So where I am living has a lot of history! I cannot get over how old everything is and how rich in history every little thing is... I live in Chateau Thierry. Reims is just a 30 minute drive from here. I visited Reims with my new French native friend, Marianne on Friday.
On May 7th 1945, the act of military surrender was signed in Reims France. The German Instrument of Surrender was the legal document that was signed by the Germans and the official representatives of Europe, or more specifically - by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) and the the Allied Expeditionary Force. The Allied Forces were the countries that opposed the Axis powers, namely Germany, Japan and Italy. This document signaled the armistrice that ended war in Europe. This day is known as V Day or Victory day throughout Europe. The document was signed in Reims, France on the 7th but was ratified in Germany the next day.
The document was signed at Rheims, France, at 02:41 hours on 7 May 1945. The signing took place in a red brick schoolhouse that served as the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). It was to take effect at 2301 hours Central European time on 8 May, 1945.
With the surrender of Germany procured, the focus went onto warring on Japan. Japan at the time just was not ready to give up. Desperate to make a big move that would force Japan to surrender forever, the United States released an atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima, Japan on August 6th, 1945. The bomb almost completely wiped out the city. Japan's surrender soon followed on September 2nd, 1945.
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