Time Of Remembrance And Reconciliation

May 8 and May 9 have been designated as “The Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War.” The days are set aside to urge non-governmental organizations and individuals’ to pay tribute to the victims of World War II. It begins on May 8, the anniversary of the date when the World War II Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.

World War II began in 1939 and ended in 1945, though there were conflicts before that which led to the world war. Nearly all nations at the time were divided into two warring factions, the Allies and the Axis. Allies included United Kingdom, U.S.S.R, the United States, and others. The Axis included several nations including Germany, Italy, and Japan. It was fought in Europe, in Russia, North Africa, and in Asia.

Did you know:

• Civilians deaths totaled 50 to 55 million.
• 70 million people fought in WWII.
  • The Soviet Union lost 7.5 million soldiers.
  • The U.S. lost 400,000.
  • Great Britain lost 330,000.
  • China lost 2.2 million.
  • Among the Axis powers, the German army saw 3.5 million casualties.
  • Italy lost 77,000.
  • Japan lost 1.2 million.
• Only one out of every four men serving on U-boats survived.
• The mortality rate for POWs in Russian camps was 85%.
• Only 20% of the males born in the Soviet Union in 1923 survived the war.

History

Watch for Articles about remembering World War II victims that may be published in magazines, newspapers, or online. It is an annual international day of remembrance designated by the United Nations General Assembly on November 22, 2004.