Germany's THREE Surrenders - VE-Day Special

[@mikewhitcomb6558]

I was watching the news this morning, and they had a WW2 veteran on the program, but not just any vet. He is the last surviving person to witness the surrender of Germany, and in fact was the soldier that escorted the Germans into Ike's chambers after they signed the surrender documents. His name is Louis Graziano, 100 years old.

[@lyndonwatson757]

A hero!!!

[@RobertSeilstad]

I saw the same show gb graziano

[@debrakleid5752]

Oh wow. That’s really neat. Not many WW2 vets left and my dad served for 26 years in the military and served in the Vietnam War and retired as a major in the USAF. He died on 02/23/21 from leukemia. A few headstones down is a vet who served in WW2 and since then several more are in his section. Sometimes I lay flowers in front of my dads headstone as well as some others especially if they died the same day (not necessarily the same year) as many don’t get visitors. That WW2 vet that died I like to lay a flower or a penny at his headstone. In the next few years like the WW1 vets all of the WW2 vets will be gone and god willing we won’t have a repeat of WW2.

[@64maxpower]

I like that you do that with the flowers

[@tessat338]

I love hearing how people who survived a very dangerous time then go on to live very long lives in spite of all the effort others took to try to kill them!

[@ronniecoleman2342]

Eight years ago today we buried my father on VE Day. I took the time today, May 8th, 2023 to watch this excellent video and remember him. His father and uncle both fought in WW2 in Germany and France. Thank you for helping keep these events and memories alive.

[@painterboy454]

My father-in-law just past in March just before his 93rd birthday. He lived in occupied Holland and was liberated by Canadian troops. He remembers when the war ended...when he woke up and there was nothing but silence. No planes, no vehicle or troop movements, just silence. The day was May 7.

[@mobilant1]

@@painterboy454 You mean the poor occupied dutch which went after the war directly back to their colonies? Some people see really one side of a coin...

[@painterboy454]

@@mobilant1, he was a child and went and settled in Canada the home of his liberators. Don't be a fool of things you have no knowledge.

[@TimPerfetto]

Eight years ago today we buried my father in Germany and France.

[@mobilant1]

@@painterboy454 You started with occupied Holland and not your father -in-law. BTW doesn't matter because the Dutch were busy to grab the colonies back from the Japanese and not your father-in-law, right?

[@adamcarlile5909]

I have the original photograph of the second angle taken with Field Marshall Montgomery and the surrender of North West Germany and Denmark as my Great Uncle was friends with the photographer and as a gift he gave it to him after the war. So cool to have such a special artefact in my family's possession.

[@覆]

Post it on r/ww2. I'm sure everyone would find that cool like me

[@moistbuttmonkey]

AMAZING!!!

[@LadyFairChildVideo]

submit it to the national archive, german national government or smithsonian. either way don't keep it any more. since current generations are about interested in world war 2 as , zero.

[@davidschaadt3460]

🏆

[@Asiansxsymbol]

I'll buy it for 5 bucks!

[@warrenlodge6754]

The interpreter (in the main pic between Monty and the German was Captain Derek Knee. He was an intelligence officer. He lived till about 2012. I was fortunate enough to be part of the nursing team that looked after him in his last few years. Dementia had robbed him of his ability to recollect anything. He had French relatives that visited him regularly and his French was wonderful.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Its an amusing photo. The German generals with smart insignia and leather coats and hats. And there is Monty wearing a beret and an untidy battledress. and his interpreter looking like Richard Wattis.😂

[@MrPlankinton]

I never realized how so many Germans owe their lives to Admiral Dönitz

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

Actually he (Doenitz) overated himself after the war. He ordered evacuation of military material and personal and... Civilians if it doesn't disturb military evacuation. Local commandants often disobeyed that and evacuated civilians at same time

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

After war Doenitz autocrated himself as Savor of East Prussia

[@MrPlankinton]

@@maciejniedzielski7496 good point, however, soldiers did ultimately become civilians instead of slaves in Russia where they would have been kept until the mid 1950s to die by the scores of thousands. Civilians at the time, were not transported off the Russia, and while suffering in Germany, they were still safer than men under arms. It was a 'tight-rope' act for certain, but, again, saved millions of men.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

Well, actually thousands of Germans lost their lives in that evacuation, and later starving to death in western parts of Germany. They actually would have better chance with Soviets, especially civilians.

[@MrPlankinton]

@@aleksazunjic9672 and yet Germans believed, unequivocally, they would be better off with the Western powers. Hmmm. The Berlin airlift tends to dampen your theory somewhat.

[@MrHiBeta]

Thanks for remembering, Mark. The generation who celebrated VE Day without fail every year has long left us.

[@henryrollins9177]

Not in Russia, you should move there to be safe...

[@wessexdruid7598]

@@henryrollins9177 Given the average life expectancy in Russia, you don't have many left...

