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Period: to
Siege of Budapest
Located in Budapest the Soviets had a victory over Germany -
Liberation of Auschwitz
Done by the soviet union Red Army on 27th of January 1945
Before liberation the SS officers attempted to burn and get rid of any evidence possible
Auschwitz and Birkenau were liberated at 3pm
Prisoners marched (The Death March) to Bergen-Belsen where they were liberated by the British
Thousands died on the march
The weak and sick were left behind -
Period: to
Yalta Confrence
Feb 4-11, 1945
Between Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Franklin D. Roosevelt
Began plans for Post-World War
Stalin promised free elections in eastern Europe and later broke his promise
Required the four conquered zones of Germany to be run by their own three countries and France
Became a controversial topic during the cold war -
Death of Benito Mussolini
Was hanged in Milan for the public to view
Took place April 28, 1945
His mistress Clara Petacci and 15 fascists were executed with him
By military forces of the Italian Resistance -
Death of Adolf Hitler
By Gunshot from himself to his own head
In one of his Berlin Bunkers
It was a double suicide with his wife
He could have chosen to escape to his home in the Bavarian alps, but he chose suicide instead
Took place April 30, 1945 -
Treaty Signed to End War with Germany
Jodl and Keitel surrender all German armed forces unconditionally
30 Minutes after fall of a huge fort
Fortress Breslau
Surrendered all forces fighting against western allies
2:41 AM in Berlin -
Final German Surrender
Final official signing in Berlin
May 8, 1945
Victory in Europe (V-E Day) celebrated on May 9th
The west (America) declared May 8th V-E Day
The east (Russia, due to Moscow time) declared May 9th V-E Day -
Berlin Declaration
June 5, 1945
Stating the defeat of Germany
Germany would be split into four zones as stated in the Yalta Conference and run by outside countries -
Period: to
Potsdam Conference
July 17 - August 2, 1945
Included the Soviet Union (Stalin), United Kingdom (Churchill), and United States (Truman)
Decided points on: how to punish Nazi Germany, the German economy, land boundaries, and reparations
Also decided to force unconditional surrender on Japan