People worldwide will celebrate the 80th anniversary of when Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied Forces in World War II on Thursday.
Known as Victory in Europe Day, May 8 marks the date that Germany surrendered to Western powers after Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders died by suicide.
While the date did not mark the end of the global conflict — the Japanese Empire continued to fight until it surrendered a few months later — for many, it was a significant step forward to victory.
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“It was just a big letting off (of) steam and a massive relief for so many people,’’ said Dan Ellin, a historian at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, as reported by The Independent.
“But then, of course, for others, there wasn’t an awful lot to celebrate. For thousands of people, the victory was tinged with a sadness because for them, their loved ones were not going to come home.”
The road to victory was a tough one, complete with major battles and lengthy campaigns across Europe, from Northern France to the Mediterranean to deep within Russian territory.
Here are seven critical victories for the Allied forces over the Axis powers in World War II.
