victory in europe day 1945
On May 8, 1945, Victory in Europe Day was celebrated by Great Britain, the United States, and other Allied nations, marking the triumph over the Nazi war machine during World War II. Cities across the U.S., U.K., Western Europe, the Soviet Union, Canada, and Australia displayed flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the German forces.
May 8th symbolized the moment when German troops across Europe finally surrendered. Surrender ceremonies took place in various locations: Prague saw German troops surrender to their Soviet adversaries after significant losses on both sides; similar surrenders occurred in Copenhagen, Oslo, Karlshorst near Berlin, northern Latvia, and on the Channel Island of Sark. Additional surrender documents were signed in Berlin and eastern Germany.
Many German soldiers were primarily concerned with avoiding capture by Soviet forces. Approximately 1 million Germans attempted to flee westward following the cessation of fighting in Czechoslovakia, but they were intercepted by the Russians and taken as prisoners of war. The Russians captured around 2 million German soldiers in the period surrounding the German surrender. Meanwhile, over 13,000 British prisoners of war were released and repatriated to Great Britain.
Although some pockets of German-Soviet conflict persisted into May 9, the Soviets experienced further casualties in Silesia before the Germans ultimately surrendered. Consequently, V-E Day was celebrated on May 9th in Moscow, marked by a radio broadcast by Stalin, acknowledging the courage of the Slav nations and declaring the end of the war.