To wonder why the Brits are so obsessed with WW2?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

My Mum is 87. She was 12 when the war ended and went through it in London. She remembers being terrified and hungry and getting grief because her grandmother was German. Other elderly relatives don’t have lovely memories either, apart from relief when it was all over. So why do we glorify it all, at every opportunity? Why do we always look back instead of forward?

When I was a teenager I thought it glorified war, Now at 70 it reminds me that we should avoid war at all costs, lessons seem never to be learned. My parents went through hell and the 50's were terribly austere and affected by the experiences. The early post war films were very one sided but we do have abit more truth now. I dont think we are obsessed, I thing it was a very important historical time. We are the people we are due to our parents who lived through this. I can understand myy adult children not getting it as they have been pretty shielded from all but the most obvious historic facts. Being a Boomer does sometimes bring a slightly different narrative

We must never forget the lessons learned and never forget all those millions who had their lives taken away from them. At the time all the celebrations were coupled with the greatest sadness. It was the relief that it was over that was being celebrated.

No far right party in the UK? Look how many votes the UKIP/Brexit parties garnered in the EU elections, which was a PR system. EDL? If we had a PR system in Westminster those parties would probably pick up 15-20% between them.

The Scots can say that yes, they don't have a far right party because I think they only returned one UKIPer.

Then look at the views of some Conservative MPs and ask whether they are far right or just middle of the road centrism.

@MrsSnitchnose

Yes, he is a very good writer

Also I found Sarah Harrison's flower trilogy very moving

I agree OP. Don't know if anyone else has seen it, but there's a post of coloured WWII photos doing the rounds on FB. One woman has commented on every single picture on it saying what a wonderful time she had in the war and how most people were really happy and everyone had enough to eat and there were no stabbings or violence and everyone pulled together. Even on the photos of children sitting crying on rubble of their houses she won't have it if someone says "oh bless poor things" or whatever "they are not crying they are SMILING. Kids were happy in those days!" When someone else posts their dad/gran/aunt/ whoever experienced terrible loss or remembered surviving on two slices of bread a day so there would be enough food for their kids this woman pops up "NO I was THERE there was enough food everyone was happy just not greedy like today!"

Then another woman has gone through and posted on every single picture of either a woman or girls saying "everyone was so slim then they all look so elegant," or "look how skinny the children are not obese like now." Even on one of a girl looking about four being carried by a policeman over a bombsite ffs, that is her only contribution. Strangely she hasn't done it on any photos of men or boys.

I mean, I agree childhood obesity is an issue but tbh I'd rather have kids who are slightly chubby (or be so myself) than ones that have been killed/made homeless or evacuted away from me for six years.

I mean there's rose tinted glasses and then there's willful denial and bizarre priorities

You're not wrong. I'm Irish and everyone back home pokes fun at it to be honest. I'm not saying it shouldn't be commemorated in some way on major anniversaries such as the 75th, but the constant preoccupation with a war which ended 75 years ago isn't healthy. Its weird how much 'the War' is still used as a point of reference in all sorts of debates about 21st century British society. I think it comes down to the 'finest hour' thing. It was very much Britain's last hurrah as a major world power so people like to hark back to it. I always find it interesting to note that the only other country with a similar fixation is Russia, likewise a former empire which has seen better days. Also its the only British war - of all the many many British wars (Britain being a little too fond of invading places) - where the British were unequivocally The Good Guys.

Just to add my English DH (grandad at D Day Landings & very seriously injured) thinks its weird as fuck too.

No one is glorifying the war ffs. They are glorifying the people who died, lived through it and suffered years of hardship

Well it could be veterans day then, I think the Victory in Europe message is about glory. I don't suppose they celebrate defeat in europe day in Germany do they, the might celebrate the end of the war but it won't be worded in those terms.

I think we need to acknowledge the hardships in WW2. Many of our DP /GP were sent to war at a very young age, with no idea what awaited them and whether they would be back in one piece or at all.Many people now are complaining about lockdown and having no freedom ,watching endless Box sets, and not being allowed to go shopping or see family .Then there were rations ,and the real worry of being bombed in night raids by the /enemy forces!No wonder we want to celebrate ,as we along with our Allies saw off these formidable threats and created a better world for future generations (us)!

I think in our family we'd feel happier celebrating Peace in Europe day. The word Victory feels all wrong.