[@henryrollins9177]

@@wessexdruid7598 Really? Who told you that? The BBC?

[@wessexdruid7598]

@@henryrollins9177 13.2M hits on Google - the World Health Organisation, World Bank, NIH and very many, many more. Covid knocked nearly 2% off your average of ~68 years for males and ~78 for women. "The biggest factor contributing to this relatively low life expectancy for males is a high mortality rate among working-age males from preventable causes (e.g., alcohol poisoning, stress, smoking, traffic accidents, violent crimes)."

[@frasermitchell9183]

On the 9th May my father, serving as a radio mechanic with 139 Wing 2nd Tactical Airforce, was at Achmer aerodrome, near Osnabruck. All the techicians were formed up in front of B25 Mitchell bomber for a photograph. I still have that photograph. Shortly after, in early June, my father was given leave to return to England to marry my mother.

[@mrjoba3208]

To think if Steiner actually attacked we’d all be speaking German today.

[@brandonmoses1698]

Cross of Iron Steiner?

[@iffipifi1]

He did attack eventually. There's great video of Mark Felton on that too

[@brandonmoses1698]

James Coburn did not though

[@ruberxwibebadhi]

i am sorry is this a troll comment? what is this talking about? how exactly could germany win the war in 1945 even if "steiner attacked" and how would it go?

[@disme2072]

That'd be cool!

[@amecocoa3829]

Growing up, VE Day was the start of American Legion starting poppy sales pre Memorial Day at the end of the month. Thank you for keeping history alive with your teaching and excellent presentations.

[@johndododoe1411]

Interestingly, British poppy sales are focused on Armistice Day: The 1918 armistice that ended the western front slaughter on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

[@HootOwl513]

@@johndododoe1411 That occasion [11/11] has become Veteran's Day in the US.

[@bungee7503]

Whereas, in New Zealand and Australia, the equivalent commemoration (including poppy sales) is for ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) day on 25th April.

[@amecocoa3829]

@@bungee7503 I had no idea. Thank you for the education.

[@bungee7503]

@@amecocoa3829 New Zealand and Australia have sent soldiers etc to every war the Western powers have fought since the Boer War (not necessarily a good thing). I think New Zealand’s casualty rate per population in WWI was the highest of all countries. I’m the first of three generations in my family to not go to war and I am so grateful for that.

[@chainweaver3361]

Dr Felton never disappoints when he releases a video. It would help greatly to donate to help keep the content coming.

[@jebbroham1776]

The French to Germany at the end of WW1: "surrender in this rail car" The Germans to France in 1940: "Surrender in this rail car and become our puppet" The Allies to Germany in 1945: "Surrender to us three different times, just so you know we're serious".

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

More like it shows how fragmented the German high command and forces had become. And that the Germans tried to play the Western Allies against the Soviets, with success initially as seen with the 1st surrender. There was no plan to make them surrender 3 times. Just the chaos of the moment.

[@davidschaadt3460]

Hitler had the Railcar destroyed,",Just in Case".

[@BlackFlag1719]

Maybe everyone was thinking of how WWI ended. General Pershing expressed concerns that the Germans didn't believe they were beaten, and the Allies would have to to do it all again someday. So in 1945 they rammed the point home not once, but three times.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

@@michaelpielorz9283 An economic miracle only made possible by American money and the US, UK and France teaming their occupation zones together and letting the Germans have another go at it. If each of those countries had said nice, but we ain't letting you play there would have been 4 Germany's and no economic miracle.

[@miguelservetus9534]

@@michaelpielorz9283 The economic revival of the Western part of Germany was in no small part due to the beneficence of the Western Allies. No shade on the German effort but there is a perfect control group in the East.

[@glennschwartz3435]

Thanks Mark! Great and interesting content as always! The highlight of the day!

[@colinmartin2921]

The sheer enormity of WWII amazes me, just taking Monty as an example, his war took him from Belgium, to the defence of the South Coast of Britain, to Alamein, to Tunisia, Sicilly, Italy, back to the UK, back to France, Belgium, Holland and finally, to destiny at Lunebergh Heath; and the same goes for all the other Allied leaders and soldiers, airmen and sailors.

[@AndyJarman]

Quite how the Nazis ever thought they could prosecute a frontline over such a huge are has always seemed to typify the breath takingly naive arrogance of those people.

[@Ghreinos]

​@@AndyJarman Well they did edvance, until the americans arrived.

[@benisahengaming.]

Nazism, much like the plague, spreads very quickly.

[@andrewstravels2096]

Happy VE Day Everyone!!! 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷🇨🇦

[@PrimeX-rt3qn]

Cringe

[@pjotrtje0NL]

And 🇳🇱+🇩🇰, ​@@vdotme

[@JAGtheTrekkieGEMINI1701]

lol VE Day? Tell that to the *Ukainians!* Stop living in the Past

[@trance_trousers]

@@quan-uo5ws and lbgtqia++cdehijkxyz lol.

