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1. War's End

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4 Extra Debut. Charles Wheeler explores what the end of the Second World War meant to people: VE Day celebrations - May 8th 1945. From 2005.

Charles Wheeler presents five personal interpretations of what the end of the Second World War meant to people in Britain and across the world.

Through new interviews and rarely-heard archive recordings, those directly involved - the soldier, the POW, the war widow and those who didn't fight - tell their stories of the end of war, of homecoming and adjustment to new realities.

The War ground to a halt in Europe on 8 May 1945.

But in the Far East it was still raging and celebrations at home were in stark contrast to events on the other side of the world.

Charles begins with a look at the few days around the announcement of VE Day.

How did people react to the news?

How did they go about celebrating?

Producer: Neil George

First broadcast on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of VE Day in May 2005.

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Tue 6 May 2025 05:00

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Broadcasts

  • Mon 9 May 2005 09:00
  • Mon 5 May 2025 15:00
  • Mon 5 May 2025 21:00
  • Tue 6 May 2025 05:00