«TThe forces under the German command will cease the active operations at 23:01 now of central Europe of 8 May 1945 “are the words with which the III Reich surrendered to the allied forces and ended the world conflict.
Historically The surrender took place through two signatures: the first took place on May 7, 1945 at 2.45 at night in Reimswhere the headquarters of the allied forces was located, commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower. The act of unconditional surrender was signed by Alfred Jodl, appointed Chief of Staff after Hitler’s suicide on April 30, 1945. The second instead was signed on the night between 8 and 9 May in Berlinand this is the reason why Russia, and the countries of the former Soviet Union celebrate victory on May 9, as for the time zone it was already the next day in the Eastern countries.
This year on the occasion of the 80 Esimo Anniversario, The European countries belonging to the allied forces (but not only) have organized entire days and events to commemorate this anniversary.
France marching for Victory Day
In France on 8 May it has not always been a holiday day, since 1945 periods took turns in which the anniversary of the end of the second war was celebrated exactly on May 8 and others in which the celebrations were destined on the following Sunday. In 1975 President Valery Giscard d’Estaing decided to suppress the official commemoration of Europe’s victory over Germany to mark Franco-German reconciliation.
The alpha jet of the elite acrobatic patrol of the French Air Force “Patrouille de France” perform a overflow of the presidential palace of the Elysée in the context of the tests in view of the commemorations of 8 May for the 80th anniversary of the victory in Europe, which were held in Paris on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP) (photo of Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)
Finally in 1981, on 8 May it was proclaimed a holiday for France, From that year on, tradition has it that on that occasion the President of the Republic reviews the troops in Place de l’étoile, rekindles the flame on the tomb of the unknown milite and lays a crown of flowers. For those who are in Paris, the event will begin on Thursdays at 5pm at the Arco di Trionfo and on top of the Champs Élysées. The liberation march will be carried out by about 300 soldiers from allied countries (United States, Germany, the United Kingdom).
Tea Party in the United Kingdom
There are many events organized on the occasion of the Victory Day in the United Kingdom. The celebrations began on Monday and will last 4 days, with a procession and a military overflow to which King Carlo, in the uniform of the Navy, and Queen Camilla, together with William and Kate and their children George, Charlotte and Louis attended. Subsequently, the royal family hosted some of the families of war veterans for a tea party in Buckingham Palace.
During the four days of celebration of the anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the London streets are set up with tables set to organize Tea Party, enriched with appetizers, finger sandwich, mini salmon, cheese and eggs. In addition to the Royal menu La Coronation Quiche, a vegetable cake wanted by Carlo III.
Victory Day in Russia and Soviet countries
In Russia the ve-day is officially celebrated on May 9thbut the celebrations have already started. On social media and information sites circulate photos that portray Russian children dressed as military taking part in mini-patches to celebrate the day of victory.
In Vladivostok, in the Far East Russian, On May 4, the parade of the “Pronapoti della Vittoria” took place, which took part in more than 1,500 pupils of elementary schools. The criticisms of those who consider both a shameful scenario after their grandparents and great -grandparents have not tied to arrive and many have fallen into war to fight totalitarianisms and restore peace in Europe.
People stroll in the central square of the riding school decorated for the celebrations of the day of victory, which marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union on Nazi Germany in the Second World War, in Moscow, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP) (photo by Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images)
On May 6 Moscow announced that on the occasion of the anniversary of the great victory A 72 -hour truce will begin between 7 and 8 May, between Russia and Ukraine, announced by Vladimir Putin himself. For Russia, it is historically a very important date, which is usually celebrated with A parade in Moscow. This year many “anti-West” leaders are expected, such as the presidents of Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas and the highly anticipated Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in addition to the Belarusian Aleksandr Lukashenko, always ally from Putin.
The story reports that it was Stalin who wanted a second conditioned surrender to be signed in Berlin by the III Reich, not satisfied by the signature of Reims. So in Berlin, on May 8, 1945 the Soviet flag was made waved on the roof of the Reichstagwhich today is the headquarters of the Bundestag (the German Federal Parliament), among other things some of the graffiti made by Soviet soldiers have been kept in those days
Consequently, even in the countries that once belonged to the USSR such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tagikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, Victory Day is celebrated on May 9, in line with Russia.
The case of Ukraine and Poland
Among the 15 socialist republics that were part of the Soviet Union there is also Ukraine, but following the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, In 2023 President Zelensky decided to move the Victory Day celebrations from 9 May to 8in line with the countries of Western Europe. The idea of going beyond Soviet traditions began to circulate in Ukraine already in 2014, with the invasion of Donbas by Russia. In 2015, Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian Monochimeters Parliament established May 8 as a day of memory and reconciliation to approach European traditions, so far as to come to 2023, when it was precisely recognized on May 8 as the only definitive date to commemorate the day of victory, like other western countries.
Putin’s proposal of a 72 -hour truce on the occasion of the celebrations was refused by Kiev: Zelensky called it a “theatrical representation” designed to relieve the international isolation of Russia and create a favorable atmosphere for the celebrations of the day of victory in Moscow.
Poland, like Ukraine because of its Soviet past, also celebrated the ve-day on 9 May. Since 2015, the Soviet decree dating back to the post -war period was repealed by the Polish Parliament who moved the celebration of the day of victory to 8 May.
And Italy?
In Italy the day of victory is not celebrated, indeed the date of May 8 is almost never remembered, obscured by Celebrations of April 25, National Liberation Day wanted by the CNL. In fact, Italy was not part of the allies during the Second World War but of the Berlin-Roma-Tokyo axis, the agreement signed in Berlin on September 27, 1940 by Nazi Germany, the Kingdom of Italy and the Japanese Empire.
On September 8, 1943 Italy signed an armistice with the allies which brought to April 25 45 when the National Liberation Committee Alta Italia, whose command was in Milan, proclaimed the general insurrection in all the territories still occupied by the Nazi -fascists.
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