V-E Day (5-8-45)

Editorial: Make V-E stick!

We and our Allies have won victory in Europe. Our job now is to make the victory stick – which we failed to do last time. That will not be easy.

But we owe it to those who have paid with their lives, and the millions who suffered, to win the peace for which they sacrificed. We also owe it to our children who will be the next victims, if we fail now.

German militarism and Nazism have been mowed down. They still must be uprooted, and the remaining seeds destroyed as far as possible. All the Allies are agreed on that.

The first step after unconditional surrender is already planned. An Allied control commission of four generals – American, British, French and Russian – with headquarters in Berlin will rule Germany as a military government.

Its difficult problems will be multiplied by the necessary division of the conquered country into four zones of occupation. That will require much closer c-operation between Russia and the Western Allies than was achieved during the war. For any one of the four to seek selfish advantage, or otherwise fail to cooperate, would undermine enforcement and invite Nazi revival.

How long military government must continue will depend on the Germans. All the evidence to date indicates that they are unrepentant. More disturbing than reports that the Nazis are going underground, is the almost unanimous testimony of Allied intelligence officers and correspondents that rank-and-file Germans have no sense of war guilt. Even the big industrialists, who aided Hitler, hope to evade responsibility.

Apart from some church leaders, who had the courage to defy Hitler and survived, there seems to be no considerable group of Germans capable of creating or maintaining decent government now. In that, at least, the Nazis succeeded; they destroyed Germen capacity for self-government for some time to come. Maybe an entire new generation, educated for peace instead of war. must grow up before Germany can be trusted fully.

Perhaps the greatest shock to Germans will be the discovery that their standard of living cannot be restored. They must be fed, or rather allowed to feed themselves, but it will be at a very low level. They must contribute first to reconstruction of neighboring lands they destroyed. That will take several years at best. Germans’ extreme suffering during the coming period was decreed by themselves when, as recently as two months ago, they chose to continue the war rather than surrender and prevent destruction of their factories and cities.

Beyond policing and demilitarizing Germany, and prompt trial and punishment of war criminals, are the larger problems of a peace settlement. These include not only reparations and territorial questions, but the whole range of political and economic conditions which will make for order or chaos, for peace or another war. Though the big powers should have a large voice in these decisions, a peace dictated by them cannot survive.

Germany’s smaller neighbors and worst victims deserve a voice. They will be needed to make the settlement work. Therefore, the general peace conference should be called at the earliest possible moment.

Finally, to make V-E stick, there must be an international organization for security and peace, based on justice and law. The job of the San Francisco Conference is now more important than ever.

Success in that long-term job, as in military government of Germany and as in making a wise peace settlement, depends chiefly on Russia’s willingness to cooperate and keep her agreements.

Editorial: Happy birthday, Mr. Truman

And indeed it’s a happy day for all of us, who share the hope of the man in the White House that victory in Europe will be followed by peace throughout the world long before another May 8 rolls around.

Pope to speak

ROME, Italy – The Pope plans to broadcast a message to the world on the end of the war in Europe at 6 a.m. ET tomorrow.

Sweden severs relations with Reich

LONDON, England (UP) – The Stockholm radio said today that the Swedish Foreign Ministry had informed the former German Minister Hans Thomsen that with the capitulation of Germany, all diplomatic relations between Sweden and Germany have been severed.

Holiday in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A holiday was declared in Argentina today to celebrate the United Nations’ victory in Europe.

Col. Palmer: And now what?

By Col. Frederick Palmer

WASHINGTON – No broadcast from the Pacific is necessary to inform our, soldier in his hour of victory in Europe that we have yet another war – and a tough one – to win. As an expert in making war, he feels that tact down to the marrow of his homesick bones.

He wonders in which direction he will be reversed with the reversal of the mighty war machine in which he is one of the atomic human cogs. Will it be back to the homeland now for him, or to the Pacific, or to serve as a policeman in the portion of the enemy country which our forces are to occupy and patrol?

How big is the task of reversing that immense machine of war can be realized only by one who has seen it at work in pressing the war in Europe to a finish. That machine stretches from the French ports and Antwerp to the Elbe River and down into Austria and Czechoslovakia. It was two years in building in Great Britain and a year in its enlargement and extension across France and beyond the Rhine.

