In 2025 we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Given the global nature of the conflict, the end can not, and should not, be reduced to a single event. Understandably, there tends to be considerable focus on 8 May, the end of the war in Europe. Conflict in Asia, however, continued; the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had not yet been dropped. Also, the German surrender on 8 May 1945 was the final act in a series of surrenders around Europe. While there are many sites and memorials related to actions in the final weeks and days of the conflict, on this page I identify seven locations at which key events took place that brought an end of World War Two. Places we can visit today.
- Thomas Dowson
- Last Checked and/or Updated 1 May 2025
- Travel Ideas, World War II
Nearly a year since the D-Day landings in Normandy (6 June 1944) and several months since the liberation of Paris (25 August 1944), by the spring of 1945 the situation in Germany was dire. As Allied forces advanced into Europe from the west and the Soviet Red Army pushed from the east, as Nazi atrocities were being discovered, the regime was nearing defeat.
As British soldiers entered Bergen Belsen on 15 April, liberating an estimated 60,000 prisoners, the Soviet Red Army was closing in on Berlin.
German positions were destroyed in the Battle of Seelow Heights (16 to 19 April), one of the last assaults on large entrenched defensive positions of WWII. On 21 April 1945, the 5th Shock Army under Colonel General Nikolai Berzarin, crossed the city limits into Berlin. It is said that a house built in the late 19th century on Landsberger Allee was the first house taken by the Russians. Today, a listed building, it is known as the House of Liberation, and serves as a community centre.
Just over a week later on 30 April 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in the Führerbunker in Berlin. Nothing remains of the underground air raid shelter complex that had been the centre of the Nazi regime since January 1945. Only an information panel at the entrance to a residential car park marks its location.
Before Hitler ended his life, his military officials were already negotiating Germany’s surrender.
The Fall of Fascist Italy & Caserta Palace
On 3 September 1943, representatives of the Kingdom of Italy signed an armistice with the Allies at a military camp in Cassibile, Sicily. The armistice was only announced publicly on 8 September. The surrender of the Italian military to the Allied forces was not part of the end of WWII, it resulted in the German occupation of northern Italy and the continuation of the conflict in the region. A plaque was left by the Americans to mark the spot where the signing took place. But this was stolen in the early 1950s. A copy has been erected on a military memorial at the church in the town.
The defeat of German forces in Italy only came in April 1945, when on 29 April an act of surrender was signed at the Royal Palace of Caserta in southern Italy. Since the Allied invasion of Italy in 1943, the Palace palace had served as Allied Force Headquarters for the Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean.
The surrender, negotiations of which began in March, came into effect on 2 May marking the end of hostilities in northern Italy. It was especially notable for its impact on Italian partisan groups and for sparing several major cities from further destruction, including Rome.
Partial Surrenders in the Netherlands and Germany
The motivation for the surrender of Italy had come from within the local German military command. As a result of Allied air attacks, German troops were no longer receiving supplies and ammunition – their position had become untenable. Following Hitler’s suicide, Karl Dönitz became head of state, commanding the government from Flensburg. The Dönitz Government assumed control of the capitulation process, and deliberately attempted to negotiate a series of partial surrenders. Dönitz was playing for time, so that German soldiers in the east could move to the west to avoid capture by the Soviets, preferring to surrender to the British and Americans.
On 2 May, in a residential apartment in central Berlin, General Helmuth Weidling, the last commander for Berlin district, signed the surrender order for Berlin. A few days later at Lüneburg Heath, German military officials for in northwestern Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark surrendered to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery on 4 May. This was followed by the surrender of German troops in southern Germany and Austria to the Americans on 5 May, at Haar, a town in the Munich area.
On the same day, 5 May 1945, another capitulation took place, this one in the Netherlands. German commander General Johannes Blaskowitz surrendered to Canadian General Charles Foulkes at Wageningen. This surrender involved German forces in the Netherlands and was negotiated in Hotel de Wereld, though the formal signing took place the next day, 6 May. This marked the end of Nazi occupation in the Netherlands.
Reims: 7 May 1945 - Musée de la Reddition
Since February 1945 the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force had been based in Reims, in what was the Collège Moderne et Technique de Reims (today the Lycée Franklin Roosevelt). Eisenhower insisted on an immediate, simultaneous and unconditional surrender from the Germans. Dönitz, however, was still stalling for time. Eisenhower forced Dönitz to accept the terms of surrender by threatening to resume bombing of German-held positions. The threat worked and the first comprehensive act of German military surrender was signed on 7 May 1945 at 02h41 in Reims. General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Operations Staff of the German Armed Forces High Command, signed the unconditional surrender on behalf of Germany. Representing the Allies were General Walter Bedell Smith (on behalf of General Eisenhower), General Ivan Susloparov (for the Soviet Union), and Major-General François Sevez (for France).
