What is the origin of the "V" sign?

The "V" sign for victory originated from the Battle of Agincourt in the Hundred Years' War between Britain and France, where the French threatened to cut off the middle and forefingers of the British archers, crippling them and making them unable to open their bows and shoot arrows again. But then the British army defeated the French, and after the victory, the British straightened their middle and forefingers and turned their palms inward to demonstrate to the French prisoners, meaning: our fingertips are intact. This action was then later extended to mean humiliating the other side. In addition, the use of the "V" gesture to represent victory is said to have been conceived by a Belgian lawyer in opposition to the Nazis, and was publicized by the British BBC on January 14, 1941, in response to his proposal. Since the code for "V" is "Da, da, da, da, da-" BBC Radio chose the beginning of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to go with it.

There are other accounts of the origins of the V gesture, either way, V is the beginning of the word Victory. The word originated in Latin, and the French word for victory, Victoire, also has a V at the beginning, so the gesture made for very effective anti-Nazi propaganda.

Popularized through Churchill

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the world-famous Austrian Jewish medical family, Bern. Victor

(Byrne.Victor) family in the long process of research and development, in the process of achieving a breakthrough, Byrne. Victor

Researchers in order not to break the unique atmosphere of silence, each other only with the gesture V to convey congratulations. Since then, the Witte family has held up two "V "s in the air in celebration of every crisis or achievement throughout history.

The habitual gesture for many years during the Nazi era, in the harsh environment of anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism, the Bernwickert laboratory researchers played the V gesture, but more deeper meaning - victory is in sight. In July 1938 Nazi Germany, surrounded the Rothschild Hospital. As the attending physician, Witte raised the double "V" to give confidence to all the Jews and patients hiding in the hospital. The moment, in which everyone in the hospital raised the V's in their hands, soon spread throughout Austria and all of Europe.

In 1940, when German fascists invaded the countries of Western Europe, a Belgian friend of Witte, Victor de la Ville, went into exile in Britain. Dravely went into exile in England. Every day, he used the radio from Britain to Belgium for short-wave broadcasts, calling on compatriots to rise up against the German invasion forces. One night, he called on people to write the letter "V" on the radio to show their confidence in the final victory. Within a few days, in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and other cities in the streets and alleys, tree trunks and poles, theaters, and even in the German barracks, guard towers and officers' homes, all appeared "V", greatly encouraging the fighting spirit of the Belgian people. The story was so popular that it became fashionable for friends to greet each other with the "V" sign. The "V" as a signature action and will carry it forward, is the British Prime Minister Churchill during World War II. He loved this gesture. It is said that once, when he held a press conference in an underground bunker, the ground suddenly sounded a siren, and Churchill raised his right hand and held down two German cities on a battle map with his index and middle fingers, saying loudly to the journalists at the conference, "Believe it or not, we'll fight back." At this point, a reporter snapped, "Mr. Prime Minister, are you sure?" Churchill turned around, pressed two fingers on the map to the ceiling, and replied loudly and emotionally, "Victory is certain!" The scene appeared in all the major newspapers published the next day, and from then on the gesture became rapidly popular around the world.

Later, the "V" word spread to the fallen countries of Europe. In the meantime, it became fashionable for friends to greet each other with the "V" sign. In September 1944, the Belgian capital of Brussels was liberated, on November 10 of the same year, Belgium issued a set of "victory" stamps, *** 16, one of the picture for the Belgian coat of arms on the lion pattern and symbolize the victory of the "V" word (see image).