How fitting. How perfect. Many people will not notice that we have a new Pope, Pope Leo XIV, on the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe day, May 8, 1945. This date is auspicious because on this date the Allies defeated the Nazis and fascism and gave us freedom. Habemus Papam because of what they did 80 years ago. What magnificent men and women they were. How proud we are. However imperfect the West is, we defeated the Nazis. Huzzah!

VE Day 80

We stand in the shadow of giants

We walk in the footsteps of heroes

Lest we forget pic.twitter.com/trWI93hQky

— Ash (@FlashMuellerF30) May 8, 2025

Eleven months after all those young men stormed the beaches at Normandy, the war was over on May 8, 1945. We really don’t celebrate it here in the United States. We still were at war in the Pacific against the Japanese, so it’s largely forgotten here. The Negative Nellys at the Washington Post went for doom on this day:

“It was Germans who unleashed this criminal war and dragged all of Europe with them into the abyss,” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told parliament. “Today, 80 years later, our profound thanks still go to the Allied soldiers and the European resistance movements who mustered all their strength and endured great losses in order to defeat the Nazi regime.”

Steinmeier’s comments underscore that former European enemies may thrive — to the extent that the 27-nation European Union even won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize — but that the outlook has turned gloomy over the past year.

The body count continues to rise in Ukraine, where Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion started the worst war on the continent since 1945. The rise of the hard right in several EU member states is putting the founding democratic principles of the bloc under increasing pressure.

We never learn about having a strong leader and clear-eyed vision. Leaders like Winston Chruchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower. On this day, 80 years ago, The Right Honorable Winston Churchill announced that General Jodl of the German Army had signed the Articles of Surrender at General Eisenhower’s quarters. This announced Victory in Europe Day. Advance Britannia.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower sent a message on from his headquarters:

When you look at how weak the Generals of today are and think about what people like Eisenhower faced it is breathtaking:

During the war, those past experiences prepared him for what lay ahead. In three years, he only saw his wife, Mamie, twice. He smoked heavily, drank over twenty cups of coffee a day, and dealt with rumors and doubts over his ability to lead. In 1942, his own father and brother died within a few months of each other . With the all-consuming war effort, Ike was not able to attend either funeral. He also missed his son John’s West Point graduation, which took place on D-Day, of all days. Ike dealt with bickering commanders, competing strategic goals, and balanced it all in the face of Nazi tyranny and the might of the German military.

Thank goodness, Mark Milley was not around. On the other hand, Winston Churchill’s great-great grandson, Alexander Churchill, age 10, gave a prayer at the Victory in Europe Day Service. Ahhh, the future looks bright:

Alexander Churchill, 10, great-great grandson of Sir Winston Churchill #VEDay80 #VEday

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer! pic.twitter.com/W2Tgdp81qN

— Kian ✟ (@KianjRyan) May 8, 2025

Isn’t Alexander wonderful? We are so grateful for those who came before us and endured those hardships and privations, but we cannot ease us and that is why remembering Victory in Europe is important. From Red State:

Even in 1945, as Churchill turned his gaze to the Pacific, where Japan remained a formidable foe, America’s focus never wavered. The resolve that crushed Nazi Germany carried through to the defeat of Imperial Japan, cementing the United States as a global force for good. Today, we honor the Greatest Generation—not just for their courage in battle but for their vision of a world where freedom reigns.

As we commemorate V-E Day, let us reflect on America’s enduring legacy. From the signing tables in Reims and Berlin to the thriving democracies of modern Europe, the United States has been a beacon of hope. Eighty years on, we celebrate not just a victory in war but a victory for humanity, led by the unshakable spirit of a nation dedicated to liberty.

VE Day is not just about remembering the past, it’s about preparing for future events. A new Pope today, of all days? It is fitting.

Featured Image: Unknown Photographer/Wikimedia Commons.org/cropped/Public Domain