After the end of World War I, we left most of our enormous accumulation of war material in France. The one war we had to win was over. Wasn’t it the “war to end war”? We would have no further use for war material on a large scale. So, we left it to the French along with an immense amount of supplies of value for civilian use. The French were to pay us for some of this, but, with all their financial troubles, never got around to it.

This time we are going to transport to our other war front all war material that inspection finds useful. Food stores will be left as a nucleus for the immense amount needed to feed the hungry peoples of Europe.

Turning to personnel, Gen. Marshall, Army chief of staff, said in a statement May 4, that Gen. Eisenhower “anticipated no reduction of replacement requirements for June” and that “Norway, Denmark and sections of Holland” were still occupied by “strong and fanatical forces of the enemy.”

The next day a War Department announcement looked toward the reduction of the Army from its present size of 8,300,000 men to 6,980,000 in a year and with the drafted men filling the gaps, two million men would be discharged in a year.

Gen. Marshall’s statement is subject to the cheering news that now all the German armies have surrendered. Gen. Eisenhower’s replacement requirements may be for men to fill the gaps left by men in the army of occupation who are chosen to go to the Pacific.

Selection of the soldiers who are to go is not like that of the expert selection of materials of all classes which are to be sent, but, in the long run, is a human matter, though done on the “point” system, which includes giving thought to a man’s age, his physical fitness, length and character of combat service, and the number of children he has at home. Otherwise, under what conditions and how are the examiners to settle the immediate fate of hundreds of thousands of men? How long will those who pass through the United States on their way our war in the Pacific be allowed to stay at home?

Othman: Dis is DE Day

By Fred Othman

WASHINGTON – This is the day to whoop-and-holler, not yesterday.

If you’ve already torn up your phone book and thrown the pieces out the window it serves you right and don’t go blaming President Truman. He did his best. All day yesterday his assistants emerged at intervals from the executive offices and said, “Uhh-uh–not yet.”

The morning started out beautifully. German surrender was in the air and the odor of freshly cut grass. The White House gardeners were cutting the lawn. The sun was shining. The movers were hauling in the new President’s belongings and depositing them in living quarters painted varying shades of raspberry pink, green and blue. Everything looked wonderful.

It still looked that way at 10 a.m. when Press Secretary Jonathan Daniels called in the correspondents.

“All I have this morning,” he said, “is proclamation–.”

The scribes unsheathed their pencils and the press association men got set for the fastest foot race yet to the telephones.

“–a proclamation,” continued Daniels, “about National Rehabilitation Week.”

“Try and get that one on the wires,” cried a disappointed writing wretch.

“Then put it in your pocket,” said Daniels.

Daniels’ girl almost mobbed

An hour passed. Daniels’ girl stuck her head out his door and nearly got mobbed. Daniels had some more news, she gasped.

He did, too. It was a letter to the governors of the 48 states inviting them to drop in at the White House whenever they came to town. The reporters went back to their red leather seats in the reception room, where they smoked too many off-brand cigarettes and bit their fingernails. Lunchtime came. A messenger shagged in some tuna fish sandwiches.

At 1:55 p.m. that girl (the brave one in the tan dress) came out again. More news, she said. Then she leaped out of the way. Daniels read a four-line statement by President Truman saying he’d talked to London and Moscow and didn’t intend to do any talking about peace until they did, too.

Jimmy Byrnes drops in

Until then (and he didn’t say when) there wasn’t anything he could say. Word filtered out that he’d dropped over to the mansion for a bite.

A couple more hours passed and in came Jimmy Byrnes, who used to be the assistant president. He spent an hour with the President and then walked into an impromptu press conference. He said:

  1. The weather in South Carolina has been so cold and rainy lately that he hasn’t caught any fish.
  2. He will be in Washington all day today. (Why, Mr. Byrnes?) To visit his dentist and have his choppers polished, he said.

Soon thereafter came the news that President Truman had signed the franking bill for Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Now she doesn’t have to worry about running out of postage stamps, ever again.

The photographers ran outside to get pictures of President Truman’s piano being hoisted in the door. Another hour went by and at 6:10 p.m., Daniels himself came out (the girl must have lost her nerve) and said he had some news:

  1. Today is President Truman’s birthday.
  2. He will spend it for the first time in the refurnished White House.
  3. Today’s the day to whoop-and-holler. Nine a.m. is the hour.

With the Japs still to be licked –
Victory in Europe costs United States 800,000 casualties, $185 billion

Rehabilitation to raise expense

WASHINGTON (UP – The victory in Europe cost the United States about 800,000 casualties and more than $185 billion.

