BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



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          SENATE THIRD READING


          SCR  
          50 (Nielsen)


          As Introduced  April 29, 2015


          Majority vote


          SENATE VOTE:  36-0


           ------------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |Committee       |Votes|Ayes                  |Noes                |
          |                |     |                      |                    |
          |                |     |                      |                    |
          |                |     |                      |                    |
          |----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
          |Veterans        |8-0  |Irwin, Mathis, Alejo, |                    |
          |Affairs         |     |Brough, Brown, Daly,  |                    |
          |                |     |Frazier, Salas        |                    |
          |                |     |                      |                    |
          |                |     |                      |                    |
           ------------------------------------------------------------------ 


          SUMMARY:  This measure:


          1)Urges the Governor to proclaim the month of June 2015 as World  
            War II Remembrance Month, and call upon all Californians to  
            observe the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. 


          2)Makes the following legislative findings:








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             a)   The Second World War, which lasted from 1939 to 1945,  
               was the most widespread war in human history, directly  
               involving more than 100 million people from more than 30  
               different countries, which were split between two opposing  
               military alliances - the Allies, led by the United States  
               of America and the United Kingdom, and the Axis, led by  
               Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan.


             b)   On December 11, 1941, four days after the Japanese  
               attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declared war on  
               the United States.


             c)   The Axis powers initiated military aggression and  
               maintained the strategic momentum until gradually slowed by  
               Allied resistance in late 1942 and 1943, after which the  
               Allies reversed the momentum and commenced operations to  
               liberate Axis-conquered lands.


             d)   Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Western  
               Allies at Reims on May 7, 1945, and to the Soviet Union on  
               May 9, 1945, in Berlin.


             e)   President of the United States Harry S. Truman declared  
               May 8, 1945, "V-E Day," marking the end of World War II in  
               Europe, although the war with Japan continued until August  
               14, 1945.


             f)   During World War II, an estimated 292,000 members of the  
               United States Armed Forces were killed in action and more  
               than 400,000 members of the United States Armed Forces  
               died.









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          EXISTING LAW:   None applicable.


          FISCAL EFFECT:  None.  This measured is keyed non-fiscal by the  
          Legislative Counsel.


          COMMENTS:  According to the author:


               World War II was one of the great historical  
               watersheds in United States (U.S.) history. The events  
               that occurred during and after the war emplaced the  
               U.S. as the dominant global military and economic  
               superpower, which it remains today. This war forced  
               the U.S. to transform from a still largely  
               agricultural economy into an industrial manufacturing  
               colossus.


               In turn, California was transformed during the  
               post-WWII era by the resulting changes in economic and  
               political balance and the enormous swell of  
               immigration that came to the state as people around  
               the world sought economic opportunity and political  
               freedom in the most opportunity-laden state in the  
               most opportunity-laden nation.


               Victory in Europe (V-E) Day is recognized annually by  
               the U.S. on May 8, the calendar day in 1945 on which  
               German forces surrendered to the Allies. The Japanese  
               fought on alone until August 1945, and Victory over  
               Japan (V-J) Day is recognized on August 14. The month  
               of June is approximately midway between the two  
               recognized days and suitable to serve as a sole month  
               of remembrance.









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          Analysis Prepared by:                                             
                          John Spangler / V.A. / (916) 319-3550  FN:  
          0001123