CANADA HISTORY - DOCUMENTS WAR

1945 Victory Proclamation by Harry Truman President of the United States of America

Analysis of the Document - (The Document follows below the Analysis)

Harry Truman's 1945 Victory Proclamation marked the formal end of World War II for the United States and its Allies. On August 15, 1945, following Japan's surrender, Truman declared the war over, leading to celebrations across North America. The proclamation had profound implications for Canada as well, which had played a significant role in the war effort, providing soldiers, equipment, and resources. Canada's economy had been drastically reshaped by wartime production, and the proclamation of victory signaled the beginning of a new post-war era.

The Victory Proclamation cemented the partnership between the United States and Canada, which had grown closer during the war through defense cooperation, industrial production, and the establishment of key institutions like the Permanent Joint Board on Defense. This cooperation became the foundation of their post-war relationship, particularly in areas like military strategy and trade, as the two nations jointly navigated the challenges of rebuilding and maintaining peace.

For Canada, the post-war period initiated by Truman's proclamation also meant addressing the shift from wartime to peacetime. With millions of Canadian men and women returning from military service, the country faced social and economic changes that required significant government planning, from housing to employment. The war had galvanized Canadian national identity, and the Victory Proclamation, celebrated alongside American victory, highlighted Canada’s evolving independence on the world stage while maintaining its close ties to the United States and Great Britain.

Politically, the end of the war and Truman's declaration shaped Canada's role in emerging international organizations like the United Nations. Canada's commitment to peacekeeping and its participation in the founding of the UN reflected its position as a middle power dedicated to global peace, which was solidified by its contributions during the war. As Canada entered a new era of international diplomacy, the Victory Proclamation served as a reminder of the sacrifices made and the responsibilities that came with victory.

In the context of Canadian history, the 1945 Victory Proclamation by Harry Truman represents a moment of triumph and transition. The cooperation between Canada and the United States during the war laid the foundation for a partnership that would define North American defense and economic policy for decades to come. The proclamation also marked the beginning of Canada's transformation into a modern, industrialized nation, poised to take a more assertive role in global affairs while strengthening its national identity.

The Allied armies, through sacrifice and devotion and with God's help, have wrung from Germany a final and unconditional surrender. The western world has been freed of the evil forces which for five years and longer have imprisoned the bodies and broken the lives of millions upon millions of free-born men. They have violated their churches, destroyed their homes, corrupted their children, and murdered their loved ones. Our Armies of Liberation have restored freedom to these suffering peoples, whose spirit and will the oppressors could never enslave. Much remains to be done. The victory won in the West must now be won in the East. The whole world must be cleansed of the evil from which half the world has been freed. United, the peace-loving nations have demonstrated in the West that their arms are stronger by far than the might of dictators or the tyranny of military cliques that once called us soft and weak. The power of our peoples to defend themselves against all enemies will be proved in the Pacific was as it has been proved in Europe. For the trimuph of spirit and of arms which we have won, and of its promise to peoples everywhere who join us in the love of freedom, it is fitting that we, as a nation, give thanks to Almighty God, who has strengthened us and given us the victory.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN,

President of the United States of America, do hereby appoint Sunday, May 13, 1945 to be a day of prayer. I call upon the people of the United States, whatever their faith, to unite in offering joyful thanks to God for the victory we have won and to pray that He will support us to the end of our present struggle and guide us into the way of peace. I also call upon my countrymen to dedicate this day of prayer to the memory of those who have given their lives to make possible our victory. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of May in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-five and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and sixty-ninth.

By the President:

Harry S. Truman