By 1944, air warfare was largely in the favor of the Allied Powers. They reeked havoc on German cities and much of German-held Europe. The Allies' air advantage made way for the invasion at Normandy in northern France as well as a second invasion in southern France. Allied armored forces raced to the Rhine after the Battle of Normandy, clearing Belgium and France of German troops. General Von Rundstedt was unable to hold his own in Belgium at the Battle of the Bulge.
From the East came Soviet troops. They swept through the Baltic States, East Poland, Belorussia, and Ukraine. They also forced the surrender of Romania on August 23, Finland on September 4, and Bulgaria on September 10. The Russians entered East Prussia and Czechoslovakia in January of 1945, and took East Germany. When the Germans were forced to evacuate the Balkan Peninsula, they held out in Hungary until February of 1945.
The Western Allies crossed the Rhine River on March 7 after smashing through the fortified Siegfried Line. They then overran western Germany. German collapse finally came after the April 25 meeting of Western Allies and the Russians at Torgau, Saxony. On April 30, Hitler must have realized all was lost because he hung himself midst the ruins of Berlin, leaving Karl Donitz in charge. Donitz sought out conditions for surrender but the Allies wouldn't hear of it. I'm glad they wouldn't hear any conditions; it might have just led to more trouble down the road.
Germany unconditionally surrendered at Presidents Dwight Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims, France, on May 7 and was ratified the following day in Berlin. Under the terms of surrender, Germany had to cease all military operations by 11:01pm on May 8 (I wonder why they chose such an odd time?). At the news of surrender, celebrations erupted in the Allied countries, including New York's Times Square and London's Trafalgar Square. I would have loved to have it; it sounds like quite a good time. Unfortunately for many, it was also a time of mourning for friends lost during the war.
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