【6月20日】看軍聞學英語

■刀客

原文:

On May 8, 1945, Robert Warren Wolfe, a GI with the 187th Engineer Battalion, had a day off from the mop-up of the broken Nazi war machine.

He wrote home from Germany to his folks in Lima, Ohio, to let them know the big news, in case they hadn't already heard: 'Today is probably one of the greatest days in history–VE Day. We have all looked forward to this day.'

The 75th anniversary of that legendary day was more marked by silence than fanfare as scheduled events were canceled or went virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. President and First Lady each touched the memorial wreath before the pool at the center of the National WWII Memorial to honor the fallen.

中譯:

時值1945年5月8日,第187工兵營的美國大兵沃爾夫,在掃蕩殘破納粹德軍之列,獲休假乙日。

他擔心家人會不知道這個天大的消息,於是從德國寫信告知俄亥俄州利馬的親友:「今天是歐戰勝利紀念日,或許算是歷史上最偉大的日子之一,我們一直期待這一天的到來。」

屬於那個傳奇性日子的第75周年,是以較為靜默而非喧囂慶祝的方式紀念,因新型冠狀病毒肺炎大流行之故,原定活動不是取消,就是以虛擬化的形式舉辦。

美國總統及第一夫人在二戰紀念碑中央的水池前,分別以觸摸悼念花圈的方式,向二戰陣亡將士表達敬意。

-關鍵軍語-

※Nazi war machine:

Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.

※GI:

An American soldier.

例句:

The comic strip G.I. Joe has been popular since 1942.

連環漫畫《美國大兵.喬》自1942年就風靡至今。