Celebrations for V-E Day-- Part 1: Rome, Capitals and Battle Front

Continuing with the previous posts.  Excerpts from AP posts this day.

The world celebrates.

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The great bells of St. Peter's Basilica  rang out over Rome shortly after  the Associated Press report that peace had come to Europe, while several Allied capitals proclaimed V-E holidays for today, and Tokyo  announced continuation of "The Sacred War."

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Many of the world's cities went wild with the news, and even neutral capitals were bedecked and full of celebrating crowds.  Masses of people gathered in front of loudspeakers and newspaper offices, which were frantically answering inquiries and rolling out extras.

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Only in the unnatural calm of the European fronts  was the news reported  to have been taken soberly,  by soldiers who had seen fighting taper off in one sector after another for the past few weeks.

--GreGen