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National Archives of Canada/DND Army 2-3848-47

Celebrating VE-Day in front of the National War Memorial, Ottawa, May 8, 1945

A 63rd anniversary isn't much of a special number to celebrate, but when it comes to the fading memories of the Second World War, every year and every event have begun to count for something more special than usual.

Such was the case last week when Canadian Governor General Michaëlle Jean visited Juno Beach in France to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of VE Day Victory in Europe.

VE Day May 8, 1945 marked the end of war in Europe, when the Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, and the end of Adolf Hitler's evil Third Reich. Hitler had been dead, by his own hand, for nine days by then, so the surrender of Germany was authorized by his replacement, German President Karl Dönitz, who was left to pick up the pieces of what remained of his country.

It took the Allies 11 months from the D-Day invasion in June 1944 to the point where the battle was done and the papers were signed, which must have been agonizingly long for soldiers who knew the tide was turning, but turning slowly. It was another three months before the war in the Pacific was over.

While VE Day was a day of defeat in Germany, it was as wild a celebration as was ever seen in Britain, Canada and the US.

The day saw a street party of one million people in London, with crowds gathered to watch King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mum) and Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

The celebratory atmosphere was in stark contrast to the hell the country had endured during the previous six years the bombings and fires, the rations of food, clothing and fuel that would continue for several more years, the fear of defeat, and the loss of so many young soldiers. Similar hardship and loss were felt throughout the Allied nations, both European and North American.

But at the heart of remembrance these days isn't so much the defeat of Nazi Germany, nor the struggle to make do with less through the war years. The reason the day is still marked 63 years after the fact is a simple one sacrifice.

There are 2,000 Canadian soldiers buried at a war cemetery near Juno Beach where Jean met with French President Sarkozy last week. But that number of graves accounts for only a fraction of the more than 42,000 Canadians who died as a result of the Second World War. Another 54,000 Canadians were wounded, and thousands more physically or emotionally scarred for life by the horrors of that war.

There are few words to describe such a devastating and costly sacrifice. But there are words to describe the results of that sacrifice freedom, democracy, human rights, law and order, trust, freedom of the press, freedom to worship, and a prosperous lifestyle envied by billions of people.

A 63rd anniversary is an odd number to make a big fuss over, but in this case, there is no such thing as too big a fuss.

It's days like this that keep us humble and grateful humble because we question whether we could have offered that same sacrifice, and grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, albeit at their expense.