[@hanhdhsj]

Gott mit uns

[@blemonn]

Thank you Dr. Felton for all of your wonderful content !

[@John_Hemingway]

Hear! hear!

[@TimPerfetto]

You are very welcome!

[@matpk]

@@John_HemingwayCompare Nazi Germany Vs Nazi Chi Na in your next video

[@alexh4436]

I find it telling that Montgomery arranged a press event for the partial surrender while Eisenhower stayed out of the way and merely asked if the Germans if they understood and were prepared to carry out the terms. His communique was also very matter of fact. “The Mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, local time, May 7th, 1945, Eisenhower.”

[@Ihateironyanddumbusernames]

Yeah that's why Eisenhower is so fascinating to me. They called him the "balancer in chief". It seems like he was born to wield power effectively. I wish we cloned him so we could have him serve as president today.

[@uptoolate2793]

​@@Ihateironyanddumbusernames God, no.

[@raymondtonns2521]

Monty seemed more the ham but i liked when he asked of the Nazi generals who are these people what do they want as if they were annoying salesmen

[@Johnnycdrums]

@@raymondtonns2521; That made me laugh too.

[@grumpyoldman8661]

I admire Ike greatly, but this was also (uncharacteristically) a bit of play-acting. As Supreme Allied Commander his place was at the table, not pretending he was standing majestically apart. Monty (like Patton) was a 'prima donna' but a great battlefield commander nonetheless. (UK)

[@davidpnewton]

Actually there were FOUR surrenders during that period. The one that's been missed out is Kesselring's command in Italy. Army Group G surrendered on 6 May to Field Marshall Alexander. Kesselring himself surrendered on 9 May but his command had been gone for 3 days by that point.

[@AutomatedPersonelUnit_3947]

😂 Italy, that's because nobody cared

[@stevestruthers6180]

Five surrenders if you consider the fact that in the Netherlands, the German forces surrendered to General Henry Crerar of the Canadian Army on the 8th of May as well.

[@militaryhatsguide8725]

Germany surrendered to 6 countries then (Italy, Netherlands, France, Soviets, US, and UK)

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

That's a local surrender in a local theater. Those happened all across Europe, and in the Pacific too. Or are we going to count Fieldmarshall Paulus surrender at Stalingrad as full surrender too?

[@bobsyeruncle5557]

@@AutomatedPersonelUnit_3947a lot of allied servicemen were killed in the Italian campaign. Their families probably cared.

[@tHaH4x0r]

As others have mentioned, there are a bunch of other surrenders next to these three. One of these is the German surrender of the north-west european forces (by general Blaskowitz to Montgomery), which happened in Wageningen, Netherlands, the 6th of May. This video is quite the coincidence for me, as just last night I stayed in the very hotel ('de wereld') where this surrender took place. In fact, this very morning I ate my breakfast in the very same room where they signed the documents.

[@string-bag]

Bless those young men and women who made V.E. Day possible.

[@jackthorton10]

Happy VE day

[@Ah01]

Some victory: half europe fell into a worst kind of slavery under soviets and their stooges.. your god did not bless the east european people much between 1945 and 1990.

[@gurglejug627]

does that include Mr. Hitler then?

[@creigmacc]

You know it's UNCONDITIONAL when some of the signers on the document are later executed.

[@DaliborPerkovic-sw8mh]

True! They didnt knowed what they were doing. Life mistakes!

[@tjanderson5892]

@@DaliborPerkovic-sw8mhthink they clearly knew what they were doing. Maybe hoped they’d be spared but knew full well the likelihood that they may not be

[@franc9111]

The German Naval officer who was there later committed suicide.

[@matthewmorgan7106]

True. Only Goring knew none of them would get out alive. The others thought they could blame Hitler and lie their way out of a meeting with the hangman.

[@CryoCoffinVampire]

My grandfather was stationed on the eastern front. He spent multiple days on a raft that he constructed in order to be captured by an English ship rather than The Red army. His younger brother died in a prison camp in Siberia.

[@waynefernandes9455]

What a nightmare. I hope he found peace in his life after the war.

[@mirquellasantos2716]

Your grandfather and other Germans were true cowards. They committed all kinds of atrocities and when it was their time to face their victims they waived white flags and hid under the feet of Americans.

[@28pbtkh23]

I'm glad he made it to the British lines. I pity his younger brother.

[@shanemcdowall]

Your grandfather knew about, and possibly participated in, the atrocities committed by the German Army on the Eastern Front.

