Marking the 75th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, this virtual programme explores the contribution of British Commonwealth forces during the Far East campaign of the Second World War.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy, the National Army Museum, the Royal Air Force Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission are joining forces to mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day with a free programme of online talks and events from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 August 2020

From 1941 to 1945, British Commonwealth forces and their allies fought a bitter campaign against the Japanese in Asia.

The fighting took place over challenging terrain, from the jungles of Burma to the remote islands of the Pacific, and always against a tenacious enemy.

Discover the Far East campaign’s vast geographical spread, the experiences of individual soldiers – both as combatants and captives – and the impact and legacy of the campaign on the Armed Forces and the wider world.

Our full programme is available now, just click here to explore.

Highlights of the programme:

• Never Forgotten: The War in the Far East and Modern Memory. This debate will look at the legacy of the campaign with historians from across the four organisations, chaired by Shrabani Basu. Register for this online event on Crowdcast.
• Soldiers’ Stories – hear from veterans who took part in the campaign and their experiences of VJ Day 75 years ago
• Talks with the Royal Air Force Museum’s Curators.
• Podcast and blogs sharing stories of those lost or taken Prisoner of War
• From the River Kwai to Enola Gay: The Cultural Legacy of the War in the East. Peter Francis of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is joined by experts from the VJ75 partner museums to discuss and explore the cultural legacy of the war in the Far East. Register for this event on Crowdcast

Find out more about our partners’ VJ75 content:

VJ75 at the National Army Museum
VJ75 at the National Museum of the Royal Navy
VJ75 at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Help us during these challenging times to continue our vital work looking after our remarkable collections and telling the stories of the tri-service. Your donation will be split equally between the three museums. If you would like to support the Commonwealth War Graves charitable arm, please consider joining their Foundation.