Latvian Lawyers Association proposal: The end of World War II should be marked on the date of the signing of the Japanese instrument of surrender
As we draw a line under this year's turbulent May, the Latvian Lawyers Association invites those celebrating and mourning on May 8 and 9 to look back in history. In fact, World War II ended only after Japan's surrender, which means that in the future it is the first days of September that should be marked as the end of the planetary war. And the battles over the correct date in May should die down. There is nothing to celebrate there.
May this year has been particularly turbulent because of the war in Ukraine. And the flower festival at the occupation monument is no longer just a harmless display of Soviet sentiment. It is very harmful and dangerous. Already on May 1, supporters of Russian aggression gathered under red flags at Lucavsala. They were warming up, so to speak. In order to prevent the glorification of the genocide committed by Russia, a state of mourning was declared on May 9 in memory of the Ukrainian people who have died and suffered in the ongoing war. But the celebrants came anyway - thousands, spitting on Ukrainian flags and Latvian flags. They also spat on May 10 and came already with Russian flags and St George ribbons. On May 13 there was another illegal rally. By the end of May, a few more attempts to bring together a larger number of supporters of Russian aggression followed. And all these illegal actions on the part of the pro-Kremlin Latvian Russian Union (Latvijas Krievu savienība) were argued on the grounds of respect for the end of World War II, on the grounds of a desire to honor those who put an end to the war. But those who put an end to it went on to occupy Latvia for 50 years and slaughter thousands more. Another important fact from history is worth noting. The end of the war was neither on May 8 nor on May 9. (Depending on how which country reads the calendar and time zone.) World War II ended with the surrender of Japan - the instrument of surrender was formally signed on September 2, the document was delivered to the White House on September 6. World War II was finally over.
The Lawyers Association's view
The Latvian Lawyers Association reminds the public of these historical facts and calls on all those who claim the end of the war to focus on the real dates of the end of the war. Here is the organization's scientifically based opinion:
"World War II was fought by two coalitions: Germany, Italy and Japan against Britain, the USA and the USSR. One coalition gradually lost to the other. Italy capitulated on September 8, 1943. Germany surrendered on May 9, 1945. Japan surrendered on September 3, 1945, after the Americans dropped atomic bombs, which is also the end of World War II. Perhaps we should in future support September 3 as the common date for marking the end of the planetary war. The surrender of Italy and Germany are only intermediate dates in the overall chronological sequence. If, in the future, someone personally feels it is important to commemorate the surrender of Fascist Italy or Nazi Germany as intermediate dates, they can do so without violating national restrictions (symbolism, gatherings). As for the occupation, after the war the victorious coalition did not consider it particularly bad and the former German territories were called just that - US occupation zone, British occupation zone, etc. And nobody condemned that, because the victors "split the pie". But Latvia was occupied on June 17, 1940, and that is the moment of the real offence. Germany's surrender in 1945 is not connected with the occupation of Latvia in 1940. The right thing to do is to explain to everyone, in order to calm the situation, that the end of World War II was September 3, 1945. And to call for a worldwide focus on that date."