The White House has confirmed a military parade will be held on June 14th to mark the US Army’s 250th anniversary, which also happens to be President Donald Trump’s birthday. A “day-long festival” will take place on the National Mall in Washington DC, featuring 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, and 50 aircraft.
Trump initially proposed a military parade during his first term but canceled the idea after reports that it would have cost around $90 million (£71m). Earlier on Friday, Trump announced plans to rename Veterans Day as “Victory Day for World War I” to celebrate American contributions to the conflict.
Planning for the military parade is reportedly “actively underway,” with options to include more capability demonstrations, additional equipment displays, and increased community engagement. Trump first suggested a military parade for Veterans Day in 2018, and he expressed a desire for the US to “top” France’s Bastille Day parade, which he attended in 2017.
In addition to renaming Veterans Day, Trump also wants to designate VE Day on May 8th as “Victory Day for World War II.” While it is unclear whether this will become a federal holiday (a decision that rests with Congress), the days mark the end of World War I in 1918 and Germany’s surrender in 1945, respectively. Trump argued that the US did more than any other country in producing a victorious result in the Second World War.
The White House later clarified that the name of Veterans Day will not be officially changed.
VE Day celebrations are being held in the UK, France, Canada, and other parts of the world, marking 80 years since the end of World War Two in Europe. Russia commemorates the occasion as the end of the “Great Patriotic War” and holds a massive parade. The war, which started in 1939, resulted in the deaths of around 27 million Soviet citizens.
According to statistics published by the US National WWII Museum in New Orleans, approximately 418,500 Americans were killed in both the European and Pacific theatres of the conflict, with the majority being military casualties. The US has not historically recognized VE Day, as the country was still at war with Japan after the conflict ended in Europe.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9vzrxxjdwo
