R.I. last state still marking V-J Day

[oswald]

By CHELSEA PHUA, Associated Press Writer Sun Aug 13, 2:24 PM ET

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Church bells rang. Whistles at fire stations and mill factories sounded. People poured into the streets, waving flags and honking car horns. It was Aug. 14, 1945 — the day Americans learned that Japan had surrendered, ending the costliest conflict in human history.

"It was pandemonium with happiness," remembered John Lucas, a World War II veteran and executive secretary of the Pawtucket Veterans Council.

On Monday, Rhode Island will once again observe the end of World War II, the only state still celebrating Victory Day, commonly referred to as Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day.

Critics say it's discriminatory, and would like to eliminate the holiday or at least remove its reference to Japan.

They point out that Rhode Islanders do not celebrate the U.S. victory over Germany, which was defeated three months earlier.

"This is a stigma against the Japanese whom we do business with and are allies," said George Lima, a former state representative who worked on a failed attempt to eliminate the holiday in the 1980s.
...
Rest of the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060813/ap_on_re_us/victory_day

[Durandal]

Rest of the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060813/ap_on_re_us/victory_day


Another bitch about nothing. World War II ended on that DAY. Not when Germany surrendered, but when Japan did.

Rhode Island celebrates the correct day and if someone seems offended by this, tell them to go soak their head and get a good dose of common sense.

[gaijinsamurai]

Agree. Some people just love to bitch, and will use any excuse....the end of the war was good for both the US AND Japan.

[pascalywood]

Tell that to those who were in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

[Bombtrack]

I like how they said to get rid of the holiday, or the reference to Japan. ...so you're not supposed to call it Victory over Japan? even though whatever you call it will still be in celebration of victory over Japan?

Whata bunch of douchebags

[sir-chimp]

The political correctness nazis strike again

[Durandal]

Tell that to those who were in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Tell what to them?

[MaDuce]

Tell what to them?

Tell them how many more of them and their countrymen would have been killed if the US would have had to invade.

[wubanga101]

I HATE politicians who beleive that they know whats best for the people.

[gaijinsamurai]

Pascalywood, It's called "Victory over Japan Day" to celebrate the end of the war, not "It's Great We Bombed a Bunch of Civilians Day". There is a difference.
Brainchild.

[Abolith]

Tell them how many more of them and their countrymen would have been killed if the US would have had to invade.

if we had been forced to invade mainland Japan it would have cost upwards of 1.5 million men to subdue the japs.. I couldn't even fathom the number of civillian deaths that would have been caused.

[Hunterhr]

Tell that to those who were in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

I'd tell it to the large number of Japanese people who survived the war due to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Unless you think a few U.S. Army divisions going house to house through those cities and every other center of resistance in the Japanese home islands would have been better.

Oh and check the dates, V-J day celebrates the surrender of Japan and the end of the bloodiest conflict in human history, not Hiroshima and Nagasaki.