A data de hoje merece sempre ser lembrada: afinal, há exatos 67 anos, o mundo celebrava o fim da Segunda Guerra Mundial na Europa. Os aliados haviam finalmente derrotado a Alemanha.

A Guerra continuaria, entretanto, no Pacífico, até 2 de setembro de 1945, quando, após duas bombas nucleares, seriam os japoneses a capitular. O saldo: milhões de mortes nos cinco continentes e a avassaladora destruição de cidades, estradas, plantações…

De toda maneira, o 8 de maio é celebrado em todo o mundo… quase todo, pois no Brasil ninguém lembra desse acontecimento de tamanha relevância – talvez em algumas Organizações Militares ainda se celebre… talvez, pois eu não recebi convite para nenhum evento desses aqui em Brasília (ok, meu prestígio já foi maior junto à caserna, creio…).

Fica minha lembrança e a homenagem a todos que combateram naquele período, particularmente a nossos pracinhas, que cruzaram o Atlântico para defender a democracia.

Por falar em pracinhas, para acessar o portal da FEB, clique aqui.

Paris ceremonies mark V-E Day anniversary

PARIS — In his last state ceremony as France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy led commemorations Tuesday in Paris marking the end of World War II in Europe, standing side-by-side with the man who ousted him from power.

A solemn-faced Sarkozy was joined by President-elect Francois Hollande, and the two political rivals stood together at the Arc de Triomphe war memorial on the Champs-Elysees Avenue.

To the stirring anthem “The Marseillaise,” Sarkozy laid a wreath at the statue of Gen. Charles de Gaulle, the former president and leader of the Free French Forces. The president also shook hands with military dignitaries, including de Gaulle’s 90-year-old son, Philippe.

A cortege followed Sarkozy up the grand central artery to the Place de l’Etoile, where he and outgoing Prime Minister Francois Fillon inspected the troops.

The Arc de Triomphe has a special significance for World War II since Adolf Hitler marched his Nazi troops through the iconic monument when Germany took over France in 1940. It also was the site where Allied troops — including many U.S. soldiers — celebrated victory over Germany 67 years ago.

Sarkozy — who looked particularly downbeat throughout the ceremony — was joined by Hollande, the winner of Sunday’s presidential runoff, to lay another wreath at a World War I memorial.

Putting aside their differences, the two then stood in silence for several minutes at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, whose symbolic flame was made to burn brighter during the ceremony.

The rare scene of the two French leaders together will no doubt feature prominently in French newspapers. The two men met some World War II veterans before shaking hands with each other in front of the cameras.

Speaking after the ceremony, Hollande said after a “particularly” tough campaign, “it was useful and helpful for the country to know it can still come together … around the president still in power, and the newly elected one, for the same one cause: the country.”

The Socialist narrowly beat Sarkozy on Sunday to be the next president of France. Sarkozy and Hollande will meet again May 15 at the presidential Elysee Palace for the official transfer of power.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/05/ap-world-war-ii-v-e-day-anniversary-ceremonies-050812/