Statement by the President on the 70th Anniversary
Today
we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the formal end of World War II
in the Pacific, a conflict that tragically claimed millions of
lives across Asia and Oceania and stretched several months beyond the
war’s conclusion in the European theater. We salute the American
servicemen and women of the Greatest Generation who answered the call of
duty in the Pacific, as well as the allied forces
with whom they served. We remember those who endured unimaginable
suffering as prisoners of war, and we honor the ultimate sacrifice of
more than 100,000 U.S. service members who laid down their lives in the
Pacific theater to defend our nation and advance
the cause of freedom. To them, and to the 16 million Americans who
served in the Second World War -- those who are no longer with us and
our proud veterans today -- our debt of gratitude can never be repaid.
We live in freedom because of their brave service.
The
end of the war marked the beginning of a new era in America’s
relationship with Japan. As Prime Minister Abe and I noted during his
visit in
April, the relationship between our two countries over the last 70
years stands as a model of the power of reconciliation: former
adversaries who have become steadfast allies and who work together to
advance common interests and universal values in Asia and
globally. Seventy years ago this partnership was unimaginable. Today
it is a fitting reflection of our shared interests, capabilities, and
values, and I am confident that it will continue to deepen in the
decades to come.
Source: The White House Press Office
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