[@CryoCoffinVampire]

@@shanemcdowall It is true that he knew about what was done. Nobody told me this, but of the three brothers that fought in the war the middle one was a true believer. My grandfather however was a socialist. Of the battalion he was in that got sent to attack Moscow he was one of only two or three that made it back. He almost got shot on one occasion for repeatedly “losing” his cigarettes around some prisoners he was guarding. His suffering in no way measures up to the suffering caused by the nazis, but his suffering also happened.

[@gysbertvandervyver651]

Thanks

[@gnybbe]

Thanks!

[@1FokkerAce]

Would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall for that Jodl/Keitel conversation at the end, there.

[@simonbratuz967]

Hvala.

[@carlmontney7916]

Dr. Felton another fabulous history lesson given as only you can! One of the things I love about your videos is the fact that I can use them anytime I hear somebody say this is what happened. Then I can say "well, maybe you're not entirely correct". Please watch this video from someone who is an expert on this. Well done sir!

[@mtkoslowski]

_”… and leave them to the tender mercies of the Soviets!”_ If I were a German soldier, the last thing I would want to do would be to surrender to the Soviets.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

Yep, considering what they did to Soviet POWs early in the war, they got of easily .

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

Civilians weren't keen either. I have a friend who's grandparents fled what became East Germany and surrendered to UK/Commonwealth forces, anything but the Soviets.

[@RishabhChoudharry]

​@@aleksazunjic9672 600,00 Soviet soldiers surrendered to Germany in the Battle of Kiev 1941 out of those 600,000 more than 200,000 volunteered to serve in Wehrmacht AGAINST the Soviets and the others remaining survived till the end, only to be killed by the Soviets later on when they "liberated" those POW camps because to Soviets surrendering or getting captured meant you are a traitor to the motherland. So in the end, Soviets ultimately killed their own captured men. Your point? Read history and the true history, not the carefully crafted crap fed to us by the Allies.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

@@RishabhChoudharry Yeah right 😁Makes you wonder how did Germany lost that war 😁 In reality, out of 600 thousand captured soldiers, 500 thousand were DELIBERATLY starved to death by Germans. When this became known Soviet soldiers were less and less willing to surrender. It became clear that German plan was complete annihilation of Slavs.

[@HungryLoki]

@@aleksazunjic9672 There's actually no comparison between the soviets and the germans, the soviets were such deplorable examples of human beings, they didn't only mistreat POWs, they even mistreated every single red army soldier who had had any kind of contact with the other allies.

[@shutup2751]

america deserves credit here, instead of being petty towards germany like we seen in the aftermath of WW1, they decided the same mistakes should not be repeated and instead helped to rebuild germany

[@MrGouldilocks]

The emergence of The Soviet Union as a rival superpower seems to be the primary impetus for the Marshall Plan to help rebuild Europe. The US wanted strong European allies to form a bulwark against Soviet expansion. It's impossible to know what kind of American financial aid would have materialized for Europe if the Soviet Union wasn't perceived as an existential threat. But rebuilding Europe after WW2 undoubtedly bolstered America's long-term strategic position in Europe. The financial aid wasn't charity, it was an investment.

[@Codex70]

It was only because of the USSR and that they wanted to become the world's superpower. They didn't care much about Germany, they cared about stopping communism

[@JamesThomas-gg6il]

Also Ike informed the soviets about the surrender knowing full well what they would be in for after the fact. Since it was agreed by the allies before hand that Unconditional Surrender was the plan, he told the soviets. He shouldn't have but it ended the war, and kept our part of the agreement.

[@TheBenchPressMan]

The US had successfully crippled its biggest rival (The UK), so was pretty happy to continue its dismantling. Nothing the US ever did in the last 100 years was for anything but it’s own interest.

[@thunderbird1921]

@@MrGouldilocks My honest guess is that had Russia not been a Communist power (say a republic or a constitutional monarchy set up by the Whites after the Russian Civil War), Germany and Japan would have been punished 3x harder. This is because there would be less motive to pardon or ignore any war criminals and a bigger desire to more aggressively transform these two nations for the future. Plus, a democratic Russia would have likely gotten much more public sympathy from the West for the attrocities that had occurred to its people at the hands of the Nazis, it would not have been forgotten due to a Cold War or have been questioned as propaganda.

[@mitchmatthews6713]

My lunchtime history lesson. Thank you, Mark!

[@marvwatkins7029]

Another great, complex, comprehensive Mark Felton Production accomplished!

[@jmanotti7195]

Once again, a GREAT history lesson! Thank you, Dr. Felton!

[@beetleything1864]

What a show Monty put on - i used to pass his house & Blue Plaque around the corner from Oval Tube station - near the Oval Cricket Ground, when i lived in London.

[@garypulliam3740]

Did anyone else notice the significance of the schools in this episode? The German Naval Academy, the French Technical College, and the German Engineering School?

[@RealTeuto]

very interesting footage as usual Mark!

