World War II: V-E Day, combat ends in Europe. German forces agree in Reims, France, to an unconditional surrender.
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the end of World War II in Europe. Several countries observe public holidays on the day each year, also called Victory Over Fascism Day, Liberation Day or Victory Day. In the UK it is often abbreviated to VE Day, or V-E Day in the US, a term which existed as early as September 1944, in anticipation of victory.
Several former Soviet bloc countries including Russia and Belarus, as well as some former Yugoslav countries like Serbia, celebrate on 9 May. The end of all combat actions was specified at 23:01 Central European Time, which was already 9 May in eastern Europe. Israel also marks VE Day on 9 May, as a result of the large number of immigrants from the former Soviet bloc, but it is not a public holiday.