These are the best conservative estimate available now. It will be a long time before the final figures are worked out.

A survey showed today that this country’s share of the cost of crushing the Nazi bid for world domination will exceed by three or four times the cost of World War I and its aftermath – whether the measuring standard is casualties or dollars.

The cost in money will be increased in future years by many billions of dollars through interest on government borrowings and benefits to veterans. The cost in broken lives, too, will be paid over a long period.

Experts consulted

Most of the government experts consulted believed that at least two-thirds of the dollar outlay since defense preparations began in 1940 went directly or indirectly into the war against Germany and Italy.

This is based on the allocation of men to the two major spheres of combat. The best available information is that two U.S. fighting men were sent to Europe for each one sent to the Pacific.

The cost estimate includes not only guns, bullets, planes and tanks, plus the plants to make them, but also such items as Lend-Lease expenditures, training costs, merchant ships, transportation, subsistence and literally thousands of articles and services that never appeared on the field of battle but were vital to victory.

Results of survey

Here are the results of the survey:

COST IN MONEY: Defense and war expenditures total more than $277,600,000,000 since July 1, 1940. Assigning two-thirds of this to the European War gives a figure of $185,066,000.0U0. This compares with the $55,345,000,000 cost of the last war.

The figure for the last war includes continuing expenses for many years after the war and unpaid war debts. The figure for this war is just the cost up to now.

COST IN CASUALTIES: Approximately 800,000 men killed, wounded, missing and prisoners. This is a projected figure because the official casualty compilations are far behind.

Army casualties compiled here by theaters as of March 31 showed a total of 685,247 for the European, Mediterranean, Middle East and Caribbean theaters – all part of the European war. The figures included 133,284 killed, 431,965 wounded, 67,008 missing and 52,990 prisoners.

Reports lag

But these figures actually included only casualties suffered until early March. Much severe fighting was not covered by these reports, and it will be months before final casualty data of the war against Germany is available. Best estimates are that the European Theater alone will report a final casualty total exceeding 800,000.

The Navy has never broken down its casualties by war theaters so it is impossible to determine accurately now what part of Navy casualties were incurred against Germany.

But an informed source said that through last July, a period which included the toughest phase of the Battle of the Atlantic as well as the landing operations in North Africa, Italy and Normandy, slightly less than 25 percent of Navy casualties were suffered in the war against Germany.

At the end of last July, the Navy had suffered 52,000 war casualties throughout the world. It may be estimated that naval casualties in the war on Germany totaled between 13,000 and 14,000. No breakdown of this figure into killed, wounded and missing is available now.

World War I figures

In World War I, the final casualty total for all the armed services was 259,735. This included 53,878 killed, 201,377 wounded and 4,480 prisoners.

Relatively speaking, the Merchant Marine suffered the highest death ratio of any of the services engaged in the war against Germany. Although its casualties by theaters are not available, an estimated 5,000 out of more than 6,000 casualties to date occurred in the Atlantic and adjacent waters. A large portion of these are dead or missing, mostly as a result of the German U-boat campaign in the first 18 months of the war.

MEN INVOLVED: Probably between 3,500,000 and 4,000,000 out of the Army’s 5,200,000 men overseas have been involved in the war on Germany and its satellites.

The Army has not announced allocation of its men by theaters, but some 70 divisions have been identified in the war against Germany. These divisions would total roughly 1,250,000 men, but to them must be added the tremendous U.S. Air Force and the great numbers of supply and maintenance men behind the lines.

Naval forces

It is estimated that not more than 235,000 men in the naval services were engaged in the war on Germany. All told, the Navy has a total of 2,352,275 sailors, marines and coast guardsmen now serving outside the continental limits. The Navy estimated that approximately 80 percent of this total are under Adm. Chester W. Nimitz’s command in the Pacific. The rest of them are scattered throughout the world with possibly less than 10 percent in the Atlantic. It was recalled that about 124,000 naval officers and men took part directly or indirectly in the invasion of Normandy.

These were in addition to the many thousands engaged in escorting convoys across the Atlantic and in protecting the supply lines.

COST IN WARSHIPS: A total of 96 naval vessels and naval craft were sunk in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and European theaters.

The figure includes landing craft destroyers, some PT-boats, and transports. The largest vessel lost was the escort carrier USS Block Island. Many merchant ships were also lost.

