On a warm Tuesday evening in 1945 a significant episode in world history was about to unfold in Berlin. Senior representatives from Britain, France, the USA, Russia and Nazi Germany would gather in the Soviet controlled town of Karlshorst, Berlin. They were there to sign a document that had been prepared nearly a year and a half earlier. This document was the unconditional surrender of Germany that would bring an end to the Second World War in Europe. A war that had cost the lives of around 80 million people, both military and civilian. On VE Day 80 they will be remembered.
There would come a time for punishing the war criminals over the coming weeks, months and years. Nazi signatory, Wilhelm Keitel, would suffer the ultimate fate himself after the Nuremberg trials. However, now was a time of celebration for the people of Europe. Their war was finally over after 6 painful years. This was a party that was a long time coming.
In this very different blog post for us, EVision will look back on the conflict that led to VE Day. We honour the sacrifice made by so many people around the world, and in celebrating, we remember them and thank them.
Wars That Would Shape the 20th Century – How it Started
On the 11th of November 1918 the guns fell silent and the Great War came to an end. This was meant to be the war to end all wars. Devastation like never witnessed before would surely mean that no one would want to endure another such conflict. Unfortunately, this was wishful thinking that would be undone by events over the next two decades. Punishing reparations laid out in the Treaty of Versailles would lead to poverty and desperation in Germany. This allowed two extreme parties with opposite ideologies to flourish and feed on the fear of the population.
In 1919 a young Austrian Corporal, and veteran of the Great War, was asked to investigate one of the new rising parties, the German Workers Party. This Corporal liked what he saw, even arguing heatedly and passionately with people during meetings. His oratory skills were instantly recognised and he was welcomed into the party with open arms. His name was Adolf Hitler and this was a precursor to the Nazi Party.
In Power and Power Hungry – A Recipe for Disaster
Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and started to implement extreme policies almost straight away. He built up the military, in defiance of the 1919 Treaty, and he sought to empower the German people (as long as you fit in with his ideology). In 1938 Hitler started expanding his power beyond Germany. His primary goal was to recapture land taken away from the Germans just twenty years earlier. While the annexation of Austria was generally welcomed, the incursion of Czechoslovakia was a step too far for many. British Prime Minister at the time, Neville Chamberlain, would receive a personal guarantee from Hitler that he would not invade the whole of Czechoslovakia, declaring “peace for our time”. Hitler then invaded anyway and the world did nothing
In 1939 the Germans and the Russians signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a peace agreement between the two countries, agreeing not to invade each other and to carve up the country of Poland between them. On the first of September the Germans would cross the Polish border. Hitler assumed that no one would intervene, just like the previous year. However, on the morning of the third of September, an ultimatum was handed to the Germans by the British ambassador to Berlin. The Germans were to agree by 11am to withdraw their troops from Poland or a state of war would exist between Britain and Germany. No such undertaking was received. Britain was at war once again.
Six Years of Pain and Suffering
Although the first few months after the declaration of war were quiet for the British, during a period known as the phoney war, the German war machine was building. On the 10th of May 1940, a full 8 months later, the invasion westward began with an incursion into Holland. By the 14th of June, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France had fallen. The Germans had reached Paris and the long occupation of Western Europe had begun.
While the Nazis occupied Europe, the war raged on in Africa and the Atlantic. British fighters bravely fought off the Germans in the Battle of Britain. The Germans betrayed Russia, opening a second front as the Russians joined the effort on the side of the allies. In December of 1941 the US would be pulled into the war after being attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. A front opened up in Asia as the British fought against the Japanese in places such as Burma. This was truly a global conflict once again.
On the 6th of June 1944 it was finally time for the liberation of Europe to begin from the Western Front. Names such as Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword, Pegasus Bridge and St Mere Eglise would become famous in history as D-Day launched the fightback against Nazi oppression. The allies had returned to French shores. This time they weren’t leaving.
Liberation and Victory
Slowly but surely the liberation of Europe unfolded. With help from various groups of resistance fighters, the allies liberated France, Holland and Belgium. Next stop was Germany. After a brief, and doomed, fightback in the Ardennes forest of Belgium (the Battle of the Bulge) in December 1944 and January 1945, the allies were able to push forward all the way to the Rhine. Having captured the bridge at Remagen intact, the troops were then able to cross the river. Next stop Berlin.
Meanwhile, on the Eastern front, the Russians gallantly advanced to the outskirts of the German capital. The Battle of Berlin was about to begin and the endgame was in sight. Before the month of April 1945 was over, Hitler had retreated to an underground bunker and Berlin was in ruins. The Nazi leader saw the end was imminent and he shot himself on the 30th of April, ten days after his 56th birthday. Karl Doenitz succeeded as leader and began looking at ways to end the slaughter.
Alfred Jodl, a high ranking Nazi, signed the surrender of the Germans in Reims, France, on the 7th of May 1945. However, the Russians would not accept this surrender. They insisted that the official surrender should take place in the seat of German power. The place from which the war began. An official ceremony took place the next day. The document, written in three languages, was signed and the war, in Europe at least, was finally over.
The EVision Connection With World War 2
There are many people who have proud stories to tell of family members that played a part in the war. Whether at home or abroad, whether through tragedy or triumph, each story needs to be heard.
At EVision Head Office, our Marketing Executive, David, has a great story about his grandfather. David’s grandfather served as Chief Petty Officer aboard the British flagship King George V battleship. Aficionados of history or war films may well be familiar with the name of that ship. In mid 1941, the King George V battleship was engaged in the effort to find and sink the infamous German battleship, the Bismarck.
The Bismarck was a feared ship that could have turned the war in Germany’s favour. Even Churchill said that the only thing he feared in the war was losing the Battle of the Atlantic. With the Bismarck free, this was a real possibility. Bismarck was a formidable ship that the British Navy was determined to find and sink. The final battle took place on the 26th and 27th of May 1941. With over 2,000 shells being fired at the Germans, including from King George V, Bismarck finally succumbed to its damage and sank. This event was so significant that a film was made in 1960 starring Kenneth More and Dana Wynter (ironically born in Berlin) to much acclaim.
David is incredibly proud of his granddad’s role in the war. However, David says that his grandfather would never talk about his experiences. This is nothing unusual for a generation who suffered so much in battle.
EVision in the Military
While this is many years after VE Day took place, there are a number of members from EVision who have served in the Armed Forces. This includes the EVision Electric Vehicles Chairman himself, Hugh Edeleanu.
Hugh joined the British Army, serving in the Royal Engineers from 1974. This is when he rose through the ranks to Major and served his country carrying out bomb disposal missions during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Not an easy assignment by any stretch of the imagination. As with generations before, Hugh’s hands-on approach has endured. He has become a keen advocate for green energy and of modern engineering technology. This is especially true in the world of electric vehicles.
We thank Hugh and all of our team who have served. Their dedication and devotion to duty is evident. So too is their desire to be the best for our customers.
Final Thoughts on VE Day 80
VE Day 80 is a time for celebration and reflection. We definitely should celebrate the peace that was achieved 80 years ago today. Although there have been wars and conflicts since 1945, none have been anywhere near as costly on a global scale. By reflecting back on what happened all those years ago, it should also be a warning from history of what humans are capable of. The more we remember, the less likely we are to allow those mistakes of the past to be repeated.
*All information correct as of 8 May 2025
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