, combine to lead us to this day, when we recall both those darkest days and the great jubilation when the threat of death and destruction was finally lifted from our shores. 'The celebration that evening was marked by my own late mother who, just 19-years-old, described in her diary how she mingled anonymously in the crowds across central London and, in her own words, 'walked for miles' among them. 'The rejoicing continued into the next day, when she wrote: 'Out in the crowd again. Embankment, Piccadilly. Rained, so fewer people. Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2am. Bed at 3am!' 'Ladies and gentlemen, I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone for that matter to lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace! 'The Allied victory being celebrated then, as now, was a result of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity. 'Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny. 'But even as we rejoice again today, we must also remember those who were still fighting, still living with conflict and starvation on the other side of the world. 'For them, peace would not come until months later with VJ Day – Victory in the Pacific – which my father witnessed at first-hand from the deck of his destroyer, HMS Whelp. 'So in remembering the past, we must also look to the future. As the number of those who lived through the Second World War so sadly dwindles, the more it becomes our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten. 'We must listen, learn and share, just as communities across the nation have been doing this week at local street parties, religious services and countless small acts of remembrance and celebration. 'And as we reach the conclusion of the 80th Anniversary commemorations, we should remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said 'Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war'. 'In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict. 'For as my grandfather put it: 'We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will.' 'Just as those exceptional men and women fulfilled their duty to each other, to humankind, and to God, bound by an unshakeable commitment to nation and service, in turn it falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy – so that one day hence generations yet unborn may say of us: 'they too bequeathed a better world'.'
