August 12, 2013

1945. Germany Has Surrendered - Associated Press News Bulletin

"The Agony that Convulsed the World"

By the Associated Press

London, May 7 -- The greatest war in history ended today with the unconditional surrender of Germany.

The surrender of the Reich to the Western Allies and Russia was made at Gen. Eisenhower's headquarters at Reims, France by Col. Gen. Gustaf Jodl, Chief of Staff for the German Army.

This was announced officially after German broadcasts told the German people that Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz had ordered the capitulation of all fighting forces, and called off the U-Boat war.

Joy at the news was tempered only by the realization that the war against Japan remains to be resolved, with many casualties still ahead.

The end of the European warfare, greatest, bloodiest and costliest war in human history--it has claimed at least 40,000,000 casualties on both sides killed, wounded, and captured--came after five years, eight months, and six days of strife that overspread the globe.

Hitler's arrogant armies invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, beginning the agony that convulsed the world for 2,319 days.