Today’s post is by Rachael Salyer, Subject Matter Expert for Modern Military Records at the National Archives in College Park, MD.
In the early morning of May 7, 1945, representatives from the four Allied Powers met with General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the German Army, and two additional German officers at the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) in Reims, France. Jodl had been authorized by German President Karl Doenitz to sign a document agreeing to the unconditional surrender of “all forces on land, sea and in the air who [were] at [that] date under German control” (see image 1).
The instruments of surrender instructed German forces “to cease active operations at 2301 hours Central European time on 8 May,” effectively ending the war in the European Theater of Operations (see images 2 and 3).
Although the document itself is brief, it is powerful, and it represents years of strategic planning, intelligence gathering, and cooperation with Allies. The document’s modest appearance also belies the immense strength and sacrifice of the service members who fought so hard for victory over the Nazis. General Eisenhower, the Commander of SHAEF, did not attend the signing ceremony or sign the document himself. Instead, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Walter Bedell Smith served as SHAEF’s signatory, and Major General Ivan Sousloparov signed on behalf of the Soviet High Command. The instruments of surrender were also witnessed and signed by Major General François Sevez of the French Army.
After the instruments of surrender had been signed, Eisenhower met briefly with the German delegation before sending a message to the Adjutant General of the War Department’s (AGWAR) Combined Chiefs of Staff stating that “[t]he mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled.” Eisenhower also joined the other Allied representatives in celebrating Germany’s surrender (see image 4).
In anticipation of Germany’s possible capitulation, the Allied commanders had drafted memorandums on the legal consequences of surrender; one such memorandum described three different methods of ending hostilities that were recognized by international law, including “by the mere defacto [sic] cessation of hostilities by both parties,” “by the conventional method of an armistice,” or “by the total defeat or conquest of one belligerent by the other” (see image 5).
Throughout the war, the Allies also created numerous operational plans related to the potential outcomes of the war, including eventual German surrender. Some examples include Operation Rankin and Operation Eclipse from SHAEF’s Post-Hostilities Plans Sub-Section (see images 6 and 7).5
Additionally, the U.S. and its Allies also developed plans for the swift establishment of an Allied military government in Germany after the war to ensure “that the functions of government will be carried out by German personnel and German civil agencies excluding those who have been removed because of close Nazi affiliations” (see image 8). SHAEF also distributed detailed post-surrender handbooks to military personnel (see image 9).
At the same time that the military government was swiftly being established in Germany after the war, the instruments of surrender–the documents themselves–quickly made their way to the National Archives. On June 6, 1945–less than one month after the instruments of surrender had been signed–the documents went on display in the Rotunda of the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. (see image 10).
President Truman acknowledged the momentous accomplishment of the end of the war in Europe and the significance of the document display in a letter to Dr. Solon J. Buck, Archivist of the United States: “The placing on public view of the documents that mark the unconditional surrender of Germany is a significant occasion. It is fitting that it should take place on the first anniversary of D-Day, the beginning of the end of the war in Europe. […] These documents are a symbol of that victory, an eloquent tribute to the courageous men, living and dead, who made it possible.” He goes on to state that “we cannot forget that the world is not yet rid of the scourge of oppression and brutality. […] Until liberty, justice, and an enduring peace are won, complete victory will not be ours” (see image 11).
Three months later, the Japanese instruments of surrender were signed, and the war in the Pacific finally came to an end as well. One year after that, plans were being made for the German and Japanese surrender documents to tour the country as part of a Victory Train or Freedom Train traveling exhibit that would give more Americans a chance to view the incredible documents and reflect on their monumental significance. Described as “the costliest papers in the world,” the instruments of surrender continue to serve as a reminder of “the price of victory” (see images 12 and 13).
For more information about the textual documents described above, please contact the Textual Reference Branch at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland (Archives II) at archives2reference@nara.gov.
For additional information, please see the following NARA resources:
Thank you for this. I agree that these were the most expensive pieces of paper in the world.