V-E Day
Friday, May 8th, 1945, a day that will go down in history as the day that the Second World War ended in Europe. Celebrations broke out across the world, In London, thousands of people crowded Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace as the King, Queen, and Prime Minister came out on the balcony to salute their people. The events leading up to this victorious event were the suicide of Adolf Hitler during the battle of Berlin. Following this, Adolf Hitler’s successor, Karl Donitz, took command of Germany's Government. Shortly after assuming power, the government headed by Karl Donitz, known as the Flensburg Government signed a military act of surrender on May 7 in Reims, France, and on May 8th in Berlin, Germany. Many commemorative holidays such as Victoire in France, and Tag de Sieges in Germany have been established based on the dramatic conclusion to the 6 year conflict. V-E day marked the end of the war in Europe, but Japan was still at war with the Allied powers, and WWII would still rage on for nearly 3 months. Despite the continuation of death in the pacific, VE day secured safety for the oppressed peoples of Europe, and a sense of freedom for those at home in America.
Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2014. "London Celebrates VE Day, 1945." London Celebrates VE Day, 1945. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2014. |