Victory Day

"Victory Day" provided by Wikipedia

Victory Day (or Otto settembre) is a public holiday celebrated in Malta on 8 September[1] and recalls the end of three historical sieges made on the Maltese archipelago, namely: the Great Siege of Malta by the Ottoman Empire ending in 1565; the Siege of Valletta by the French Blockade ending in 1800; and, the Siege of Malta during the Second World War by the Axis forces ending in 1943.

This day also coincides with the commemoration of the birth of the Virgin Mary, better known as the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated in the villages of Senglea, Naxxar and Mellieha in Malta, and Xagħra in Gozo. It is locally known as il-Vitorja (the Victory) and il-Bambina (the Baby).[2] The traditional regatta featuring boat races in the Grand Harbour is held on Victory Day.

Events related to 8 September

On 7 September 1565, the Sicilian fleet Gran Soccorso, reached the Maltese shores to provide assistance to the Maltese, therefore setting back the Turkish invasion. The next day, after more than three months of siege, the Ottomans, who were besieging the suburbs of Birgu and Isla, retired their forces and left that region of the island. Despite battles continuing in the region of what today is St. Paul's Bay, it can be said that this date marked the last day of the Great Siege, which is considered one of the bloodiest in world history and the greatest siege in the history of Malta.[3]

The surrender of French troops that had been occupying Malta to Emmanuele Vitale and Canon Francesco Saverio Caruana on 4 September 1800 is also a historical event related to the celebration taking place on this day.[2]

The siege of Malta in the Second World War concluded in November 1942. During this time, Malta experienced a total of 3,000 bombing raids over a period of two years in an effort to destroy Royal Air Force defences and the ports.[4] For enduring this, King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to the entire island and the design of the George Cross was incorporated into the Maltese flag.[5]

On 8 September 1943, Italy withdrew from the war and ended hostilities against the Allies and turned against its former German ally. The Italian Prime Minister, Marshal Pietro Badoglio, read the statement that "The Italian Government, recognizing the impossibility of continuing the unequal struggle against the overwhelming power of the enemy, and with the object of avoiding further and more grievous harm to the nation, has requested an armistice from General Eisenhower ... This request has been granted. The Italian forces will, therefore, cease all acts of hostility against the Anglo-American forces wherever they may be met ..."[6] U.S. Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower released the news of the unconditional surrender, "effective this instant", at the same time in a broadcast from Allied Headquarters in North Africa.[7] The Italian fleet sailed to Malta to surrender.[8]