Victory in Europe — V-E Day
Germany surrendered twice, and Europe celebrated on 8 May 1945. The first signature was at Reims at 2.41 on the morning of 7 May, where Jodl signed an unconditional surrender to Eisenhower's headquarters, to take effect at 23.01 the following night. Stalin objected: the document had been signed at a western headquarters with a Soviet liaison officer present rather than at the seat of the war's decision, and the greater part of the German army had been destroyed by his forces. A second ceremony was therefore held at Karlshorst in Berlin late on 8 May, with Keitel signing to Zhukov, which is why Russia commemorates Victory Day on 9 May — the signature was after midnight Moscow time. The Associated Press had already broken the story of the Reims signing in defiance of an embargo, so most of the celebrating happened before either government announced anything. Churchill spoke at three in the afternoon and told the crowds that the German war was at an end and that Japan remained; the royal family appeared on the balcony eight times, and the two princesses were let out into the crowd. Some 27 million Soviet citizens, six million Poles, six million Jews and hundreds of thousands of others were already dead. Germany had ceased to exist as a state: Hitler had killed himself on 30 April, Dönitz's government at Flensburg was arrested on 23 May, and the Allies assumed supreme authority on 5 June. The Pacific war ran another three months. The date is commemorated separately across Europe and means different things on each side of the old line. For much of eastern Europe one occupation replaced another, which is why the anniversary is marked in Warsaw, Riga and Kyiv with a good deal less unmixed celebration than in London.
- Year: 1945 CE
- Category: Diplomatic
