How much do you know about V-E Day?

V-E Day: The End of World War II in Europe

• On May 8, 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies, including the United States, marking the end of World War II in Europe.
• The war had been raging for almost five years, with the invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, signaling the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.
• Two surrender signings took place: the first on May 7, 1945, when German Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl signed Germany's surrender on all fronts in Reims, France, and the second on May 8, by German Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel in Berlin.
• Jodl and Keitel were later found guilty of war crimes by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany, and both were subsequently executed.
• V-E Day marked the end of most of the fighting in Europe, where tens of millions of service members and civilians were killed since the start of hostilities.
• The conflict began in 1939 when Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland, and among the dead were about 6 million Jews who were murdered by Nazi Germany.
• Some 250,000 U.S. troops were also killed in the fighting in the European theater.
• After the many deaths during the war in Europe, V-E Day was cause for worldwide celebration, with tens of thousands of people filling the streets of major cities in Allied nations.
• The Soviets celebrated their own "Victory Day" on May 9.
• President Harry S. Truman cautioned that Allies must "work to finish the war" by defeating the Japanese in the Pacific.
• Although fighting ended in Europe, it continued in the Pacific, where U.S. and Allied forces fought the Japanese in Okinawa, the Philippines, and other places.
• Since the end of World War II, veterans have faithfully gathered to mark V-E Day and other major events of the war, as America and its allies and partners have continued to honor their service and sacrifice.

Test your knowledge about one of the most significant events in world history: V-E Day. This quiz will challenge your understanding of the events leading up to the end of World War II in Europe, the aftermath of the war, and the impact it had on the world. From the invasion of Normandy to the surrender signings, this quiz will cover it all. If you consider yourself a history buff, take the quiz and see how much you really know about V-E Day.