When is v day ww2

The main concern of many German soldiers was to elude the grasp of Soviet forces, to keep from being taken prisoner. About 1 million Germans attempted a mass exodus to the West when the fighting in Czechoslovakia ended, but were stopped by the Russians and taken captive.

The Russians took approximately 2 million prisoners in the period just before and after the German surrender. Pockets of German-Soviet confrontation would continue into the next day. On May 9, the Soviets would lose more soldiers in Silesia before the Germans finally surrendered.

Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Grant hoped to control the strategic On May 8, , south of present-day Memphis, Tennessee, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River, one of the first European explorers to ever do so. After building flatboats, de Soto and his ragged troops crossed the great river under the cover of Some people are choosing to have their own celebrations at home, decorating their houses and marking the occasion with their households or in their gardens.

Various organisations will be holding events online or inviting people to take part in virtual fundraisers or to support charities. Among them is the RAF Association charity, which will host online VE celebrations on its Facebook page on 8 May from 10am, including a low-impact fitness session, a virtual quiz and a singalong. Log In. Contact us Sign up for newsletters. Log In Register now My account. They were accompanied by two Guards officers, but in the darkness easily blended in with the crowds.

Princess Elizabeth was a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and like many others on the streets that night was dressed in uniform. Most nations in Europe still celebrate the anniversary of the end of the Second World War in one way or another. The war was probably the most destructive event in European history. It involved the devastation of hundreds of cities, and the deaths of at least 35 million people, most of them civilians. The end of this conflict, and the dawn of a new era of peace, are universally considered events worth celebrating.

Different countries mark the anniversary in different ways, and on different days. In the Netherlands, Liberation Day falls on 5 May, because this is when the German forces capitulated there. But VE Day on 8 May is generally recognised as the single day that unites the vast majority of countries in Europe. First and foremost, it brought a symbolic end to organised violence across the continent.

Europe remained in turmoil for many years after May , but at least the era of pitched battles between huge armies was over. In Britain it meant the end of bombing, and the return of hundreds of thousands of servicemen to their loved ones. Secondly, it marked the liberation of several countries from foreign occupation. On 15 August , the allies had officially defeated Japan. This date is known as VJ Day. World War Two was finally over.

While the war was over, it was not the end of hardship. Millions of people had lost loved ones and their lives had been turned upside down by the fighting. The nation had to rebuild as the war had been so expensive. Clothing and food rationing remained in place. By the end of WW2, the foundations had also been laid for something called the Cold War , which would last until December You can read more about the Cold War here. What is Holocaust Memorial Day?