Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.
What Time is It? It is flow of a sandstorm that will on each day compress somewhere into a structure – sandstone, selected and only remembered in the longue durée.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, American soldiers fighting in the Pacific theater listen to radio reports of Victory in Europe Day.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, WWII: Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) observed by the western European powers as Nazi Germany surrenders, marking the end of WWII in Europe.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, Shortly before midnight (May 9 Moscow time) the final German Instrument of Surrender is signed at the seat of the Soviet Military Administration in Berlin-Karlshorst, attended by representatives of the Allies.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, Canadian troops move into Amsterdam, after German troops surrender.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, Surrender of the Dodecanese is signed in Symi.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, The Eighth British Army, together with Slovene partisan troops and a motorized detachment of the Yugoslav 4th Army, arrives in Carinthia and Klagenfurt. The Croatian Armed Forces of the Independent State of Croatia are ordered by their commanders not to surrender to the Yugoslav Partisans but to attempt to retreat to Austria and surrender to the British, part of the events leading to the Bleiburg repatriations.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1945, Sétif and Guelma massacre: In Algeria, thousands die as French troops and released Italian POWs kill an estimated 6,000 to 40,000 Algerian citizens. May 8–29 1945]
On Friday, 8 May 1970, Hard Hat Riot: Unionized construction workers attack about 1,000 students and others protesting the Kent State shootings near the intersection of Wall Street and Broad Street and at New York City Hall.
On Friday, 8 May 1970, The Beatles release their 12th and final album, Let It Be.
On Friday, 8 May 1970, The New York Knicks win their first NBA championship, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 113-99 in Game 7 of the world championship series at Madison Square Garden.
On Thursday, 8 May 1980, Global eradication of smallpox certified by the World Health Organization.
On Tuesday, 8 May 1990, Singing Revolution: The Estonian SSR restores the formal name of the country, the Republic of Estonia, as well as other national emblems (the coat of arms, the flag and the anthem).
On Tuesday, 8 May 1990, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier assumes office as President of Costa Rica.
Images Citations in Composite: ID 17208541 © Anhong | Dreamstime.com; ID 35001957 © DiversityStudio1 | Dreamstime.com; ID 156394527 © Gerd Zahn | Dreamstime.com
Neville Buch