Washington, May 2, (dpa/GNA) – The United States will in future mark the allied victory in World War II on May 8, the day Germany surrendered in 1945, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday.
“Many of our allies and friends are celebrating May 8th as Victory Day, but we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“I am hereby renaming May 8th as Victory Day for World War II and November 11th as Victory Day for World War I. We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything,” he said.
“That’s because we don’t have leaders anymore, that know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again!” Trump concluded.
The New York Times noted that the announcement was not accompanied by an executive order and that the power to create public holidays rests with Congress.
May 8 is known in the US as V-E Day – or Victory in Europe Day – while November 11 marking the end of World War I in 1918 is Veterans Day. The US marks Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day, on September 2, the day Japan surrendered in 1945.
Russia celebrates Victory Day on May 9, reflecting the time difference and continuing a Soviet tradition. President Vladimir Putin has given increased significance to the day over recent years, holding large parades on Moscow’s Red Square.
The New York Times said Trump’s claim that the US did more than any other nation to defeat Nazi Germany might be contested in Russia, where Victory Day to honour the 27 million Soviets who died in the war is a national holiday.
US history has been a particular focus for Trump. On March 31, he signed an executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” requiring a re-examination of how the US assesses its past.
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