V-E Day, May 8, 1945, the day proclaimed by President Harry S. Truman to mark Germany's surrender in World War II. V-E stands for "Victory in Europe." The surrender document was signed at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters at Reims, France, at 2:41 A.M. (local time). Colonel General Alfred Jodl signed for Germany and Lieutenant General Walter Bedell Smith for the United States and Great Britain. Soviet and French officers also signed. On May 9, a similar document was signed by German and Soviet authorities in Berlin.
- Home >
- Culture >
- History >
- World Wars >
- World War II >
- Glossary
V-E Day
Cite This!
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:
"V-E Day" 27 February 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/v-e-day.htm> 11 February 2012.
Cite
You Might Also Like
Start of World War II: September 1939-March 1940
This World War II timeline highlights important dates from September 1939 to April 1940. This time period saw the official start to World War II on September 1, 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. Follow the events of World War II and the German invasion.
Japan Surrenders and World War II Ends: June 1945-September 1945
This World War II timeline covers events from June to September 1945. In order to force Japan to surrender, President Truman gave the command to drop two atomic bombs on Japanese cities. Follow the events that led to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.
