From D-Day to V-Day
May 1945
May 8, 1945 - D-Day + 266
Victory in Europe – V-E Day
The last shots of the war in the air over West Bohemia
The command of the 16th Armored Division’s Combat Command R moved to Koterov on the outskirts of Pilsen, while the 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron set up its command post in Třemošná. The unit that arrived in Prague the night before found that the person to whom the negotiators were supposed to deliver the report had already left town. As a result, the unit immediately set out on another journey and at 0600 hrs reached Velichovky, a small town north of Hradec Králové. After quickly wrapping up negotiations, the unit headed back at 1100 hrs, arriving in Pilsen seven hours later.
more informationMay 7, 1945 - D-Day + 265
The German High Command of the Armed Forces issued a declaration that all of its land, air and naval forces were surrendering. The instrument of surrender was signed at 0241 hrs at the Allied Forces Command in Reims, France. The surrender would go into effect on May 9 at 0001 hrs.
more informationMay 6, 1945 - D-Day + 264
Pilsen is free at last! The Ninth Army took command of the VII and VIII Corps. The 29th Infantry Division’s 115th Infantry Regiment moved into the Bremen area, where it would take control of the area from the 95th Infantry Division’s 378th Infantry Regiment. Meanwhile, units from the 83rd Infantry Division finished withdrawing all their forces from the bridgehead over the Elbe.
more informationMay 5, 1945 - D-Day + 263
Uprising against the occupying forces. Units from the 21st Army Group halted all of their offensives and started to put all their efforts towards occupation administration duties.
more informationMay 4, 1945 - D-Day + 262
German armed forces surrender! At 1820 hrs, the German armed forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany and Denmark signed an instrument of surrender which would go into effect at 0800 hrs on May 5, 1945. The dream of millions of Europeans came true!
more informationMay 3, 1945 - D-Day + 261
The commander of the British Second Army’s XII Corps accepted the surrender of Hamburg. The British 7th Armored Division crossed the Elbe River and, together with units from the British 53rd Infantry Division, occupied Hamburg while the British VIII Corps pushed the enemy towards the Kiel Canal.
more informationMay 2, 1945 - D-Day + 260
The British 51st Infantry Division under the British Second Army’s XII Corps went over the bridgeheads built by units from the British VIII Corps and rotated to the west towards Hamburg. At the same time, the 11th Armoured Division under the British VIII Corps occupied Lübeck. Under the command of the US XVIII Corps, the troops advanced to the final line running through Wismar, Schwerin, Ludwigslust and Dömitz.
more informationMay 1, 1945 - D-Day + 259
It was now May 1945, the final month of World War II in Europe. Over the past few weeks, US units have made significant progress eastwards after crossing the Rhine and the Main. The German defense was in shambles - but groups of soldiers still existed who did not intend to give up the fight.
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