Bob Dole: “50 years ago today, the guns were silenced in Europe, and that continent was at last freed from the tyrants who had…”

“50 years ago today, the guns were silenced in Europe, and that continent was at last freed from the tyrants who had plunged it into war. And across the world on May 8, 1954, there were moments that are remembered today, and will be remembered for generations yet to come. Here in Washington, at the White House, President Truman spoke to the American people by radio, with these dramatic words: This is a solemn and glorious hour. I only wish that Franklin Roosevelt had lived to witness this day. General Eisenhower informs me that the forces of Germany have surrendered to the United Nations. The flags of freedom fly all over Europe. In New York City, a half a million people crowded into Times Square, and in main streets and town squares across America, smaller crowds gathered to celebrate. In Paris, the boulevards that Hitler and his armies had once controlled were free again, and the French people rallied under the Arc de Triomphe. And in London, Winston Churchill spoke before a large crowd, telling the people of Britain, ``This is your victory.'' And many in the crowd shouted back that the victory was his. Later that night, the floodlights illuminated Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and St. Paul's Cathedral for the first time in 6 years. Anniversary celebrations are a time for remembering the past, but they are also a time for looking to the future.…”