VE Day wasn't end of World War Two pain - but here's exactly why it is so special

, 1945, was an event that remained in the memory of all those who witnessed it. It meant an end to nearly six years of a war that had cost the lives of millions of people, destroyed homes, families, and cities, and brought huge suffering and privations to the populations of entire countries. Millions rejoiced in the news that had surrendered, relieved that the intense strain of total war was finally over. In towns and cities around the world, people marked the victory with street parties, dancing and singing. The news was not surprising; it had been anticipated for some time and people were on standby to start celebrating almost immediately.

The announcement that the war had ended in Europe was broadcast to the British people over the radio late in the day on May 7. The BBC interrupted its scheduled programming with a news flash announcing that would be a national holiday, to take place the following day. Special editions of newspapers were printed to carry the long-awaited announcement. But VE Day was not the end of the , nor to the impact the war had on people.

The war against Japan did not end until August 1945 and was not formally recognised until September 2, and the political, social and economic repercussions of the conflict were felt long after Germany and Japan had surrendered.

Not everyone . For those who had lost loved ones in the conflict, it was a time to reflect. Amidst the street parties and rejoicing, many mourned the death of a friend or relative, or worried about those who were still serving overseas. For many of the widows the war had produced, the noise and jubilation as people celebrated VE Day was too much to bear and not something they could take part in.

As we approach the 80th anniversary of this momentous event, has organised a wide range of activity across all our sites and online to make sure we can take the opportunity to reflect, pause and share the stories between all of us.

Of course, at IWM we remember every day, not just on the anniversary of events such as VE day. In 2021, we opened brand new galleries to tell the story of the Second World War and Holocaust at IWM London. And we tell the story across our sites at IWM North in Manchester, or places with a direct connection to the Second World War, with the and IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire.

We hold more than 33 million objects that tell the story of war and conflict, and the vast majority of these relate to the Second World War. In fact, they also include the largest single object and one of the smallest.

Our largest single object is , a veteran of the Second World War and later the Korean War, and now a visitor attraction on the Thames. One of our smallest is the metal splinter of a V2 rocket that struck Lewisham in south London in February 1944 and embedded itself in the face of a 15-year-old boy, who survived the blast with only minor injuries.

It was only removed in 2021, and donated. Objects like these are an extraordinary reminder that people carry with them the legacies of wartime violence, sometimes in their minds and sometimes in their bodies for their entire lives. Elsewhere in our collection is our sound archive.

Established in 1972, it now holds more than 33,000 recordings relating to conflict since 1914. This consists of the largest oral history collection of its type in the world, with contributions from both service personnel and non-combatants as well as speeches, sound effects, broadcasts, poetry and music.

The range of material collected is vast with the bulk of the collection comprising oral history recordings with veterans of the First and Second World Wars. The majority of this material is digitised and available for free online via the IWM website, a phenomenal resource.

Through that, they can hear directly from the people who experienced the seismic events of the its triumphs and tragedies, unfiltered.

Their voices remain as relevant, and resonant, today as when they were recorded, and are our unbroken bridge to events slipping beyond living memory. As we approach the , it remains our ongoing privilege to be able to maintain this for the UK and the world.

Dr Peter Johnston is Director, Narrative and Content, at the Imperial War Museums