Did WW2 create the modern world? Anniversary celebrations are a powerful reminder that this terrible conflict also shaped contemporary society.
VE Day: Thanks for 80 years of peace
Jubilation: On 8 May 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced on the radio at 3pm that the war in Europe had come to an end, following Germany's surrender the day before. Glossary
Conga - A Latin American dance of African origin, usually with several people in a single line, one behind the other.
Colonial Empires - A state that establishes and controls colonies, typically through military conquest, political dominance, and the exploitation of resources and people.
Superpower - A state that possesses military or economic might, or both, and general influence vastly superior to that of other states.
IMF - The international Monetary Fund. Its main function has been to manage debt difficulties in many countries, often enforcing strict financial discipline in exchange for loans to governments.
Welfare state - A safety net put in place by the government to ensure that no-one falls into poverty.
Rent Control - A limit on the amount that a landlord can charge for a property.
Totalitarian - When a political system or leader requires complete subservience to the state. In a totalitarian system, people are not allowed to express their own opinions.
Cold War - A period of diplomatic conflict between blocs led by the USA and the USSR that lasted from 1947 until 1991, when the USSR collapsed.
Apocalypse - A Christian name for the end of the world. Descended from a Greek word meaning uncover, it was used to describe the Biblical book of Revelation.
Unprecedented - Never been seen before.
Veterans - People who used to serve in the army.
Pageant Master - A person who oversees the production of an entertainment or other event.