A speech by King George VI on VJ Day
Published
From the bottom of my heart I thank my Peoples for all they have done, not only for themselves but for mankind.
Three months have passed since I asked you to join with me in an act of thanksgiving for the defeat of Germany. We then rejoiced that peace had returned to Europe, but we knew that a strong and relentless enemy still remained to be conquered in Asia. None could then tell how long or how heavy would prove the struggle that still awaited us. Japan has surrendered, so let us join in thanking Almighty God that war has ended throughout the world, and that in every country men may now turn their industry, skill, and science to repairing its frightful devastation and to building prosperity and happiness.
Our sense of deliverance is overpowering, and with it all, we have a right to feel that we have done our duty. I ask you again at this solemn hour to remember all who have laid down their lives, and all who have endured the loss of those they love. Remember, too, the sufferings of those who fell into the hands of the enemy, whether as prisoners of war or because of their homes had been overrun. They have been in our thoughts all through these dark years, and let us pray that one result of the defeat of Japan may be many happy reunions of those who have been long separated from each other.
The campaigns in the Far East will be famous in history for many reasons. There is one feature of them which is a special source of pride to me, and also to you, the citizens of our British Commonwealth and Empire to whom I speak. In those campaigns there have fought, side by side with our allies, representatives of almost every unit in our great community – men from the Old Country, men from the Dominions, from India, and the Colonies. They fought in brotherhood; through their courage and endurance they conquered. To all of them and to the women who shared with them the hardships and dangers of war I send my proud and grateful thanks.
The war is over. You know, I think, that those four words have for the Queen and myself the same significance, simple yet immense, that they have for you. Our hearts are full to overflowing, as are your own. Yet there is not one of us who has experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel its inevitable consequences long after we have all forgotten our rejoicings of today.
But that relief from past dangers must not blind us to the demands of the future. The British people here at home have added lustre to the true fame of our Islands, and we stand today with our whole Empire in the forefront of the victorious United Nations. Great, therefore, is our responsibility to make sure by the actions of every man and every woman here and throughout the Empire and Commonwealth that the peace gained amid measureless trials and suffering shall not be cast away.
In many anxious times in our long history the unconquerable spirit of our peoples has served us well, bringing us to safety out of great peril. Yet I doubt if anything in all that has gone before has matched the enduring courage and the quiet determination which you have shown during these last six years. It is of this unconquerable spirit that I would speak to you tonight. For great as are the deeds that you have done, there must be no falling off from this high endeavour. We have spent freely of all that we had: now we shall have to work hard to restore what has been lost, and to establish peace on the unshakable foundations, not alone of material strength, but also of moral authority. Then, indeed, the curse of war may be lifted from the world, and States and peoples, great and small, may dwell together through long periods of tranquillity in brighter and better days than we ourselves have known.
The world has come to look for certain things, for certain qualities from the peoples of the Commonwealth and Empire. We have our part to play in restoring the shattered fabric of civilization. It is a proud and difficult part, and if you carry on in the years to come as you have done so splendidly in the war, you and your children can look forward to the future, not with fear, but with high hopes of a surer happiness for all. It is to this great task that I call you now, and I know that I shall not call in vain. In the meantime, from the bottom of my heart I thank my Peoples for all they have done, not only for themselves but for mankind.
Related content
A message from His Majesty The King congratulating ParalympicsGB and teams across the entire Commonwealth on their successes at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
As this wonderful summer of sport comes to a close in Paris, my wife joins me in sending our heartfelt congratulations to the Paralympian athletes from Great Britain and...
Errollyn Wallen CBE appointed first Master of The King’s Music of the new reign
A message from His Majesty The King congratulating Team GB and teams across the entire Commonwealth on their successes at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Your achievements, across so many disciplines, were forged from that invaluable combination of raw talent, true grit and hard toil over many years, burnished these past weeks...
Financial reports 2023-24
This page details the Royal Household's annual financial statement, the Sovereign Grant Report, for the financial year 2023-24.
A speech by The King for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Senedd.
Over the last twenty-five years, the Senedd has become more than a symbol. It has become essential to the life of Wales. As we look back over the last quarter-century in the...
The King's message to The England Football Team following their EURO2024 semi-final victory.
My wife and I join all our family in wishing you the warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the U.E.F.A. European Championship - and in sending our very best wishes...
A message from His Majesty The King following the devastation of Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean
The Queen's Armed Forces Day Message 2024
You are a source of inspiration, reassurance and pride – and I salute you all.
The King's speech at the Japan State Banquet
For over four hundred years, our nations have inspired each other, learning from each other’s experience and enriching our industries, cuisines and cultures with elements...
Remarks by The King at Presentation of New Colours, Number Nine Company, Second Battalion, The Irish Guards
Every guardsman standing here today is thus the Heir and Successor to the great legacy, the historic customs and fine traditions of your forebears within the Battalion.
A speech by The King at the D-Day National Commemoration British Normandy Memorial, Ver-sur-Mer, on the 80th anniversary of D-Day
On the beaches of Normandy, in the seas beyond and in the skies overhead, our Armed Forces carried out their duty with a humbling sense of resolve and determination: qualities...
A speech by The Princess Royal at Bayeux War Cemetery to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings
80 years on, let their memory still live on in our hearts.
A speech by The King at the UK's National Commemorative Event in Portsmouth to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings
The stories of courage, resilience and solidarity which we have heard today, and throughout our lives, cannot fail to move us, to inspire us, and to remind us of what we owe...
More details on the upcoming State Visit by The Emperor and Empress of Japan
A message from The King to the United Nations 4th International Conference on Small Islands Developing States
Your future is our future. Our islands, our oceans, our planet and, ultimately, all of us need bold and determined action.
The King and Queen, joined by Members of the Royal Family, will mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings
A speech by Her Majesty The Queen at the Charleston Festival 2024
Books and gardens are faithful friends to whom we can always turn to. They both have the ability to comfort, to cheer and to connect us with people and nature, reminding us...