V-E Day puts okay on All-Star Game

Tuesday, May 8, 1945

Now that V-E Day has been officially proclaimed baseball’s World Series will be played.

It is also probable that the All-Star Game which was eliminated in the spring, will be reinstated. Commissioner A. B. “Happy” Chandler has indicated he will try to arrange a date for this affair.

The World Series was not cancelled but was left depending upon the status of the war at a winter meeting in Washington of Presidents Ford Frick and Will Harridge of the major leagues and ODT chiefs.

Horseracing enthusiasts also expect modification of the ban on that sport.

Miners take ‘holiday’ – war plants hum

Almost 100 pits unable to operate
Tuesday, May 8, 1945

War plant ‘patriots’ hear Truman, go home

President Truman had just finished his address proclaiming victory and urging all Americans to remain on their jobs.

At the Allenport plant of the Pittsburgh Steel Company, more than a thousand had listened in silence.

As he finished, one worker remarked: “Let’s go home.”

They all did.

Victory in Europe set back coal production in Western Pennsylvania.

Thirty-three thousand miners “celebrated” by taking the day off. But workers in virtually all district war plants remained at their posts.

The Solid Fuels Administration announced that almost 100 mines are closed, causing a production loss of 180,000 tons.

Mines open, close

Most pits failed to open when miners failed to show up. At two mines of the Pittsburgh Coal Company, the Midland and Somers, workers stayed in the pits only a few hours. Miners began emerging as President Truman proclaimed victory. When he finished reading his proclamation, they went home.

Today’s estimates raised the production loss in Western Pennsylvania coal fields to 2,140,000 tons since January 1, due to numerous strikes and “holidays” taken by the miners, and high absenteeism.

Absenteeism low

But in war plants workers were busy turning out weapons for continuance of the war against Japan.

At most plants, workers heard the President on plant PA systems.

Jones & Laughlin Steel Company, the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company and Curtiss-Wright at Beaver all reported absenteeism lower than average. A 20-minute program was held for Curtiss-Wright workers.

Carnegie-Illinois, the National Tube Company and the American Bridge Company all reported conditions normal.

25 million men deployed in European war

WASHINGTON (UP) – On V-E Day the greatest array of fighting manpower the world has ever seen – fully 25 million men – will have laid down their arms.

But some will pick them up again within a short time. It has been estimated that about three million American soldiers now in Europe and an undetermined number of French, British and Dutch servicemen will journey to the Pacific to wage war against the last remaining Axis power – Japan.

The army of the Soviet Union is the largest in Europe with an estimated nine and a half million men under arms. The German Army ranked second in size. As of last autumn, the Germans had about nine million men in their army, including about a million non-Germans who were forced into service.

The United States used four million men to wage the battle against the Nazis on the continent. The Britons used a million while the French had an army by V-E Day of a half million. In addition to the regularly organized armies, partisan forces in all parts of Europe totaled about a million men.

German ships ordered to port

LONDON, England (UP) – The Admiralty announced today that all German and German-controlled ships of every type were being ordered to report their positions to the nearest Allied wireless station, received orders to proceed to port and await further orders.

ACT OF MILITARY SURRENDER

  1. We the undersigned, acting by authority of the German High Command, hereby surrender unconditionally to the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Supreme High Command of the Red Army all forces on land, sea, and in the air who are at this date under German control.

  2. The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 2301 hours Central European time on 8th May 1945, to remain in the positions occupied at that time and to disarm completely, handing over their weapons and equipment to the local allied commanders or officers designated by Representatives of the Allied Supreme Commands. No ship, vessel, or aircraft is to be scuttled, or any damage done to their hull, machinery or equipment, and also to machines of all kinds, armament, apparatus, and all the technical means of prosecution of war in general.

  3. The German High Command will at once issue to the appropriate commanders, and ensure the carrying out of any further orders issued by the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and by the Supreme High Command of the Red Army.

  4. This act of military surrender is without prejudice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by, or on behalf of the United Nations and applicable to GERMANY and the German armed forces as a whole.

  5. In the event of the German High Command or any of the forces under their control failing to act in accordance with this Act of Surrender, the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and the Supreme High Command of the Red Army will take such punitive or other action as they deem appropriate.

  6. This Act is drawn up in the English, Russian and German languages. The English and Russian are the only authentic texts.