[@stevenstjohn6681]

Another fascinating video mark. By far the best historical channel on KZbin. Keep them coming

[@TrippinCreatives]

It's sad what The History Channel has become. This has done a far better job

[@firstname2853]

Yes Dr Feltzie dose it again. Easily the best channel on KZbin about war history. Spot on Dr Felton.

[@arckmage5218]

It's still incredible to me that we have so much footage of that war, and those events. They will not be forgotten for a long time.

[@lynx-alpha2073]

They will never be forgotten, The problem would be in oversimplification and taking the wrong lessons from it. Thats why this channel is so important. Good detail and objectivism in understandable short chunks

[@1pcfred]

But will anyone ever learn anything?

[@Eric-kn4yn]

I think by 1940s cameras had reached a high tech standard. Ànd were mass produced and elec media etc was a mature institution

[@1pcfred]

@@Eric-kn4yn certainly the cameras that used Zeiss optics were the highest standard. Even in WW1 the British had a deal with Germany to keep supplying them with Zeiss. I'm not sure if they had the same relationship in WW2 though. I've never heard of it. But maybe.

[@HeavyDragoon]

Yet another SUPERB contribution to a litany of superb contributions to history

[@Firefox-cr3jw]

Thank you for yet another great video! I listen to your War Stories while i work. 8 hours a day, every day :)

[@amartin4423]

Dr. Felton is the finest historian on and off youtube!

[@lewisticknor]

Thank you. Of course everything you do is uncompromising, and I always think it is the best video you've made. But this one is just so thorough and outstanding.

[@flashtheoriginal]

Brilliant historical document

[@The_Corporal]

Happy VE-Day! Endless respect to every hero fighting for country

[@lynx-alpha2073]

Please keep making videos like this format. The big docus only want buzwords and highlights. The short detailed format combats over simplification without losing people in the weeds

[@Tzreoaor]

If only we could have a tenth of the knowledge Mark has of history.

[@robg5958]

As ever, an excellent and informative video! Thanks 👍

[@mriamilne]

Another great educational and superbly narrated episode. Nobody does it like Dr Felton. Loved it. Ty.

[@amadeusamwater]

It's interesting that Eisenhower chose not to sign any of the documents. As the Supreme Commander in the West. his signature was the only one that actually mattered. Certainly, Mcarthur wouldn't have missed that chance.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

Ike simply wanted to wrap things up without allowing Germans to deepen divisions among Allies (as they were planning to do) . Surprisingly humble fellow.

[@louise_rose]

Eisenhower understood that Reims was not the final step, the full and final German surrender - though it has often been presented as such by Anglo-Saxon historians after the war. Some of the conditions were typical of an armistice rather than a full surrender - for example, there was no clear demand that the German troops would have to give up their arms and hand themselves over as POWs, only that they end the fighting. Also, it didn't stop the fighting on the remnants of the Eastern front. When Zhukov got word through and pointed out that there needed to be a full and definite surrender, which should take place in Berlin, Ike immediately agreed.

[@franc9111]

He said that he didn't want to risk shaking hands with a Nazi.

[@davidst.germain6440]

Dr Felton is the finest military history presenter, researcher, and video maker on you tube today. I've learned more from his short videos than from any longer productions.

[@northeastdegen]

Thanks dr felton, you make my love for history insufferable to my friends

[@sid2112]

LOL that's the best compliment I ever heard.

[@scrappydoo7887]

It's a beautiful thing

[@historyarmyproductions]

That is just wonderful lol

[@bbbabrock]

I particularly liked this one Mr. Felton. I watch almost all your vids and I probably would put this one in my top 10% for some reason. Thank you immensely.

[@BigDuke6ixx]

I like the picture right at the end of the two senior German officers, Jodl and Keitel, in captivity eating out of mess tins as they count down the days or hours until their appointments with the hangman.

[@cindymaceda2999]

Surely they must have known they couldn’t win this war. 🙄

[@oldtop4682]

You learn something new every day. I knew about the first two surrenders, but not the third. Great stuff Doctor Felton!

[@sumeetagrawal1888]

Hail Felton....without him, history lessons are tasteless!!

[@peat6773]

I live in Jersey and today is our liberation day 9/05/45 . 77 years ago Jersey was freed from German occupation , today it is a public holiday with parades and selebration

[@raymondtonns2521]

have a pint for me! a yank

[@kirkmorrison6131]

My Uncles who were over there, only brought home German rifles and pistols. One of them was released a few days before today 78 years ago. I knew that they saw real action as they only talked about being in England never the War and changed the channel when a war show came on TV

[@petershen6924]

One famous Chinese communist general, Liu bocheng, who was later promoted to Marshal and lived to the 1980s, refused to watch war movies. He said that they reminded him of his subordinates who died in battle.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

@@petershen6924 Yes, I always figured they didn't want to be reminded of the war. Too many lost friends and too many bad memories they idk idk their minds.

