Two days after Canada had accepted the unconditional surrender of all German forces in northwest Europe, Germany itself capitulated.
This year marks the 70th anniversary, and for many Canadian veterans, now in their late 80’s to mid 90’s currently on a pilgrimage to Europe, this will likely be their last visit to say a goodbye to fallen comrades buried there.
Hitler had committed suicide a few days earlier on April 30 as Allied forces were battering Berlin. On May 7 at 2.45 AM in Reims France, at the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), the German leader Gen Jodl signed the act of unconditional surrender of all German Forces .
Supreme Allied Commander Gen Dwight Eisenhower thought the ceremony distasteful and instead assigned his Chief of Staff Gen Smith to attend and witness the document. All German military operations were to cease on May 8 at 23;01 hours.
Stalin refused to have their General Susolparov sign saying it was not the Allies prepared and agreed to surrender document, and so required a separate and “official” document of capitulation which was signed IN Berlin the next day by German Commander Wilhelm Keitel, and Marshal Georgy Zhukov for the Russians. As it was already May 9th in Russia, that is when Russians celebrate VE day.
Everyone knew the end was very near and even though the announcement was to have May 8th as the official celebration, word leaked out that the surrender was signed and celebrations began immediately in Canada on the 7th.
In many places across Canada people wanted to celebrate, but in some munitions plants, workers were asked to keep working at their machines preparing material to continue the fight against Japan.
Alcohol outlets and restaurants were closed and in Halifax the situation turned to a riot as sailors and others sought alcohol to celebrate. An ongoing riot-like “celebration” continued in Halifax, neighbouring Darmouth and some other areas as the sailors and citizens sought to “liberate” beer wine and liquor first looting those stores and then other stores began to be broken into and looted as well. Hundreds of shops were damaged and several rioters received prison sentences.
Some 40,000 Canadians had sacrificed their lives during the war.
In his address to the nation on May 8th, Prime Minister Mackenzie-King said Canadians “have helped to rid the world of a great scourge” and then reminded them that the war against Japan continued.
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