Signed at Berlin on the 8th day of May, 1945

VON FRIEDEBURG
KEITEL
STUMPFF

On behalf of the German High Command

––––––––––––––––––––

IN THE PRESENCE OF:

A. W. TEDDER
On behalf of the Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force

GEORGI ZHUKOV
On behalf of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army

At the signing also were present as witnesses:

F. DE LATTRE-TASSIGNY
General Commanding in Chief First French Army

CARL SPAATZ
General, Commanding United States Strategic Air Forces


АКТ О ВОЕННОЙ КАПИТУЛЯЦИИ

  1. Мы, нижеподписавшиеся, действуя от имени Германского Верховного Командования, соглашаемся на безоговорочную капитуляцию всех наших вооружённых сил на суше, на море и в воздухе, а также всех сил, находящихся в настоящее время под немецким командованием, – Верховному Главнокомандованию Красной Армии и одновременно Верховному Командованию Союзных экспедиционных сил.

  2. Германское Верховное Командование немедленно издаст приказы всем немецким командующим сухопутными, морскими и воздушными силами и всем силам, находящимся под германским командованием, прекратить военные действия в 23-01 часа по центрально-европейскому времени 8-го мая 1945 года, остаться на своих местах, где они находятся в это время и полностью разоружиться, пгредав все их оружие и военное имущество местным союзным командующим или офицерам, выделенным представителями Союзного Верховного Командования, не разрушать и не причинять никаких повреждений пароходам, судом и самолётом, их двигателям, корпусам и оборудованию, а токже машинам, вооружению, аппаратам и всем вообще военнотехническим средствам ведения войны.

  3. Германское Верховное Командование немедленно выделит соответствующих командиров и обеспечит выполнение всех дальнейших приказов, изданных Верховным Главнокомандованием Красной Армии и Верховным Командованием Союзных экспедиционных сил.

  4. Этот акт не будет являться препятствием к замене его другим генеральным документом о капитуляции, заключённым объединёнными нациями или от их имени, применимым к Германии и германским вооружённым силам в целом.

  5. В случае, если немецкое Верховное Командование или какие-либо вооружённые силы, находящиеся под его командованием, не будут действовать в соответствии с этим актом о капитуляции, Верховное Командование Красной Армии, а также Верховное Командование Союзных экспедиционных сил, предпримут такие карательные меры, или другие действия, которые они сочтут необходимыми.

  6. Этот акт составлен на русском, английском и немецком языках. Только русский и английский тексты являются аутентичными.

Подписано 8 мая 1945 года в гор. Берлине.

От имени Германского Верховного Командования:
КЕЙТЕЛЬ
ФРИДЕБУРГ
ШТУМПФ


В присутствии:

По уполномочию Верховного Главнокомандования Красной Армии
Г. ЖУКОВА

По уполномочию Верховного Командующего экспедиционными силами союзников
ТЕДДЕРА

При подписании также присутствовали в качестве свидетелей:

Командующий Стратегическими военно-воздушными силами США генерал
СПААТС

Главнокомандующий Французской армией генерал
ДЕЛАТР де ТАССИНЬИ


KAPITULATIONSERKLAERUNG

  1. Wir, die hier Unterzeichneten, handelnd in Vollmacht für und im Namen des Oberkommandos der Deutschen Wehrmacht, erklären hiermit die bedingungslose Kapitulation aller am gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt unter deutschem Befehl stehenden oder von Deutschland beherrschten Streitkräfte auf dem Lande, auf der See und in der Luft gleichzeitig gegenüber dem Obersten Befehlshaber der Alliierten Expeditions Streitkräfte und dem Oberkommando der Roten Armee.

  2. Das Oberkommando der Deutschen Wehrmacht wird unverzüglich allen Behörden der deutschen Land-, See- und Luftstreitkräfte und allen von Deutschland beherrschten Streitkräften den Befehl geben, die Kampfhandlungen um 2301 Uhr Mitteleuropäischer Zeit am 8 Mai einzustellen und in den Stellungen zu verbleiben, die sie an diesem, Zeitpunkt innehaben und sich vollständig zu entwaffnen, indem sie Waffen und Geräte an die örtlichen Alliierten Befehlshaber beziehungsweise an die von den Alliierten Vertretern zu bestimmenden Offiziere abliefern. Kein Schiff, Boot oder Flugzeug irgendeiner Art darf versenkt werden, noch dürfen Schiffsrümpfe, maschinelle Einrichtungen, Ausrüstungsgegenstände, Maschinen irgendwelcher Art, Waffen, Apparaturen, technische Gegenstände, die Kriegszwecken im Allgemeinen dienlich sein können, beschädigt werden.