Greengrassgravy, I started off thinking that and then I thought about what has happened in Yugoslavia and I concluded that we haven't had anywhere near 75 years peace in europe. In the end I support remembrance but not celebration.

I'm Irish and everyone back home pokes fun at it to be honest.

Well let's be honest, that doesn't mean much, it's hardly surprising!

Some people did have relatively good times. Both DM, now deceased and MIL(96) had interesting well paid work as a result. Despite this, I can't recall any time when either talked about what a fantastic time they had. Nearly everyone they knew had lost some friend or relative, or had been bombed out. It was very much a case of making the best of it.

Anyone going through pictures and saying how wonderful, look how slim they were, I am afraid is being a bit stupid - MIL talks about the gnawing hunger she used to feel - her brothers would come home first and scoff the rations.

When I was in my late teens and early twenties my DM's constant refrain about any grumble of any sort was "when I was your age, there was a war on." Basically saying "Count yourself lucky."

Some people did have relatively good times. I find the books that compile diary extracts from the mass observation project fascinating for this. You can see the variation in experience of the war depending on age, location, job, luck etc.

I have a relative who kept diaries and you can barely tell there was a war on at times. Their letters could be very blasé at times 'its a pain take the kids to the shelter but otherwise we barely notice the doodlebugs' type thing. I do wonder how much it was because war had become their normal or how much they were choosing to try and sound cheery and not talk about the worst aspects of their experience.

"I do wonder how much it was because war had become their normal or how much they were choosing to try and sound cheery and not talk about the worst aspects of their experience."

Something that annoyed me at the beginning of lockdown was people saying ' think of those who lived through the war, this is nothing!'
They don't know that everyone had a tough time during the war.
If you lived in the countryside, you were pretty safe and your men were exempt if they were farmers.
I read online about an elderly man who remembers the war saying 'at least we had each other'. We're having to go through this on our own - at least those of us who are single.

My late father fault in WW2 and never spoke about it to me, though my also late mother said he lied about his age to enlist and lost many many friends and hoped that we as a nation would learn from this and the tragic loss on both sides and honour all those that had lost their lives both on the battlefields and also the many civilians that also tragically died.

Well my mother had a horrible time through the 30s, my GF was out of work for most of it, at 14 she was put into service, paid a pittance for a 14 hr day and sexually harassed. War started, factory building military equipment opened and she got a job on much more money, GF joined up so he was sending money home. She started the war as a 16 year old and suddenly had money to go out, buy clothes coupons allowing, have boyfriends (GF very strict so no fun when he was at home, beatings for the slightest thing, hints of he got his kicks that way eg. had to strip for the beating) so yes some people had a much better time during the war. She wasn't in an area that was heavily bombed, it did happen but rarely.

The 50s came she got married, she shared a bedroom with my DF my sibling and baby then toddler me, at my granny's house, granny slept on a sofa as her other kids had the other bedroom. No hot running water, toilet at the top of the yard, still had rationing, she couldn't work so no money of her own.

Is it any wonder she remembered the war fondly?

@Gwenhwyfar! Honestly. You are probably the most self pitying person ever. Do some research. People were still alone in the war.

I think most other countries (involved in the war) had some kind of commemoration, so not just Britain.
It doesn't make us obsessed.
Personally, I did not participate in the commemorations at all, just as I don't on Remembrance Sunday.
I have ignored all war stuff on TV, I have netflix, so can watch other stuff.
However, there is no glory in war, and I do not think the people who were there thought so. My parents certainly did not. They lost family members, not just fighting, but here in the bombing raids as well.

"Do some research. People were still alone in the war."

This was something I read online (informal research) said by someone who lived through the war. I didn't make it up. Understand?

"I think most other countries (involved in the war) had some kind of commemoration, so not just Britain.
It doesn't make us obsessed."

Celebrating VE Day doesn't make us obsessed, but Britain IS obsessed with the war in a way other countries aren't.

In France, in Provence at least, I know of one town where they have a Remembrance Day type ceremony at the local Memorial - it's not like our War Memorials - it's a memorial to the Resistance members who lost their lives.

Yes, but having a commemoration is nothing like British obsession. It's in popular culture more than anything. Countless films and TV programmes. All countries involved have some form of commemoration, that's a different thing.
In Ypres they've had a last post for WW1 every day since the end of WW1 except for during WW2 I think.

@Gwenhwyfar one person does not equal research. I feel for you. But comparing yourself with people living through years of war just doesn't sit right. It's been about 6 weeks.