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VJ Day 80: We Were There

As Britain marks the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, this film gathers first-hand accounts from the last veterans – many now more than 100 years old. Rachel Burden traces their stories, from the invasion of British Malaya to the horror of Hiroshima and Japan's surrender in August 1945. Former prisoners of war forced to work on the notorious Burma Railroad speak about their brutal treatment and the punishing conditions they endured. Rachel talks to one woman who was a ten-year-old child prisoner in Singapore, as well as servicemen who had fought in Europe but were then deployed to India and East Asia for the final months of the Second World War.

English
  • Originally Aired August 13, 2025
  • Runtime 59 minutes
  • Content Rating Great Britain U
  • Network 13:30 BBC Two
  • On Other Sites Official Website
  • Created September 10, 2025 by
    Hercules40
  • Modified September 10, 2025 by
    Hercules40