Posted on 05/08/2019 7:04:56 AM PDT by harpygoddess
May 8th is the anniversary of V.E. Day (for "Victory in Europe") in 1945, and commemorates the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forces, ending World War II in Europe.
With Adolf Hitler dead by his own hand, German military leaders signed surrender documents at several locations in Europe on May 7, capitulating to each of their victorious foes. Germany’s partner in fascism, Italy, had switched sides in 1943, though many Italians continued to fight alongside their German comrades in Italy.
Upon entering the war in December 1941, the United States had agreed on a “Europe first” strategy: concentrate on defeating Germany, Italy and their satellites rather than focusing the bulk of men and resources on the war in the Pacific. V-E Day, therefore, marked a major milestone for the Allies but did not end the war, as Allied governments pointedly reminded their citizens. Attention turned to finishing the war against Imperial Japan.
Japan fought on in the Pacific and had only lost Okinawa, the last stepping stone toward the homeland, in mid-June, after a fanatical defense that cost enormous U.S. casualties. The invasion of Kyushu planned for October 1945 was expected to incur losses in the millions, and this factor figured significantly in the decision to use atomic bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki (on 6 and 9 August, respectively).
The Japanese surrender came on August 14, although it was not fully signed until September 2, which is officially V-J Day. And thus ended World War II after nearly six years.
(Excerpt) Read more at vaviper.blogspot.com ...
The beaten foe emerged.
All over the broad Atlantic, wherever they had been working or lying hid, the U-boats surfaced, confessing the war's end. A few of them, prompted by determination or struck by guilt, scuttled or destroyed themselves, or ran for shelter, not knowing that there was none; but mostly they did what they had been told to do, mostly they hoisted their black surrender flags, and stayed where they were, and waited for orders.
Thanks for posting this.
I knew a guy who had been thru the European campaign, and was among the first to be withdrawn from eastern Germany to France to begin staging up for Japan.
He was on a train headed to Nice, France, when the news broke that an entire Japanese city had been destroyed by a single bomb.
One of thousands, he enjoyed a brief moment when there were no problems in life, and the future was filled with hope.
And the Cold War started.
> I knew a guy who had been thru the European campaign, and was among the first to be withdrawn from eastern Germany to France to begin staging up for Japan <
I worked for a time as a university security guard. This was back in the 1970’s. One of the guys I worked with was old, slow, and fat. Some of younger guys would tease him. “You’re in the wrong job, pops.” The old guy never said much back.
Well, one day this guy brought a small briefcase into the campus police station. He asked us all to gather around. Without saying a word, he opened the case.
In it was an army Ranger patch (WW II style), and many medals (and I mean many medals). The old guy was an army Ranger, and he was there on D-Day.
No one teased him after that.
If you were 20 in 1945, you’d be 94 today. Incredible.
Celebration in Piccadilly Circus: https://archive.org/details/1945RadioNews/1945-05-08-BBC-God-Save-The-King.mp3
More celebration: https://archive.org/details/1945RadioNews/1945-05-08-BBC-H-Marshall-Reports-As-Crowds-Celebrate-VE-Day.mp3
President Truman’s announcement:
https://archive.org/details/1945RadioNews/1945-05-08-Harry-Truman-Announces-German-Surrender.mp3
On the folk (country western) charts, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys held the top spot with Smoke on the Water, a song recorded by several other acts.
Dream by the Pied Pipers sat at the top of the pop charts. If you flip it over, you can hear Tabby, the Cat, which I like better--the protagonist in the song reminds me of my neighbor's cat.
I had the opportunity if visiting Chicago from Canada. There at the Museum of Science and Industry was a U-Boat complete. A guided tour and films of it's surrender. A German crew member stayed behind and removed a filter. It was to let the sea water in and thus sink the submarine.
Bold US sailors got on board and re fitted the filter. Something to see if any Freepers visit Chicago. The surrendering Germans were treated well by the Americans - as shown on their surrender. Then the whole craft on to Chicago- what a feat!
I wish the Battle of the Atlantic got the attention devoted to land campaigns.
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