  3. Das Oberkommando der Deutschen Wehrmacht wird unverzüglich den zuständigen Befehlshabern alle von dem Obersten Befehlshaber der Alliierten Expeditions Streitkräfte und dem Oberkommando der Roten Armee erlassenen zusätzlichen Befehle weitergeben und deren Durchführung sicherstellen.

  4. Diese Kapitulationserklärung ist ohne Präjudiz für irgendwelche an ihre Stelle tretenden allgemeinen Kapitulationsbestimmungen, die durch die Vereinten Nationen und in deren Namen Deutschland und der Deutschen Wehrmacht auferlegt werden mögen.

  5. Falls das Oberkommando der Deutschen Wehrmacht oder irgendwelche ihm unterstehende oder von ihm beherrschte Streitkräfte es versäumen sollten, sich gemäß den Bestimmungen dieser Kapitulations-Erklärung zu verhalten, werden das Oberkommando der Roten Armee und der Oberste Befehlshaber der Alliierten Expeditions Streitkräfte alle diejenigen Straf- und anderen Maßnahmen ergreifen, die sie als zweckmäßig erachten.

  6. Diese Erklärung ist in englischer, russischer und deutscher Sprache abgefasst. Allein maßgebend sind die englische und die russische Fassung.

Unterzeichnet zu Berlin am 8.5. Mai 1945.

VON FRIEDEBURG
KEITEL
STUMPFF

Für das Oberkommando der Deutschen Wehrmacht

––––––––––––––––––––

In Gegenwart von:

GEORGI ZHUKOV
Für das Oberkommando der Roten Armee

A. W. TEDDER
Für den Obersten Befehlshaber der Alliierten Expeditions Streitkräfte

Bei der Unterzeichnung waren als Zeugen auch zugegen:

F. DE LATTRE-TASSIGNY
General, Oberstkommandierender der Ersten Französischen Armee

CARL SPAATZ
Kommandierender General der Strategischen Luftstreitkräfte der Vereinigten Staaten

УКАЗ
Президиума Верховного Совета СССР
Об объявлении 9 мая ПРАЗДНИКОМ ПОБЕДЫ

В ознаменование победоносного завершения Великой Отечественной войны советского народа против немецко-фашистских захватчиков и одержанных исторических побед Красной Армии, увенчавшихся полным разгромом гитлеровской Германии, заявившей о безоговорочной капитуляции, установить, что 9 мая является днём всенародного торжества – ПРАЗДНИКОМ ПОБЕДЫ.

9 мая считать нерабочим днём.

Председатель Президиума Верховного Совета СССР М. КАЛИНИН.
Секретарь Президиума Верховного’ Совета СССР А. ГОРКИН.
Москва, Кремль. 8 мая 1945 года.

В Совнаркоме СССР

В соответствии с Указом Президиума Верховного: Совета-СССР об, объявлении 9 Мая ПРАЗДНИКОМ ПОБЕДЫ Совнарком СССР постановил считать, 9 Мая 1945 года нерабочим днём.

Совет Народных Комиссаров СССР предложил всем. советским государственным учреждениям 9 мая с.г. в день всенародного торжества – ПРАЗДНИК ПОБЕДЫ поднять на своих зданиях Государственный Флаг Союза Советских Социалистических Республик.

ПРИКАЗ
Верховного Главнокомандующего ПО ВОЙСКАМ КРАСНОЙ АРМИИ И ВОЕННО-МОРСКОМУ ФЛОТУ

8 мая 1945 года в Берлине представители Верховного Командования подписали акт о безоговорочной капитуляции германских вооруженных сил.

Великая Отечественная война, которую вел советский народ против немецко-фашистских захватчиков, победоносно завершена, Германия полностью разгромлена.

Товарищи красноармейцы, краснофлотцы, сержанты, старшины, офицеры армии и флота, генералы, адмиралы и маршалы, поздравляю вас с победоносным завершением Великой Отечественной войны.

В ознаменование полной победы над Германией сегодня, 9 мая, в День Победы, в 22 часа столица нашей Родины Москва от имени Родины салютует доблестным войскам Красной Армии, кораблям и частям Военно-Морского Флота, одержавшим эту блестящую победу, тридцатью артиллерийскими залпами из тысячи орудий.

