On May 7th, 1945, the German forces unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending the reign of the Third Reich (Nazi Germany) involvement in WWII, which they started six years prior.
While the war would not officially end until the Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945, this event was largely considered to be the biggest milestone on the road to victory.
Despite its name (Victory in Europe), United States General and Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Dwight D. Eisenhower played a key role in negotiating the terms of surrender. Although not present at the actual surrender, Eisenhower provided the framework for the Allies’ demands when the Germans surrendered to representatives from France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States on May 7, 1945.
General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the German Army, originally proposed terms of surrender that were favorable to the Germans: Germany would give up fighting against the Allies on the Western front but continue to fight against the USSR on the Eastern Front. Ultimately, Jodl hoped that the Allies would join the remnants of the German army to fight the USSR.
But Eisenhower remained firm and unrelenting. He demanded the unconditional surrender of all Germans on both fronts, which meant that the US would not fight with Germany against the USSR.
Einsenhower’s firm position was largely motivated by the “indescribable horror” he witnessed during his visits to the German concentration camps.
