This week celebrates 80 years since
Germany
unconditionally gave up to the Allies, leading to
Second World War
to an end in
Europe
.
The war killed an estimated 75 million people, including troops and innocent civilians, across 30 different nations.
Even though people in Europe could celebrate the cessation of hostilities in May with happiness and relief, the conflict persisted for several additional months across Asia and the Pacific Ocean.
So how did the war come to an end, and why does the
US mark a different date to Europe
?
Here is all you need to know.
Relive V-E Day 1945 through WARNEWS’s live blog experience.
In which year did World War II come to an end?
World War II ended in 1945 after six years of fighting – but the exact date varies depending on what country you are from.
Unlike World War I, which is generally agreed to have ended with the armistice signed on November 11 1918, different ‘theatres’ of conflict came to an end at different times.
In Europe, the war
concluded on May 8
, which is commemorated yearly as Victory in Europe Day (VE Day)
VE Day
).
This was the day when the German Instrument of Surrender was signed in Berlin by delegates from Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
In Russia, the end of the war is celebrated on May 9, as time zones meant the document was actually signed the following day local time.
Various regions around the globe, such as the U.S., emphasize September 2 more prominently because it marks the day when Japan’s instrument of surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri.
Since this brought an end to the final theatre, Victory over Japan Day (or VJ Day) marks the official conclusion of World War II.
How did World War II end?
In Europe, the war ended following the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops, Adolf Hitler’s suicide, and Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 8.
The defeat of the Nazis occurred approximately one year following the launch of the biggest amphibious assault ever conducted, which took place in Normandy, France. This operation, referred to as D-Day, was initiated by the UK, France, the US, Canada, and several allied nations.
In the span of the next 11 months, two massive military forces advancing from the east and west ultimately exhausted the Axis powers.
Elsewhere in the globe, World War II came to an end as U.S. General Douglas MacArthur accepted Japan’s official surrender on the USS Missouri, which was docked in Tokyo Bay.
The conflict between the US and Japan began with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.
The Japanese surrendered in 1945 following the U.S.’s dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and 9th, respectively.
These remain the sole instances when these weapons have been employed during combat; over 150,000 individuals lost their lives, and many others endured lasting consequences.
Nevertheless, the concept of capitulation continued to be hotly contested among high-ranking officials within both the Japanese government and military until Emperor Hirohito reached his decision on August 15th.
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