Saul David

Last month was the seventy-fifth anniversary of V-J Day—Victory over Japan, August 14, 1945—the official end of World War II. Yet most Britons prefer to celebrate V-E Day—Victory in Europe, May 8, 1945—the defeat of Nazi Germany. Why so?

Writing about his experience in the Battle of Okinawa, US Marine Eugene Sledge reported that “men struggled and fought and…