The Irish Examiner View: WWII showed power of common purpose

The act of remembering, of honouring the memory of those who went before us is as often as much about the future as it is about the past. That act is also a challenge as by recognising one achievement, one sacrifice or another, we cannot but draw a comparison with today’s world. We can hardly avoid asking how we have used the opportunities, the gifts bequeathed by those whose lives were defined by trauma and upheaval all but unimaginable - even today - to anyone who did not live through them.

This weekend, as curtailed but curiously dignified ceremonies to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe continue, it seems appropriate to reflect on what went before; how versions of history are used to advance one cause or another; and, probably most importantly, have we learned and can we apply the simple lessons that ensured the defeat of genocidal fascism.