Churchill and VE Day: Triumph, Resolve and the Road Ahead

On the 80th Anniversary of the End of WWII in Europe, a Reflection on Unflinching Leadership

Winston Churchill on VE Day, May 8, 1945

By John Bray

On May 8, 2025, the world marks 80 years since Victory in Europe (VE) Day—a moment of historic gravity and deep emotion. In London, jubilant crowds gathered to celebrate Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender, ending the war in Europe. Beyond the waving flags and songs lies a set of deeper stories—including the saga of Winston Churchill’s extraordinary leadership in perilous times.

In many ways, VE Day celebrations – especially in Great Britain – were (and are) a testament to Churchill’s unflinching leadership. Under bombardment and often standing alone among world leaders, he rallied Britain with words and will, becoming a symbol of defiance and endurance.

“For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”

On May 8, 1945, Churchill emerged from the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to greet jubilant crowds. Later, outside Whitehall, he addressed a sea of Britons with words that conveyed both humility and triumph:

“God bless you all. This is your victory. In our long history, we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best.”

Ever conscious of the collective effort, the staunch Conservative Churchill asked Labour leader Ernest Bevin to share the applause. Bevin demurred— “No, Winston, this is your day”—and led the crowd in singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” It was a moment of unguarded national affection for a leader whose very presence had become a symbol of British resolve.

A Day of Jubilation, Tempered by Duty

The mood across the Allied nations on VE Day was one of euphoria and restraint. Celebrations broke out in Times Square, Paris and other liberated capitals.

VE Day Celebrations in London

But even as crowds flooded London’s streets, Churchill was mindful that the war was not yet over. For many, the joyous noise was a painful reminder of lost loved ones and anxiety for those still serving in harm’s way overseas. Japan remained defiant in the Pacific. British forces, alongside American and Commonwealth allies, were still deeply engaged across Burma, fighting dogged resistance on Pacific islands and preparing for a possible invasion of Japan.

Churchill, characteristically, refused to indulge in unqualified celebration. “We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing,” he told the nation in a radio broadcast, “but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead. Japan remains unsubdued.”

Churchill’s VE Day message reflected his understanding of leadership during crisis: realistic, unflinching, yet emotionally tuned to the moment. From the earliest days of his premiership, he had rallied the British people through blitzes, bombings and battlefield losses.

By VE Day, his leadership had become more than national—it had become transatlantic.

The VE Day celebration in the United States fell on President Truman’s 61st birthday. Truman, who had taken office less than a month earlier after President Roosevelt’s sudden death, dedicated the day’s victory to Roosevelt’s memory, calling it “a victory only half won.”

Churchill’s bond with Roosevelt, and later with Truman, was instrumental in the Allied victory. American industrial might, manpower and military—including General George C. Marshall’s crucial leadership role—were essential to victory in Europe. It was, in many ways, a passing of the torch of global democratic leadership.

From Alliance to Anxiety

Churchill and the west also looked toward an already uncertain postwar landscape. They had long harbored concerns about Soviet intentions in Eastern Europe. Even before the ink had dried on Germany’s surrender, tensions were surfacing between the Western allies and Stalin’s USSR.

Churchill had no illusions about Soviet communism. He was an avowed anti-Bolshevik, long warning against the dangers of communism. But when Hitler invaded the USSR in 1941, he set aside his deep ideological differences, famously stating: “If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favorable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.”

Yet as victory approached, Churchill’s wartime pragmatism gave way to growing unease. His warnings would take fuller form in his famous 1946 “Iron Curtain” speech, but on VE Day, Churchill already sensed the geopolitical storm gathering. The cost of victory was steep—millions dead, cities in ruins and Europe’s political future uncertain.

Eighty Years On: Lessons from Leadership

As the world reflects on VE Day’s 80th anniversary, the image of Churchill standing outside Whitehall, the crowd singing in spontaneous tribute, remains emblematic of how leadership can bind a nation. It was not victory alone that earned Churchill his place in history, but the manner in which he carried his people through fear, fatigue and fire.

Churchill’s blend of candor, courage and collaboration remains a benchmark—not only of wartime leadership but of statesmanship at its best.

The war in Europe may have ended that day in May, but the struggle for peace continued. So too does the need for leadership that rises with the moment—and carries a people forward, even during the darkest hours.