After years of fierce fighting stretching around the globe, rumours began to swirl in spring 1945 that the German army was nearing surrender. So desperately wanted was this, the moment had a name before it had even happened: VE Day.

In the months that followed the Allied forces continued to squeeze Germany along two fronts, pushing them closer and closer to its pre-war borders. Soon it became clear the end of the war was near, and on May 7th, 1945, Germany surrendered.

Celebrations started almost immediately around the world – in fact, some had started days before! From the front lines to the streets of London, Kenya to Costa Rica, people celebrated under the conviction that better days were ahead, and the nightmare of the war was finally over.

This Thursday marks the 80th anniversary of that fateful day. Although I’m disappointed the Government has ruled out a Liberal Democrat proposal to give the nation an extra bank holiday for the anniversary, I’m pleased to see so many events happening in South Devon to commemorate this special moment in our nation’s history.

Totnes Image Bank is joining forces with Totnes Cinema to review how the town moved forward after peace was declared. With post-war standards playing in the background, projected onto the screen will be an evocation of the years 1945-1953 as experienced in Totnes.

Brixham is also hosting multiple free events from Wednesday 7th to the following Sunday, including a victory parade, a 1940s musical tribute at Brixham Theatre, and a street party. Street parties will also be taking place in Dartmouth, Salcombe, Thurlestone, and elsewhere.

Events like these have, in the past, been dismissed as irrelevant in today’s modern age. But the scary truth is that moments like this, where we come together as a community and remember not only the victory but the fight that came before, are more important than ever.

We are in a very different world from the one we were living in when we celebrated VE Day last year. In his first 100 days, President Trump has upended the post-war global order with complete disregard for the lessons it cost millions of lives to learn.

His actions on Ukraine prove he has not learnt the fundamental takeaway from World War II: that weakness in the face of tyranny and aggression results in defeat by tyranny and aggression.

Despite his repeated self-assertions of strength, his capitulation to Putin and bullying of Zelenskyy not only shows Trump’s weakness but his inherent untrustworthiness.

Scarily, we are seeing a version of the past play out before our eyes. Back in the 30s, Chamberlain thought he could do a deal with Hitler; he was wrong. Today, Trump is pushing for a deal that appears to do nothing to halt Putin’s expansionist ambitions.

We all know what a lack of deterrence led to. The Liberal Democrats want the government to stand strongly against Trump’s bullying. We cannot allow history to repeat itself.