The surrender stipulated that all German forces were to cease operations by 8 May at 23h01 Central European Time. A day that has come to be known as Victory in Europe Day, or simply VE Day.
The Soviet Union was not satisfied with the events in Reims. In fact the Soviets had not approved the Act of Surrender. For the Soviets the ceremony was inadequate both in scale and symbolism. They were adamant that the final document should better reflect the leading role Soviet people played in the final victory. Also, they wanted this final act of surrender to be signed in Berlin, the city from where German aggression had been planned.
The ‘Map room’ has been preserved in its original state, still showing the Battle Map on the wall and the table and chairs that were used in the signing. This is the core exhibit of the Musée de la Reddition. Permanent exhibits in other rooms give historical context to the event that took place here, exploring live in Reims under occupation and the city’s liberation.
Berlin: 8–9 May 1945 - Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
To address Soviet concerns, a second, more formal surrender ceremony was held in Berlin late on 8 May and into the early hours of 9 May. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, along with other German officers, signed the definitive act of unconditional surrender at the headquarters of the Soviet military in Karlshorst, Berlin. The document was similar in substance to the Reims version but carried greater symbolic weight due to the location.
The signing took place in what had been the dining room of the Officer’s in the Fortress Pioneer School – a training facility for the engineer corps of the German Wehrmacht. When the Red Army entered Berlin in 1945, they commandered the military school wafor their headquarters. Later, during the Cold War and the division of Berlin, the building housed the headquarters of the Soviet secret service, the KGB.
In November 1967 the building opened as a museum that explores the history of the German Soviet War. To date it is the only permanent exhibition in Germany to address the war waged by the Nazis against the Soviet Union. Over 1,000 square metres, exhibits explore German-Soviet relations from 1917 to 1990. The dining room where the German Instrument of Surrender was signed in 1945 has been preserved in its original condition. The only additions are TV monitors, which show a film showing the events of that historic day.
The Berlin signing officially ended the war in Europe, although sporadic fighting and the surrender of isolated German units continued into the following weeks. As a result of extremely poor physical and mental condition of many individuals who had been imprisoned in the Concentrations Camps, many continued to die.
The Surrender of Japan - USS Missouri
While celebrations erupted in Europe, the war in the Pacific continued. Japan, facing devastating firebombing raids and a collapsing empire, was still unwilling to surrender unconditionally.
The Potsdam Declaration of 26 July 1945, a joint statement by the United States, United Kingdom, and China (later supported by the Soviet Union), called for Japan’s unconditional surrender. It warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan failed to comply. The declaration was largely ignored by the Japanese government. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima (6 August) and Nagasaki (9 August). These devastating attacks, combined with the Soviet Union’s declaration of war on Japan on 8 August and the subsequent invasion of Manchuria, overwhelmed Japan’s capacity to continue the war.
On 15 August 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s intention to surrender in a radio broadcast, the first time the Japanese public had heard the emperor’s voice. This day became known as Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) in many Allied countries.
The formal act of surrender took place on 2 September 1945 aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijirō Umezu signed the instrument of surrender on behalf of Japan. General Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender on behalf of the Allied Powers, with representatives from the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, France, and other Allied nations present. This signing marked the official end of World War II. The USS Missouri is now docked in Pearl Harbour, near the USS Arizona Memorial, guided tours of the battleship take visitors to where the Act of Surrender was signed.
Sources & Further Reading about the End of WWII
This page focuses on the sites at which representatives of the German military signed their surrender in 1945. The brief account above of the final days is intended only to provide context and to give some understanding why there are more than a handful of these places. The events of the final days and weeks of the Second World War that culminated in the end of the conflict in Europe, and subsequent attempts to force Japan to capitulate are complex and multifaceted. For anyone specifically interested in the ‘endgame’ of WWII, I recommend the following books:
➤ The Last Great Victory: The End of World War II, July/August 1945 by Stanley Weintraub (1995). Although now a little dated, it was well reviewed. This book offers a day-by-day account of the period during WWII following Victory in Europe to the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the surrender of Japan. Available on Amazon
➤ Scenes from the End: The Last Days of World War II in Europe by Frank Edward Manuel (2000). This book gets mixed reviews. It is the story of an American intelligence officer in Germany and his interrogations of captured soldiers. Written up from notes and letters he sent home, some readers feel this account of the final weeks of the war is rambling, while others found it touching and interesting. Available on Amazon
➤ The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Antony Beevor (2003). Written by a renowned World War Two historian and author, I found this to be a gripping and harrowing account of Berlin in the months from January to May 1945. Beevor does not pull any punches in his account that is based on extensive research of American, British, French, German, Soviet and Swedish archives. Available on Amazon.
