World War II Ends with Unconditional Surrenders

World War II came to a definitive end in 1945, following the surrender of Nazi Germany in May and Imperial Japan in September. Both Germany and Japan signed an unconditional surrender relinquishing all terms of negotiation and submitted entirely to Allied demands. In Europe, the collapse of Nazi Germany began in earnest in April 1945. As Allied forces closed in on Berlin from both the east and west, Adolf Hitler died by suicide on April 30. Just days later, on May 7, German General Alfred Jodl signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Reims, France. To satisfy the Soviet Union, a second surrender ceremony was held in Berlin on May 8, where Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signed the final documents in the presence of Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov. This date became known as Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day, and marked the official end of the war in Europe. Germany was subsequently divided into four occupation zones controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union, and the process of denazification and war crimes trials began. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Japan continued to resist surrender even after Germany’s defeat. On July 26, 1945, the Allied powers issued the Potsdam Declaration, demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender and warning of “prompt and utter destruction” if it refused. Japan did not respond to the ultimatum. In early August, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9, causing massive devastation. On August 8, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and launched a major offensive in Manchuria. The atomic bombs and the threat of Soviet invasion led Emperor Hirohito to intervene directly. In a historic radio broadcast on August 15, 1945, he announced Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. The formal surrender of Japan took place on September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Japanese officials signed the instrument of surrender in the presence of Allied representatives, including General Douglas MacArthur and leaders from China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and other Allied nations. This day is commemorated as Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day, and it marked the official end of World War II. In the aftermath of the war, the world faced the enormous task of rebuilding. The United Nations was established in October 1945 to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts. Both Germany and Japan underwent significant political and economic transformations under Allied supervision. The war’s end also marked the beginning of the Cold War, as tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union quickly escalated.

German Surrender at Reims, France

Japanese formal Surrender September 2, 1945