Вечная слава героям, павшим в боях за свободу и независимость нашей Родины!

Да здравствуют победоносные Красная Армия и Военно-Морской Флот!

Верховный Главнокомандующий
Маршал Советскою Союза И. СТАЛИН
9 мая 1945 года. № 369

Address by Soviet Marshal Stalin to the Soviet People
May 9, 1945

Broadcast audio:

Товарищи! Соотечественники и соотечественницы!

Наступил великий день победы над Германией. Фашистская Германия, поставленная на колени Красной Армией и войсками наших союзников, признала себя побеждённой и объявила безоговорочную капитуляцию.

7 мая был подписан в городе Реймсе предварительный протокол капитуляции. 8 мая представители немецкого главнокомандования в присутствии представителей Верховного Командования союзных войск и Верховного Главнокомандования советских войск подписали в Берлине окончательный акт капитуляции, исполнение которого началось с 24 часов 8 мая.

Зная волчью повадку немецких заправил, считающих договора и соглашения пустой бумажкой, мы не имеем основания верить им на слово. Однако сегодня с утра немецкие войска во исполнение акта капитуляции стали в массовом порядке складывать оружие и сдаваться в плен нашим войскам. Это уже не пустая бумажка. Это – действительная капитуляция вооружённых сил Германии. Правда, одна группа немецких войск в районе Чехословакии все ещё уклоняется от капитуляции. Но я надеюсь, что Красной Армии удастся привести ее в чувство.

Теперь мы можем с полным основанием заявить, что наступил исторический день окончательного разгрома Германии, день великой победы нашего народа над германским империализмом.

Великие жертвы, принесённые нами во имя свободы и независимости нашей Родины, неисчислимые лишения и страдания, пережитые нашим народом в ходе войны, напряженный труд в тылу и на фронте, отданный на алтарь Отечества, не прошли даром и увенчались полной победой над врагом. Вековая борьба славянских народов за своё существование и свою независимость окончилась победой над немецкими захватчиками и немецкой тиранией.

Отныне над Европой будет развеваться великое знамя свободы народов и мира между народами.

Три года назад Гитлер всенародно заявил, что в его задачи входит расчленение Советского Союза и отрыв от него Кавказа, Украины, Белоруссии, Прибалтики и других областей Он прямо заявил: “Мы уничтожим Россию, чтобы она больше никогда не смогла подняться”. Это было три года назад. Но сумасбродным идеям Гитлера не суждено было сбыться, – ход войны развеял их в прах. На деле получилось нечто прямо противоположное тому, о чем бредили гитлеровцы. Германия разбита наголову. Германские войска капитулируют. Советский Союз торжествует победу, хотя он и не собирается ни расчленять, ни уничтожать Германию.

Товарищи! Великая Отечественная война завершилась нашей полной победой. Период войны в Европе кончился, начался период мирного развития.

С победой вас, мои дорогие соотечественники и соотечественницы!

СЛАВА НАШЕЙ ГЕРОИЧЕСКОЙ КРАСНОЙ АРМИИ, ОТСТОЯВШЕЙ НЕЗАВИСИМОСТЬ НАШЕЙ РОДИНЫ И ЗАВОЕВАВШЕЙ ПОБЕДУ НАД ВРАГОМ!

СЛАВА НАШЕМУ ВЕЛИКОМУ НАРОДУ, НАРОДУ-ПОБЕДИТЕЛЮ!

ВЕЧНАЯ СЛАВА ГЕРОЯМ, ПАВШИМ В БОЯХ С ВРАГОМ И ОТДАВШИМ СВОЮ ЖИЗНЬ ЗА СВОБОДУ И СЧАСТЬЕ НАШЕГО НАРОДА!

Neues Österreich (May 9, 1945)

Churchill und Truman über die Kapitulation

London, 8. Mai – Premierminister Churchill sagte heute in einer Rede über den Rundfunk, da§ die Kapitulationsurkunde heute in ‘Berlin ratifiziert werden wird. Die Feindseligkeiten werden eine Minute nach Mitternacht eingestellt.

