The end of World War II in Europe – May 8, 1945 – is being commemorated by governments and municipalities across the United States, Great Britain, and the European continent. Military and civilian deaths during the fighting in Europe ranged between 19 and 25 million people, a testament, as G.K. Chesterton put it, to man's inhumanity to man.
World War II Ended in a French Schoolhouse
The state of world order is anything but peaceful at the moment, and the specter of another world war is ever present. Taking time to revere what made the greatest generation great is worth the effort. Victory in Europe (VE) Day was when Nazi Germany formally accepted the terms of unconditional surrender. According to the National Archives, a day earlier, at 2:41 a.m. on May 7, in a schoolhouse in Reims, France, Generaloberst Alfred Jodl, chief of the Operations Staff of the German Armed Forces High Command, signed the surrender document for Germany. For the Allies, it was Lt. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith, chief of staff to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Maj. Gen. Ivan Susloparov, Soviet liaison officer, and French Gen. Francois Sevez were witnesses. However, there was a problem, as noted in the National Archives’ Milestone Documents, “Surrender of Germany (1945)”:
"After the signing of the Reims accord, Soviet chief of staff Gen. Alexei Antonov expressed concern to SHAEF [Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force] that the continued fighting in the east between Germany and the Soviet Union made the Reims surrender look like a separate peace. The Soviet command wanted the Act of Military Surrender, with certain additions and alterations, to be signed at Berlin. To the Soviets, the documents signed at Berlin on May 8, 1945, represented the official, legal surrender of the Third Reich."
"Traditionally known as VE (Victory in Europe) Day, the date does not mark the end of World War II as the Japanese continued to fight until later in the year. VJ (Victory in Japan) Day is Sept. 2," Just the News observed. Great Britain began its commemorative activities on May 5 with a military parade, a Royal Tea Party with King Charles and Queen Camilla hosting the affair honoring World War II veterans, and street parties throughout the country. Across Europe, VE Day is being marked with parades, church services, and air force flyovers. Germany observed May 8 with activities that honored those who opposed Nazism in the German resistance.
For Russia and the former Soviet Union states, the day World War II concluded is commemorated on May 9 as a major holiday with a large military parade in Moscow's Red Square, fireworks displays, and wreath-laying ceremonies. This year, a limited number of foreign guests are attending the events. Though Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a ceasefire over the VE holidays, there is uncertainty whether fighting between Russia and Ukraine will pause during that time. If Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian targets, Kyiv would be expected to retaliate in kind.
China’s President Xi Jinping made an official visit to Moscow to join Russian President Vladimir Putin in VE festivities. Pointedly, this was made to solidify the relationship between China and Russia. Reveling in a great military victory eight decades ago that heralded peace in Europe was bathed in irony as Ukraine drones attacked Moscow ahead of Xi's arrival.
VE Day Celebrated in the United States
Though VE Day is not a national holiday in the United States, it is being remembered with a wreath-laying event at the World War II Memorial and military aircraft flyovers planned for veterans' cemeteries across the country. Additionally, on May 2, President Donald Trump announced May 8 as Victory Day for World War II. At the same time, he floated the idea of renaming Nov. 11, Veterans Day, as Victory Day for World War I. However, the notion was quickly discarded because that would conflict with Veterans Day’s purpose of honoring all veterans.
Victory Day for World War II is a fitting tribute to the more than 183,000 US soldiers who made the final sacrifice in the European Western Front, North Africa, and Italy. Americans rallied to confront the evil of the Axis Powers in Europe, mobilizing the nation to develop a vast war machine that was deployed overseas to bring down an enemy that was bent on dominating all of Europe and beyond.
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