Reims

Reims enters the account of the Second World War as the setting for the formal end of the war in Europe. In a brick schoolhouse there, the German High Command signed an unconditional surrender to the Allied armies at 2:40 a.m. on May 7, 1945.

The Surrender

The signing followed five years of war in Europe. Its terms were unconditional, marking the German High Command’s surrender to the Allied armies. The schoolhouse at Reims was identified as the headquarters of Eisenhower, placing the ceremony at the Allied command center.

The Announcement

The surrender was signed in the early hours of May 7, but its public announcement was coordinated among the Allies. Winston Churchill wanted to announce it immediately; Joseph Stalin insisted that they wait while the situation on the Russian front remained uncertain. Harry S. Truman agreed that all three Allies would make the announcement together the next morning, May 8, which became V-E Day.

Significance in the Narrative

Reims is tied to the distinction between the moment surrender was signed and the moment it was announced to the public. The ceremony established the formal end of fighting in Europe; the coordinated announcement made that end a shared Allied declaration. The account then turns to Harry S. Truman, who told reporters the news from his office at 8:30 a.m. on May 8 and addressed the country by radio at 9:00.