Queen Elizabeth II led celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which coincides with India’s Independence Day. On the Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, the Queen and husband Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip joined Prime Minister David Cameron and former prisoners of war at a remembrance service at St Martin-in-the-Fields church at Trafalgar Square in London.
Although fighting in Europe ended in May 1945, the battle between the Allies and Japan continued. It was only after two atomic bombs were dropped on the country that the Japanese surrendered on 15 August that year.
In Tokyo, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito observed a minute’s silence at a service.
- During WWII, Japan bombed China with fleas infected with bubonic plague.
- The number of Chinese killed by the Japanese during WWII is greater than the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust
- After the attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII, Canada declared war on Japan before the U.S. did.
- During WWII, two polish doctors saved 8,000 Jews from the Holocaust by faking a typhus epidemic that stopped the Nazis entering their town.
- During WWII, Nazi soldiers were fed massive quantities of methamphetamine for increased alertness and endurance.
Test Your Knowledge
What is the meaning of “SS” in Second World War?
“SS” is the abbreviation of “Shutzstaffel” which means “protection units”. The SS was founded in 1921 for the protection of Adolf Hitler.