[@mikeohagan2206]

war isnt pretty, and to be reminded of it isnt something you want to be reminded of. god bless your uncles.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

@@mikeohagan2206 Very true the little I have heard it had to be a nightmare you could not wake up from. It had to be the worst for those in the PTO.

[@roddydykes7053]

It must’ve felt patronizing to see the war sensationalized on TV, by reporters and other personalities who hadn’t gone through it themselves

[@ray7419]

Happy VE Day Dr Felton and everyone!! 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇷🇺

[@lorrycamill6502]

Thank you Mark Felton for this great history RIP to all soldiers that have there lives for freedom

[@munckintattoolover24]

I have an old newspaper saved by my great grandfather dated May 8th 1945 (Australian time) which has the photo of Friedeburg signing the surrender with Montgomery. Makes me think if it had been printed before the Soviet surrender ceremony.

[@TellySavalas-or5hf]

I read in "After the battle magazine" that the house where the peace was signed in Northern Germany was demolished 2 years ago. I regretted that.

[@johnmcmickle5685]

My father was on duty that night at Eisenhower's headquarters. They retyped those papers numerous times.

[@stevebagnall1553]

Top Quality as usual from Dr. Felton, succinct and to the point, as usual.

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

An interesting video could be made about the peace treaty between Yugoslavia and Germany. Mostly because there never was such a treaty. Yugoslavia and Germany never officially made peace. Yugoslavia was the only belligerent nation that wasn't present at the Paris peace conference. Neither West nor East Germany ever fixed this, and neither did the reunified Germany. In fact, this is why Germany could easily recognize Croatia's independence in 1991, because they never formally recognized, let alone guaranteed Yugoslavia's territorial integrity. Funny, but this may mean Germany is still at war with Serbia, the successor of Yugoslavia, but nobody cares.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

Well, completely wrong. West Germany and Yugoslavia restored diplomatic relations in 1968. In 1973 Tito and Brandt formally agreed that Yugoslavia renounces reparations for war damage, while expelled Germans from Yugoslavia renounce their lost property in Yugoslavia. West Germany of course did recognize full territorial integrity of Yugoslavia (and vice versa) , thus their support for Croatian independence formally destroyed world order that existed after WW2, setting a course for state of affairs we have today. It could be argued that Germany again sowed the seeds of world war, although Germany at that time (and currently) was and is simply vasal state of US, therefore they did not have much liberty in their decisions.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

It can be argued that by the time a united Germany came about Yugoslavia had already ceased to be. As for there no being a peace treaty, I don't think there was one with anyone. Because in order to have a peace treaty you have to have a government to negotiate and sign it with. Whereas Germany ceased to be in 1945 and only came about in 2 separate governments years later that where essentially 2 new states. WW1 ended in 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles, a year after the end of hostilities. WW2 just ended with the end of hostilities. And probably not just because there no longer was a German government to negotiate one, after what was seen as the failure of Versailles all the occupying powers and allied nations felt it was unnecessary. And anachronistic. Just like declaring war. Even today, wars just happen without declaration and end without peace treaties. They just start and then end, and people move on.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

@@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623 Nope. At the time Germany recognized independence of Slovenia and Croatia there was still functioning Federal government and Army. It could be said that German action forced the hand of other European countries, although Germany did not act alone (vasal state of US) . Also, there were formal treaties between West Germany and Yugoslavia dealing with WW2.

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

@@aleksazunjic9672 The Brioni Accord, right? I don't know about any recognition of Yugoslavia's borders having been declared there. It was only about reparations. As for Germany sowing the seeds of a world war, well, that's quite the exaggeration. Slovenia was the first to secede from Yugoslavia, and Germany had little role in that. Croatia's independence was purely Croatia's idea, and while German recognition helped them, in fact they won their independence in armed conflict. If you really want to see the seeds of a world war, those were sown by the US in Kosovo. But I'm pretty sure you see those seeds every day.

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

@@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623 Yugoslavia existed until June 2006, when Montenegro left the confederation with Serbia. Since then, Serbia is the recognized successor of Yugoslavia. Also, Germany did not cease to exist in 1945, it just didn't have a national government for a short while. The legal successor of Nazi Germany, the Weimar Republic and Imperial Germany was West Germany. The German reunification was basically West Germany annexing East Germany, and East Germany ceased to exist without any successor state.

[@keithbrewer9927]

All your work is informative and immensely enjoyable. Much appreciated.

[@popeshop5863]

The only reasons why Dönitz was not hanged is because he was a NAVY man and could distance himself from prisoner transport and the final solution even though officers said he was very much into the mix of it all. For the unrestricted warfare it was lessened due to the fact Allies were conducting their own unrestricted navel warfare in the Atlantic and the Pacific.

[@DaliborPerkovic-sw8mh]

And another reason was because he was a superior german leader who aproved unconditional surrender to Allias and Soviets. So, how will looked if they hanged Donitz even later, like Keitel.

