Announcing VE Day: Images from the Secular and Religious Press

This May is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. Due to different surrender ceremonies, VE Day is celebrated on May 8 by the Western Allies and May 9 by Russia (a key ally of the West against the Axis Powers). Daily newspapers such as the Toronto Daily Star pictured above announced the victory to Canadians.

What is of special note to those interested in the intersection of religion and public life is the distinctly religious advertising on the two pages pictured above paid for  by the Simpson and Eaton companies (two iconic department stores of the era). The war had been fought to preserve "Christian Civilization" from fascist and Nazi tyranny, and the religious tone to those wartime aims was readily apparent in the pages of a secular daily press.​

The religious press noted above (which at that time was powerful and widely read) also announced the victory in Europe. Of course, the fusion of war aims and religious discourse was not striking in those days - although it may be to many today.

• Image of the Maritime Baptist is from the Acadia University Archives, Wolfville, NS.
• Image of the Canadian Churchman is from the Anglican General Synod Archives, Toronto, ON.
• Image of the Presbyterian Record from the library at Knox College, Toronto, ON..
• Images of Daily Star taken by myself from a newspaper found in my grandfather's collection of keepsakes.