6 Photos That Capture the Significance and Joy of V-E Day

Wilhelm Keitel was a German field marshal and the chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the Nazi’s armed forces. Keitel was known as Hitler’s “yes man” and his nickname, “Lakeitel,” was a pun on his surname and the German word for lackey. 

On May 8th, 1945, Keitel was one of the signatories of the German Instrument of Surrender, a document stating Germany’s unconditional surrender on all fronts. This photo shows a powerful moment—the last step before celebrations could be held across the world. Keitel was tried at Nuremberg for his war crimes and was executed by hanging in 1946. 

The Allies introduced the “V for Victory” sign, represented with the index and middle fingers of one hand, as an initiative to boost wartime morale. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was one of the first people to use the gesture as a rallying cry and signal of hope to the British people. 

On V-E Day, Churchill stood on the balcony of the Ministry of Health and addressed the massive crowd that had gathered in the streets. He announced Germany’s surrender and expressed his hope that people would rejoice while remembering the huge human toll of the war. He raised the V sign to the sound of loud cheers and celebration. 

While V-E Day marked the end of the conflict in Europe, not the entire war, people all over the world had been affected by it and therefore celebrated the downfall of Nazi Germany on May 8th. 

More than one million Canadians fought in World War II, and 45 thousand were killed. In Canada, like the rest of the Allied nations, V-E day brought great relief and joy. In this photo, you can see the pure happiness on the faces of these young people as they drive through the celebrations in downtown Toronto. 

In this photo, Finnish soldiers are seen raising the Finnish war flag on the Three-Country Cairn, the landmark that stands at the point where Finland, Sweden, and Norway all meet. This spot marks the westernmost point in Finland, and the raising of the flag at the cairn represented that the last German troops had been pushed out.

This photo became famous as a symbol of victory and a clear sign of Germany's defeat in Finland. 

Among Allied nations, celebrations raged on, both on V-E Day and when the entire war was officially over a few months later. After six harrowing and tragic years of war, many felt that they could let their guards down for the first time. 

Here, two American sailors, completely exhausted by celebrating the end of the war, lie asleep on the side of the street. While the immediate cause of their sleep was the raucous merry-making at the war’s end, this photo is also a representation of how the newly arrived peace, as declared by the newspaper one holds, has allowed them to freely rest without the nightmare of war raging on. 

Each year since 1945, many countries have held ceremonies and celebrations on May 8th to commemorate V-E Day, as well as the extreme sacrifices of all those who fought to stop the Axis forces. 

This photo was taken just last year at the 2024 V-E Day commemoration held in Washington, D.C. It is a solemn reminder that this war did not occur so far back in history, as some of its veterans still live on today. However, as there are only a few World War II veterans left, it is also a reminder that it is our duty to carry on their legacies and to not forget to pass down their stories.