Remarks on Victory in Europe Day, Washington, DC

General Casey, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, we give thanks for the bravery and determination of many thousands of men and women. They stood up to a tyranny beyond imagination – and ultimately led to its defeat.

Almost seven decades have passed since the end of one of the most devastating conflicts in history. But today, even people who were born long after the Second World War are still moved deeply by it.

I shall never forget my first visit to the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Words cannot express the horror that I felt at the time, and still feel today.

A few years ago I visited Normandy. I saw the many thousands of white crosses marking the graves of the American servicemen who had stormed the beaches. They came to liberate Europe. They paid with their lives.

And last year I went to Bastogne. The “Battle of the Bulge” was one of the bloodiest in the Second World War. Today Bastogne is a peaceful Belgian town, because of the sacrifice made by so many American servicemen.

Auschwitz, Buchenwald and Treblinka stand as a harrowing memory to the horrors of the Holocaust. Normandy, Bastogne and war cemeteries all over Europe stand as a tribute to the tremendous contribution of this great nation – the United States.

You defended the freedom of Europe. You made it possible for future generations to enjoy peace and democracy. We thank you. The Second World War brought home what we should have already known. That the security of America and Europe is indivisible.

The creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949 epitomised this historical lesson. NATO forged a bond between America and Europe that still endures today. We are two continents united to protect shared values – freedom, democracy and humanity.

Today, nearly 150,000 service personnel – Americans, Canadians, Europeans – stand shoulder to shoulder in NATO-led missions and operations across the world. From Afghanistan to Libya -- from the Balkans to the Indian Ocean.

Our men and women in uniform demonstrate in the clearest possible way our solidarity as transatlantic Allies -- and our enduring commitment to freedom, security and peace.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit wounded US service personnel at the National Naval Medical Centre. Men and women who stood, and were wounded, on the front line. Many of them with serious injuries that have changed their lives, and the lives of their families, forever. It was a very emotional experience.

These brave men put their lives on the line to protect our security. And to help the Afghan people to take responsibility for theirs.

Just like the American troops who fought in Normandy and Bastogne, the wounded men I met yesterday did much more than their duty to carry forward the flame of freedom.

So let me first salute the World War II veterans and the Holocaust survivors who are present here today.

Let me honour all those who – over the years -- have put their lives on the line for their country, for their fellow citizens, and for their NATO Allies.

And let me pay my deepest respects to all those who have paid the ultimate price.

They all have performed an exceptional service for freedom and peace. We are forever in their debt.