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That would make 9 May 45 the longed for VE-Day – Victory-in Europe Day. Between 1100 and
1130 on 7 May, a BAR man in Company K, 358th Infantry Regiment, let go 40 rounds at some enemy
infantry, "in the woods at Q2779," thereby firing the 90th Infantry Division's last shot of World War II.
Other XII Corps units fired their last shots.**
The European front, for the first time since 1 September 39, was still. "Of the German war
machine," General Eisenhower would report to the Combined Chiefs of Staff, "which had sought to
dominate the world lay overwhelmed and crushed to a degree never before experienced in the history of
modern armies."
ROUTINE               UNCLASSIFIED
XII CORPS NEWS SUMMARY
072200 to 082200
The war in Europe officially ended 090001.  At 3 PM, May 8, Prime
Minister CHURCHILL and President TRUMAN made simultaneous announcements that
hostilities would cease at one minute past midnight.  Marshall STALIN made no
announcement, explained by continued fighting on the Eastern front.
Mr. CHURCHILL, after giving a brief factual account of the surrender, and
a résumé of the history of the war, said: "We may allow ourselves a brief
period of rejoicing.  But let us not forget for a moment the toils and efforts
that lie ahead.  JAPAN, with all their treachery and greed, remains unsubdued."
Mr. TRUMAN struck the same note.  "Our victory is but half won," he said. 
In proclaiming victory in Europe, he said: "I only wish that FRANKLIN DELANO
ROOSEVELT had lived to witness it."
King GEORGE spoke at 9 o'clock: "Today we give thanks to Almighty God for
a great deliverance.  I ask you to join with me in the act of Thanksgiving."
EASTERN BASED ARMIES:
Marshall KONEV'S forces captured Dresden, last large German city
remaining in German hands after a two-day battle. DRESDEN, a city of half a
million, has for two centuries been noted as the center of art and culture.  It
was formally the capital of the kingdom of SAXONY.
An order of the day to YEREMENKO announced the capture of the important
rail and road junction of OLOMOUC.  It was the largest remaining German
stronghold in MORAVIA.
Another order of the day to MALINOVSKY announced the capture of the
Austrian cities of HOLLAPRUNN and STACKERNEU and of two large towns in
CZECHOSLOVAKIA NW of BRNO.
Marshall TITO'S forces have liberated ZAGREB, capital of CROATIA.
FAR EASTERN FRONT:
36,000 Japanese have been killed on OKINAWA since April 1.  In the same
period 2000 Americans have been killed and 11,000 wounded.  Many Japanese
batteries and other installations were knocked out in the naval bombardment of
yesterday and American troops have since captured a village overlooking NAHE,
the capital of the island.
Australian and Dutch troops on TARAKAN just off BORNEO have advanced to
within a mile and a half of the island's E coast.
Bitter fighting is still in progress in LUZON and MINDANAO.
In BURMA Fourteenth Army troops have linked up 27 miles N of RANGOON and
are closing in on the remnants of the Japanese 16th and 33rd Armies.
In HUNAU province of CHINA the Japanese are still on the offensive and
have pushed to within 55 miles of an important American airbase.
Super fortresses made their 18th attack on the Japanese home island of
KYUSHU.
MISCELLANEOUS: