Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 23, 1995                   TAG: 9503230103
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN THE NATION

WASHINGTON - After protests from members of Congress and veterans groups, the White House insisted Wednesday it is not avoiding use of the term ``V-J Day'' to commemorate this year's 50th anniversary of the end of the war in the Pacific.

The Clinton administration reportedly had promised Tokyo that U.S. officials would avoid using the term ``V-J Day'' at commemorative events, in favor of something less biting such as ``end of the war.''

``The president has reversed course,'' said Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas. ``He was way off base. It was revisionist history and political correctness, just like the Enola Gay incident at the Smithsonian.''

But White House press secretary Mike McCurry on Wednesday said there never had been a move by ``any part of the government that makes decisions'' to drop the term ``V-J Day.''

``I'm not aware that there was any serious consideration given to changing the name,'' McCurry said. ``The name is the V-J Day, End of the War in the Pacific, End of World War II Commemoration.''

- Knight-Ridder/Tribune