[@leviturner3265]

Pretty unsavory to kill the men who signed the surrender documents.

[@KR0TE7]

​@@leviturner3265they were all war criminals doenitz was just extremely lucky

[@jvkxbe]

No other channel i look forward to posting! Thanks Dr.Felton

[@cliffordcasnermillar4976]

I’ve been to all three sites (or at least within a few hundred yards of the first, which is as close as it’s possible to get with the site being fenced off).

[@balancedactguy]

Excellent video Mark!! You always present something new to learn!

[@madtrucker0983]

Well one thing you can't deny about the Germans. They wore snappy uniforms. I love those black leather coats.

[@scottanos9981]

Hugo Boss was a boss lol

[@DaliborPerkovic-sw8mh]

Wehrmacht officiers looks stunning. But, officiers of Waffen SS looks even more than stunning. Better even american officiers today in modern uniforms. That is a fact. And in that case The Third Reich forces really win ww2.

[@Droopybear]

Thanks Dr Felton, awesome and informative as usual. I appreciate how you keep all of this objective, simply instructing what happened and leaving opinion to the student.

[@rolandfischer931]

Id caution you, pretty much no one does this. No one is impartial. You likely just agree with his views and do not notice when they're there

[@-.Steven]

Been waiting for this! Thank you Dr. Felton!

[@Emotator]

Superb Dr Felton and Happy VE-Day!

[@wadeadams4263]

Definitely love your videos keep up the great work.

[@MrXdmp]

Thanks Dr. Felton!

[@feedingravens]

The way I can remember my father's birthday is that he got a 2 day late present for his 18th birthday: Peace. But by that time he was probably already POW in in the open Rheinwiesen camps at Bad Kreuznach No german talked a lot about those times. And his death can be remembered as the day Judith Durham died (The Seekers, e.g. "Gerorgy Girl"). One just has to look around, and suddenly the world gets extremely small, you find (or invent) connections with everything. As totally ordinary, late-starter catamaran sailor I would have never thought that over time you meet with people who sail at the top races, at world championships, have a training where a 64-time champion is your crew, or your trainers cancelled a 3rd place (1 second place, the rest firsts) when they became Tornado world champions. Just as example that however small one might feel, none of us is nothing. We are all in inseparable part of this universe, from the beginning 13.7 billion years ago til the end.

[@charlesharris9965]

There were actually 4 German surrenders ending the war in Europe. In addition to the 3 mentioned here, there was an unapproved surrender in Italy on May 2nd, 1945.

[@nodarkthings]

Absolutely fascinating, Dr. Felton. Thank you.

[@rickrudd]

"Concerned that it might damage our relationship with the USSR." How naive we were. Patton and Churchill were the only ones who truly understood the Communist menace.

[@rajkobjelica4905]

Both wrong.

[@rickrudd]

@rajkobjelica4905 Oh? You think the Soviet Union was an ally? They were not. Commies have no moral code. They want power and nothing else. We should've shown them zero deference, accepted German surrender unilaterally, and ensured Germany remained united and free.

[@aponcapone]

I live in Wageningen with my family. Over here stands the Hotel where the liberation is signed. Its still in use and beautiful.greetings drom The Netherlands.

[@ronniebishop2496]

Thank you for that great documentary.

[@glynmatthews6697]

It’s funny how the field Marshall’s and commanders don’t remove their hats when in a tent but most definitely do when indoors ! Monty’s tent is like a house too !

[@raynus1160]

Wow - good stuff & exceptionally well-detailed. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

[@Richard-lh8jq]

Thanks, Mark Felton, for this concise, while also extensive, summary of the end of WW2, 8/9 May1945.The shooting stopped. Would that the same were true for us here in the USA, where this historical event has gotten lost in the media by the war in out own streets.

[@firestar7188]

At time 1:58 The Germans gave permission that Allied bombers ( end of April / start of May 1945 ) could drop food on western part of Netherlands This was a Big mission with about 242 Lancasters and about 400 B -17 bombers. Also the Swedish Red Cross shiped food to the Netherlands ( January March 1945 )

[@georgosdidymus2023]

Thanks to videos such as these, we are reminded of the terrible consequences of war. It is also interesting to note that a German American, General Dwight Eisenhower, was privileged/ fated to accept the surrender of his ancestral homeland to the country of his birth.

[@leviturner3265]

Yes, however after watching this video I think much less of him. The fact that he was in favor of giving the Soviets any more Germans, rather than letting them surrender to the allies is very dishonorable.

[@anthonycarlisle6184]

You "think much less of him" because Eisenhower knew the germans were pansies and didn't want them to get off easy? Ok 🤷

[@McIntyreBible]

11:44, my grandfather (my mom's dad) looks exactly like Donitz in every detail. That's how I remember him!

