Victory in Europe Day
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Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official end of World War II in Europe in the Eastern Front, with the last known shots fired on 11 May.
Winston Churchill waving to the crowds in Whitehall on 8 May celebrating the end of the war, showing the V of Victory
Crowds gathering in celebration at Piccadilly Circus, London during VE Day on 8 May 1945
Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signing the final surrender terms on 8 May 1945 in Berlin
United States military policemen reading about the German surrender in the newspaper Stars and Stripes
German Instrument of Surrender
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The German Instrument of Surrender was a legal document effecting the unconditional surrender of the remaining German armed forces to the Allies, and ended World War II in Europe; the signing took place at 22:43 CET on 8 May 1945 and the surrender took effect at 23:01 CET on the same day.
Field-Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signing the unconditional surrender document, 8 May 1945
Third and last page of the German instrument of unconditional surrender signed in Berlin, Germany on 8 May 1945
Instrument of Surrender document
British Field-Marshal Bernard Montgomery (seated second from the right) signs the terms of the surrender watched by Rear Admiral Wagner and Admiral von Friedeburg on 4 May 1945.