75 Years After Winning the Peace

Event Details

  • Date: –

75 Years After Winning the Peace: A Celebration of World War II (in partnership with the Lifelong Learning Institute in Chesterfield)

Register for one or more sessions here

World War II ended in September 1945. 2020 is a year to celebrate 75 years since that victory.

Join us for an all-day, online event filled as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II. This virtual event is made possible in partnership with the Lifelong Learning Institute in Chesterfield. All sessions are free and open to the public, but registration is strongly encouraged.

Schedule of Events:

  • 9:00 am-9:30 am: Introduction
  • 9:30 am-10:00 am: Interview with a World War II Veteran
    Learn about World War II from someone who lived through it.
  • 10:00 am-11:00 am: “Weird War II” with Rusty Nix, Virginia WWI/WWII Commemoration Commission
    An American soldier leading the charge in the Red Army? The B-17 Bomber that beat its own crew back home? A medieval madman on the beaches of Normandy? Master magicians who flummoxed the fascists? Join Rusty Nix, Communications Manager of the VA WWI and WWII Commemoration Commission, as he dives into the wilder side of the war you THOUGHT you knew, as he talks about some of the most incredible and bizarre stories of World War II. 
  • 11:00 am-12:00 pm: “Tales of the Tuskegee Airmen” with Richard and Howard Baugh, Petersburg Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen
    The Tuskegee Airmen served with distinction during World War II, fighting racism at home and fascism abroad. Learn about the legacy and lives of these amazing pilots and their crews from the sons of Captain Howard Baugh, a great American hero.
  • 12:00 pm-1:00 pm: “Merrill’s Marauders” with Chris Kolakowski, Wisconsin Veterans Museum
    This talk will discuss the history and legacy of “Merrill’s Marauders,” one of the most famous infantry units of World War II whose exploits in Burma are part of the inspiration for the US Army Rangers. 
  • 1:00 pm-1:30 pm: “From the Archives: Materials on China-Burma-India” with Heidi Sheldon, Virginia War Memorial
    Popular culture representations of World War Ii often focus on action in Europe and the Pacific, overlooking the important roles of service members who served in the China-Burma-India Theater. Take a closer look at materials relating to the CBI Theater from the archives of the Virginia War Memorial, and learn some of the stories of the men who were there.
  • 1:30 pm-2:00 pm: Interview with a World War II Veteran
    Learn about World War II from someone who lived through it.
  • 2:00 pm-3:00 pm: “Hinge of Fate” with John Long, National D-Day Memorial
    Churchill called 1942 the “Hinge of Fate,” the year in which the momentum of WWII swung from the Axis to the Allies, when certain defeat gave way to confidence in victory. Learn how fate hinged on three key battles in 1942 – El Alamein, Stalingrad, and Midway – in this virtual program from the National D-Day Memorial.
  • 3:00 pm-4:00 pm: “The Two Deaths of Hitler: Ending the Fuhrer and his Legacy” with Clay Mountcastle, Virginia War Memorial
    This presentation will discuss the last day for Adolph Hitler, his death, and the effort to erase his image and impact from European Society. Presented by Clay Mountcastle, who grew up in a post-war Germany still looking to erase its dark past.
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