National Museum of the Royal Navy invites you to join in virtual events to mark 75 years since VJ Day

Following the success of their VE Day Festival in May, The National Museum of the Royal Navy is joining forces with the National Army Museum, Royal Air Force Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to commemorate Victory in Japan (VJ) Day.

It will involve a series of free virtual events that history enthusiasts can engage with from the safety and comfort of their home with three days of online talks and events.

Although victory had been declared in Europe, the gruelling fight against Japan continued until August 1945 from the jungles of Burma to the remote islands of the Pacific.

The programme of online events begins on Friday, August 14 with The Far East Campaign online videos available via the museums’ digital channels exploring the vast spread of the conflict and rediscovered stories of individual service personnel.

On Saturday, August 15 – the date of Japan’s surrender – journalist and author Dr Shrabani Basu will host a debate titled Never Forgotten: The War in the Far East and Modern Memory with historians from the three museums and the war graves commission.

There will be a live Q&A for members of the public and the free event will be broadcast on Crowdcast at 2pm.

The final day of the commemorations on Sunday, August 16, will see the three museums and the CWGC come together to discuss the cultural legacy of the war in the Far East including how it is remembered today.

Like the previous debate, it is a free event that will be broadcast at 2pm.

The full events programme will available on The National Museum of the Royal Navy website from August 10.

The museums are encouraging people joining in to share pictures on social media with the hashtags #VJDay75 #NeverForgotten.

The museum site in Hartlepool is currently closed to visitors but is due to reopen from Friday, September 4, after receiving emergency cash from HM Treasury and implementing various safety measures.

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