President Obama on Friday paid tribute to the American men and women who helped defeat Nazi Germany 70 years ago, calling them “the generation that literally saved the world.”
In an address from the White House marking the 70th anniversary of VE Day, the president said those who served in World War II came home and laid a rock-solid foundation for the U.S. middle class.
“This was the generation that literally saved the world, that ended the war and laid a foundation for peace. This was the generation that traded in their uniforms for a college education so they could marry their sweethearts, buy homes, raise children and build the strongest middle class the world has ever known,” Mr. Obama said.
“We will be forever grateful for what these remarkable men and women did, for the selfless grace they showed in one of our darkest hours,” he said. “But as we mark this 70th anniversary, let’s not simply commemorate history. Let’s rededicate ourselves to the freedoms for which they fought. Let’s make sure that we keep striving to fulfill our founding ideals — that we’re a country where no matter who we are or where we’re from or what we look like or who we love, if we work hard and take responsibility, every American will have the opportunity to make of our lives what we will.”
Mr. Obama also said the U.S. will stand with its allies “in Europe and beyond” to ensure there is never another genocide like the one perpetrated by the Nazis.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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