Why did the soldier make the V sign?
V for Victory.
Oh ok! That makes a lot more sense, I thought the guy was making a rude gesture.
I learned something new this morning. I never knew this sign was used for any sort of rude gesture but I see your very correct about that fact Sarah. It must be more a more popular thing in England. Here in the U.S it only means victory to my knowledge anyway.
V for Victory
The V-sign also stands for "Victory", and unlike the British "Get Stuffed!" sign, this meaning is understood and used around the world. Popularised by Winston Churchill during world war two, the idea came from a Belgian lawyer called Victor De Lavelaye.
The Churchillian gesture
Winston Churchill took up the Victory campaign enthusiastically, and made a V sign with his fingers whenever a camera was pointed at him, his palm facing in both directions. This dismayed his private secretary, John Colville. In September 1941, Colville wrote in his diary, ''The PM will give the V-sign with two fingers in spite of representations repeatedly made to him that this gesture has quite another significance.''
Churchill was eventually persuaded to use only the palm forwards gesture.
The Victory gesture can be made with palms facing in either direction, though the palm forwards sign is more common - perhaps due to the influence of Winston Churchill.