This is your Victory – Victory in Europe Day

“God bless you all. This is your victory. In our long history, we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best.”

This is part of Winston Churchill’s speech from Whitehall on the 8th May 1945 to a gathered crowd of Londoners celebrating the downfall of the German Reich and the end of World War II in Europe (Hermiston, 2016). Whilst the war would continue until the 14th August 1945 in the east, where the twice atomic bombing of the Empire of Japan would result in Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), European victory came following the Battle of Berlin between the Soviet Union and the remnants of the Reich. The term “VE Day” had been in use since 1944, where it became used in anticipation of ultimate victory after the successful D-Day landings (Harper, 2016).

Figure 1: Winston Churchill waving to crowds from Whitehall (Imperial War Museum).

Why did Germany surrender on the 8th May? Well, on the 30th April that year, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in the Führerbunker in Berlin. Karl Dönitz took his place as Reichspräsident (Hamilton, 1996) and initially followed the late führer’s command to fight to the last man. However, with the surrender of German forces in North Italy without the State’s knowledge a few days after, he realised that the Reich’s position was impossible. To split the Western Allies from the Eastern communists, he explored avenues to surrender partially to the Western Allies while ordering the east to fight on and maintain resistance to the Soviets. On the 3rd May he sent a representative to British Field Marshal Bernand Montgomery to negotiate surrender of western German forces, though Monty would only agree to complete surrender, including the east. Between the 3rd and 7th May, nearly all German forces would surrender to the Allies on all fronts while negotiations went back and forth, bar some fanatical SS units who maintained resistance. On the 8th May, the final German Instrument of Surrender would be signed at 22:43 local time (21:43 GMT), officially ending WWII in Europe (Kershaw, 2012).

Figure 2: Crowds in Piccadilly Circus following the surrender announcement (Wikimedia Commons).

The celebrations across the West and East were tremendous, with over a million people gathering across the UK to celebrate, and huge crowds gathered in London at the news. Crowds lined up in front of Buckingham Palace and cheered King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, their children, and Churchill at the news. They would later sing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” at Churchill when he appeared at Whitehall (Hermiston, 2016). In America, president Harry S. Truman would celebrate his 61st birthday on the date as well as dedicate the day to the previous president Franklin D. Roosevelt who died not a month earlier from a cerebral haemorrhage (New York Times, 1945).

Figure 3: US Military Policemen read about the news of surrender (United States Army, 1945).

VE Day is generally not a public holiday but is widely celebrated across Europe and America. Most celebrate the day on the 8th May except for Russia which celebrates on the 9th, as the surrender was signed at 00:01 Moscow Time on the 9th. In France, the 8th May is a public holiday, whilst Germany has a polarising view of the day. During the Cold War, when Germany was split between West Germany and East Germany, the socialist eastern state celebrated “Tag der Befreiung” (Liberation Day)/“Tag des Sieges” (Victory Day) on the 9th May annually between 1950 and 1991, though since reunification there has been no major recognition. As such, the day is a rather obscure affair, and despite it symbolising the defeat of fascism, Nazism, and extremism, there is considerable opposition to celebrating the day as many consider it a “day of defeat” for Germany (Nehra, 2022).

Figure 4: Celebrations in Toronto. (City of Toronto Archives, 1945).

The day continues to be of extreme importance and jubilation as it heralds the defeat of Nazism and the darkest period of European history, and the celebrations at the time are a clear reflection of how happy the people of the world were at the defeat of National Socialism. However, both Churchill and Truman would remain astutely aware that the war was not yet over. Churchill would tell the public, “We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing (as Japan) remains unsubdued” (Hermiston, 2016), while Truman would address the American people and state that it was “a victory only half won” (Telfer, 2015).

Nevertheless, VE Day was most certainly a crucial part in the end of the war, allowing manpower and resources to be brought to the Pacific Theatre as well as being a large boost to public morale. This would all eventually culminate in the atomic bombing of Japan, the weapons which may have been used on Germany had they not surrendered (Groves, 1962), on the 6th and 9th August 1945 and shortly end WWII officially.

Berengar Needham is currently a student on the MSc Museum Studies programme at the University of Leicester.

References

• City of Toronto Archives. (1945). V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) - group on car on Bay Street. City of Toronto Archives. Available at: https://7078.sydneyplus.com/archive/final/Portal/Default.aspx?component=AABC&record=f43f0acd-5cf3-49eb-a7ad-dd6c0bcdcfd6

• Groves, L. (1962). Now it Can be Told: The Story of the Manhattan Project. New York: Harper & Row. OCLC 537684

• Hamilton, C. (1996). Leaders & Personalities of the Third Reich, Vol. 2. San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing. pp. 285, 286. ISBN 978-0-912138-66-4.

• Harper, D. (2016). "VE Day". Online Etymology Dictionary

• Hermiston, R. (2016). All Behind You, Winston — Churchill's Great Coalition, 1940–45. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 978-17-81316-64-1.

• Kershaw, Ian. (2012). The End: Hitler's Germany 1944–45. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-7139-9716-3.

• Nehra, W. (2022). Will VE Day ever be celebrated in Germany? I am Expat. Available at: https://www.iamexpat.de/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/will-ve-day-ever-be-celebrated-germany

• New York Times. (1945). "Victory Wreath From Truman Is Laid On Hyde Park Grave of War President". New York Times. Associated Press. p. 15.

• Telfer, K. (2015). The Summer of '45. Islington: Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 978-17-81314-35-7.