Churchill erklärte weiter: Gestern früh um 2,41 Uhr unterzeichnete Generaloberst Jodl als Vertreter des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht und als Vertreter des deutschen Staatschefs Großadmiral Dönitz im Hauptquartier General Eisenhowers die bedingungslose Kapitulation der deutschen Land-, See- und Luftstreitkräfte in Europa vor den Alliierten und der Sowjetarmee. General Wendell Smith, Stabschef General Eisenhowers, und Francois Savais unterzeichneten im Namen des alliierten Oberbefehlshabers, General Suslaparow für Russland. Die Kapitulation wird heute in Berlin durch Ratifizierung bestätigt werden durch den Befehlshaber der Obersten alliierten Streitkräfte und General Tassigny sowie Marschall Schukow für Russland. Die deutschen Vertreter werden sein Generalfeldmarschall Keitel sowie die Befehlshaber des deutschen Heeres, der Luftwaffe und Kriegsmarine.

Offiziell werden die Feindseligkeiten eine Minute nach Mitternacht eingestellt, aber um Menschenleben nicht unnötig zu opfern, erklang das Signal „Feuer einstellen” bereits gestern entlang der Front.

An verschiedenen Punkten leisten die Deutschen noch den russischen Streitkräften Widerstand. Sollten sie diesen Widerstand eine Minute nach Mitternacht nicht einstellen, dann stellen sie sich außerhalb des Schutzes des Kriegsrechtes und werden von alliierten Streitkräften von allen Seiten angegriffen werden. Es ist verständlich, dass an so langen Frontlinien den Befehlen des deutschen Oberkommandos nicht überall sofort Folge geleistet werden kann. Aber nach unserer Meinung stellt dies keinen Grund dar, der Nation die Tatsache noch länger vorzuenthalten: Die bedingungslose Kapitulation Deutschlands, unterschrieben in Reims.

Der Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten Truman verkündete gleichzeitig mit Premierminister Churchill in einer Rundfunkansprache das Ende des Krieges in Europa. Er führte unter anderem aus:

Diese Stunde ist eine Stunde der Freude und des Ruhmes. Mein einziger Wunsch ist, dass Präsident Roosevelt dies noch hätte ernten können. In dieser Stunde des Sieges beugen wir uns vor der Vorsehung, die uns geleitet und unseren Mut hochgehalten hat. Das Gefühl unserer Freude ist gedämpft in dem Bewusstsein des furchtbaren Preises, den wir gezahlt haben, um die Welt von Hitler und seinen verbrecherischen Helfershelfern zu befreien.

Es gibt keine Reichsregierung mehr

London, 8. Mai – Das schwedische Außenministerium gibt bekannt, dass infolge der Kapitulation Deutschlands die diplomatischen Beziehungen zwischen Schweden und Deutschland ein Ende gefunden haben. Die deutsche Gesandtschaft, das deutsche Konsulat sowie die anderen Büros werden von Schweden übernommen. Ein Teil des Personals der deutschen Ämter wird interniert.

Die spanische Regierung hat mit Rücksicht darauf, dass keine deutsche Reichsregierung mehr besteht, die diplomatischen Beziehungen zu Deutschland abgebrochen.

Portugal hat Sonntagabend eine ähnliche Erklärung abgegeben.

Japan protestiert

London, 8. Mai – Der japanische Außenminister Tojo legte gestern gegen die bedingungslose Kapitulation Deutschlands Protest ein, Deutschland habe den Dreierpakt gebrochen und Japan behalte sich vor, daraus die Konsequenzen zu ziehen.

Der Oberbefehlshaber der Landstreitkräfte im pazifischen Raum, General Richardson erklärte, die Vereinigten Staaten beabsichtigen sechs Millionen ausgewählte amerikanische Truppen gegen Japan ins Feld zu stellen. Starke amerikanische Kräfte werden aus Europa abgezogen werden.

Auch Prag und Böhmen befreit

London, 8. Mai – Der tschechoslowakische Sender Prag gab heute früh 6 Uhr bekannt, dass die Deutschen in Prag und ganz Böhmen die bedingungslose Kapitulation angenommen haben.

Der deutsche Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber in Pilsen, General Majelski, beging gestern nach seiner Kapitulation vor General Pattons Streitkräften Selbstmord.

In Mahren kämpfen deutsche Truppen immer noch im Raum von Olmütz.

Breslau ist nun völlig von russischen Truppen besetzt. Der deutsche Befehlshaber von Breslau ergab sich gestern mit 40.000 Mann der Besatzung.

In Jugoslawien wurde Laibach von Kräften des Marschalls Tito genommen.


Zusammentreffen Montgomery-Rokosowski

London, 8. Mai – Gestern trafen General Montgomery und Marschall Rokosowski in Wismar zusammen.