VE / VJ Days

VJ Day we actually had arrived the night before in Auckland. And if I remember right, well the whole city went bloody mad. The following morning it was reputed that they swept up five ton of broken bottles. They went nuts... I had a cousin who was in the navy, fell off a tram and nearly killed himself, pissed... I went ashore with my wife on the afternoon, Christ, man, they were rooting in the bloody house bar, they were rooting in, you know. Oh, it was all on.

I believe a lot of people who came out, and they had the churches open in the afternoon for thanksgiving or whatever, parents who had lost sons or daughters, were disgusted. They were really upset over it, you know.

Merchant seaman Jim Blundell interviewed by Neill Atkinson, 2004. Hear Jim speaking (mp3, 430k).

After over five years of rationing and anxiety about loved ones overseas, New Zealanders greeted the coming of peace in Europe in May 1945, and then victory over Japan in August, with understandable relief and enthusiasm. Most people wanted to celebrate. Yet by the end of the war New Zealand had become a highly regulated society, and authorities, both central and local, remained nervous about things 'getting out of control'. The result on both occasions was a structured official celebration, though there was still some spontaneous fun in the streets.

Victory in Europe (VE) Day

Germany surrendered in the early afternoon of 7 May, New Zealand time. The news became known the next morning, with screaming headlines in the morning papers. But the acting Prime Minister, Walter Nash, insisted that celebrations should wait until British Prime Minister Winston Churchill officially announced the peace, which would not be heard in New Zealand until 1 a.m. on 9 May. So on Tuesday, 8 May, when everybody felt like celebrating, Nash told the country by radio that they should all go to work and that VE Day would be on the 9th.

In most places New Zealanders accepted the edict. They were not 'inclined to let off steam without official authorisation'. Only Dunedin bucked the trend. There the holding of the capping parade released the inhibitions. By midday the factory workers had downed tools, the town hall bells were rung and the mayor organised a short ceremony in the Octagon. Even then this spontaneous celebration never exceeded the bounds of decorum.

On VE Day itself weeks of official preparation rolled into action. Citizens were woken by bells and sirens, and flags quickly appeared. In Wellington at the Government Buildings there were speeches by the Governor-General, the acting Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition. The American, Soviet, and New Zealand national anthems were sung; and only then, after midday, did official local ceremonies start.

These local programmes of events, which generally extended over the next day, Thursday 10 May, also a public holiday, were highly orchestrated affairs. There were bands parading, community sing-songs, thanksgiving services often held at the local war memorial, and in smaller places, bonfires and sports programmes for the children and Victory Balls for the adults. In Wellington music was played at three sites, and there was a Victory Service at the Basin Reserve. In Christchurch the Trades Council organised a People's Victory March in which 25,000 paraded from Latimer Square to Cathedral Square singing patriotic ditties.

The organised ceremonies were in part designed to 'keep the lid on' more spontaneous celebration. There was, of course, plenty of spontaneity — the pubs were full and in Wellington there was broken glass in the streets and government documents and confetti were thrown out of windows. There was singing and dancing in the streets, and strangers kissing. People joined together in crocodile lines and took part in impromptu street theatre. But it never got out of hand. There was little damage to property, and in both Wellington and Auckland there was just one case brought before the courts the next day. Elsewhere citizens were complimented on their 'commendable restraint'.

Victory over Japan (VJ) Day

VJ Day again showed public regulation at work. Again the preparation had been considerable and this time went more smoothly. The news of the Japanese surrender arrived in New Zealand at 11 a.m. on 15 August.

The sirens immediately sounded, a national ceremony was held, and the local celebrations followed. Once more there were parades, bands playing, thanksgiving services, bonfires, dances, and community sports. Once more the beer flowed and there were streamers and whistles and dancing in the streets. Again there were two days' public holiday.

There were also some revealing differences. In Auckland, where there were few organised events, the city went out to enjoy itself the moment the factory whistle sounded. At first it was simply people drinking and dancing and scattering confetti. Then the 'rowdies' began throwing bottles. Windows were smashed, people were hurt. By the evening 51 people had been taken to hospital and fifteen tons of glass lay in the roads.

The next day, although the crowds were much smaller, drunken hooligans returned, and the police arrived in numbers to restore civil peace. In Wellington inclement weather reduced the numbers in the streets — instead people crowded into the hotels — while in Christchurch another 'People's March' was less successful, with some prominent employers concerned that the unions had taken the lead.

Everywhere it was noted that people in uniform attracted less adoration than in May. New Zealanders were enthusiastic about peace on VJ Day, but by comparison with VE Day, the unity of war had begun to weaken, to be replaced by some of the social conflicts of peace.

JOCK PHILLIPS

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