On Saturday August 15, Queenslanders will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Victory in the Pacific Day. This year’s commemorations will look slightly different than years before, with activities available both online and inside the Anzac Square Memorial Galleries, curated by State Library of Queensland.
If you’re unfamiliar, Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day commemorates Japan’s acceptance of the Allied demand for unconditional surrender, effectively putting an end to World War II. This year, Anzac Square Memorial Galleries will help us look back on the Queensland war experience – particularly in the Pacific region from 1941 to 1945 – and recognise those who bravely served Australia.
If you’re out and about in The City on Saturday August 15, make tracks to Anzac Square Memorial Galleries to explore the free World War II exhibition located beneath the Shrine of Remembrance. The galleries, which are normally closed on Saturdays, will be specially open this VP Day from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. During these hours, visitors will be able to delve into the State Library’s digital collection of stories, letters, photographs and historical artefacts, as well as ask the friendly visitor services team any World War II history-related questions.
Have plans to stay at home that weekend? From Monday August 10, you can commemorate at home and on-the-go by listening to voice-activated letters and diaries written around the end of the Second World War. To listen to these captivating stories, all you have to do is ask voice-activated assistants Google Assist or Amazon Alexa to “Launch VP Day Stories” – it’s as easy as that. Eager historians will also be able to search through State Library’s exciting new interactive online tool, Explorer, where you can observe images and film from the Second World War. If you or your family have any photos from the time, you can even upload these too.
Discover more ways you can commemorate differently at the Anzac Square Memorial Galleries website. You can share your VP Day experience on social media by using the hashtags #AnzacSquare and #VPDay75.