[@you-know-who9023]

Very interesting and enlightening. I especially enjoyed the details about operation Hannibal and the timing of the final surrender. The reason that the Soviets and now Russians commemorate 9th May as the end of World War 2 appears to be a result of events on the ground rather than the last signatures of German surrender which actually took place before midnight on 8th May. In Konigsberg (renamed Kaliningrad) for example German troops only laid down their arms on 9thay when they knew it was all over. It appears to also have been this way in other places on the Eastern Front. I was once told a first hand account by a half German half Irish man who was drafted in the last week's of the war as a 16 year old of when his unit surrendered in a forest east of Berlin. Although they knew the surrender had taken place they did not go looking for the Soviet troops so a few weeks passed before they were taken into captivity and until that happened they still functioned as a military unit with a chain of command. My friend survived captivity which turned out to be very short because he was considered to small for physical labour when he was medically examined by a medical board. He also seems to have been lucky enough to have been captured by a Soviet Unit who (by his own account) treated their captives humanely . As he was not sent to a labour camp his captivity ended without any bad experiences. On his release he travelled to the US sector and managed to get a job as an interpreter for the US army.

[@gurglejug627]

Thanks for adding that. The reality of Soviet Russia was inhuman incarceration for many people yet humane treatment for many others. Who can tell why - to satisfy Stalin and his henchmen? Many German prisoners were used as forced labour to 'rebuild what they had destroyed' and were otherwise and/or afterwards treated well and whilst forbidden to return home often married Russian women and led normal lives in the SU.

[@alastairbarkley6572]

The British officer escorting the German delegation into Ike's chambers (12:48) and in conversation with Soviet general Suslaparov (13:17) is Maj-Gen Kenneth Strong. He appears in many of these SHAEF 'end of war in Europe' photos. Strong is an important, though understated, character who became Ike's Chief Of Intelligence in North Africa (after Brigadier Mockler-Ferriman was, to Ike's regret, made to carry the Kasserine intelligence can [1]). Strong and Bedell Smith later travelled secretly to Italy to encourage Field Marshall Badoglio to surrender Italian forces to the Allies (which he did) and was subsequently involved in the D-Day NEPTUNE & OVERLORD ops at the highest level. Strong developed a close personal friendship with Ike which continued even when Eisenhower became POTUS. At the very end of the war, William Donovan (and Bedell Smith) offered Strong a senior position in the CIA (was the OSS) along with big resources to run an Intel service. The offer included American citizenship - indeed, the offer was conditional on accepting the new nationality. Gen. Strong had become unpopular with his British colleagues (who thought that he had become far too close and co-operative with the Yanks) and even though he had been warned that his British Army career should be considered terminated at the end of hostilities, Strong politely declined the US offer. The American astonishment and affront that resulted showed that despite the closeness of a military alliance - informal and formal - lasting more than six years, the Americans never really understood how the British saw themselves. [1] "Poor Mock..." Eisenhower recorded in his diary: "... but, someone had to go."

[@yshaikalmanovitch393]

Also, there were some changes in the final agreement signed in Berlin, mainly the clarification of the demand that soldiers would have to surrender in the relative fronts rather than allowing German forces on the Eastern Front to surrender on the Western Front. Thus, the ceremony on the 9th was a bit more than just a symbolic act.

[@susanacuratolo1200]

FELTON: VERY TIMELY AND EXCELLENT!

[@LJWalter78]

Though the war was now over, the year following saw the death of over 1 million, (yes 1,000,000) surrendered German soldiers in U.S. captivity. This crime against humanity was covered up when puppet Eisenhower declared these men as “DISARMED ENEMY COMBATANTS” and not the proper “Prisoners Of War/POWs” classification. Therefore, Eisenhower was not under obligation to treat them as human beings under the terms of the Geneva Convention in which the United States has pledged its word to do so.

[@lisaharmon5619]

Thank you Dr. Felton.

[@Dave-jd9qn]

I am keen to know about the radio communications involved between the combatants and between the German negotiators and the Doenitz government. How did the sides first make contact? Are there sources?

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

A wonderful introduction by ( Dr Mark Felton) channel...thanks for sharing

[@historyarmyproductions]

I was hoping for this, very excited.

[@oelapaloma]

Thank you again for the amazing content, Dr. Felton! A video about the "Reichstagsbrand" (Reichstag fire) from 1933 would be something I would quite enjoy.

[@robertphillips6296]

Thank You!

[@heemdoctah]

Happy V-E day Mark!!

[@notthatdonald1385]

Thank you once again Dr. Felton.

[@superjonboy873]

Montgomery always irritates me. Overall, it's disappointing to hear how much America catered to the Soviets. Excellent as always Mr. Felton!

[@AutomatedPersonelUnit_3947]

American President was a socialist Democrat, FDR, Truman was just as bad as his boss