➤ Armageddon: the Battle for Germany, 1944 – 45, by Max Hastings (2004). Hastings, a former war correspondent and leading military historian, offers a rich and authoritative account of the final year of WWII, a sequel to his account of the D-Day landings (Overlord, 1984). Based on thorough research, including previously untouched Russian archives, Hastings confronts some difficult and controversial questions about the end of WWII. Available on Amazon.
➤ Endgame, 1945: The Missing Final Chapter of World War II by David Stafford (2007). This well received book uses a narrative style to focus on the three months following Hitler’s April decision to never surrender. This account draws on the personal accounts of soldiers, prisoners of war as well as war correspondents who witnessed the Allied attempts to finish the war. Available on Amazon.
➤ 1945: Victory in the West by Peter Caddick-Adams (2022). Drawing on a range of personal accounts, this book covers the final weeks of the Allies’ fight against Nazi Germany, from their crossing the Rhine to their first encounters of the atrocities perpetrated by Hitler’s regime. This volume is praised for both its analysis of military strategy as well as its poignant accounts of individuals involved. Available on Amazon.
➤ Road to Surrender: Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II by Evan Thomas (2024). Awarded NPR’s Best Book of the Year, this is an account of the decision to use nuclear weapons to force Japan to surrender. For anyone grappling with the question of whether America was right to drop the atom bomb, this is a must read – exploring the moral issues of that question. Available on Amazon.
➤ Victory ’45: The End of the War in Six Surrenders by James Holland and Al Murray (2025). Due to be published at the end of July, this book by two well known historians of WWII examines closely the events and personal stories of each of the acts of surrender. Although I have not yet read this book, it will surely be an invaluable companion when visiting the sites and places listed on this page. Available on Amazon and Bookshop.org.
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Create Your Own Itineraries & Travel Lists
Login in to your account, (or register free of charge) to be able to use the features of the list below to create your own travel lists and itineraries. These can also be shared with your friends and on social media. You can see how this is done by watching our Using the Itinerary video on YouTube, or reading the Using the Itinerary page.
To add more WWII related sites and landmarks, museums and memorials to your itineraries and travel lists, see our guide to World War Two, the Holocaust & the Third Reich.
Royal Palace of Caserta
King Charles of Bourbon commissioned the architect Luigi Vanvitelli to design a residence that would surpass the Palace of Versailles in beauty. The foundation stone was laid on 20 January 1752, and it was completed in 1845. It was here on 29 April 1945 that German forces in Italy and Austria signed the ‘Surrender of Caserta.’ Inside, all the rooms that hosted the royal family and animated court life can be visited, such as the Apartments, the Throne Room, the Theatre, the Palatine Chapel and the Royal Staircase, while outside, visitors can stroll and relax in the vast, well-kept gardens.
Schulenburgring 2
From 27 April to 4 May 1945 the Soviet General Vasily Chuikov had his headquarters in this building in the Templehof area of Berlin. On 2 May in a ground floor apartment belonging to Mrs Anni Goebels, the last commander of the Berlin defence District, General Helmuth Weidling, signed the surrender order for Berlin. Although it would take time for the news to filter throughout the city, this effectively bought an end to the Battle of Berlin. Today, the apartment is privately owned, but a memorial plaque can be seen at the entrance to the building.
Timeloberg - Victory Hill
On 4 May 1945 in a tent on Timeloberg at Lüneburg Heath, the British Field Marshal Montgomery accepted the surrender from German military officials representing the Dönitz Government in Flensburg. The agreement applied to German armies operating in northern Germany and Denmark. The precise spot, marked by the British after the war, is now located within an inaccessible military training zone. Another stone monument has been erected nearby, with accompanying information panels explaining the site’s historic significance.
Hotel De Wereld
Although there has been a hotel on the site since 1669, it is the current building of 1852 (restored in 1975 and 2004) that is of particular significance. Here, on 5 May 1945 Canadian General Foulkes met German Colonel General Blaskowitz in what is now called the Grote Capitulatiezaal to negotiate the German capitulation in the Netherlands. The pen used to sign the document is now in the Museum De Casteele Poort. Today, a 4* hotel, De Wereld is praised for its character and proximity to the sites of historical interest in the city of Wageningen.
Museum of Surrender
The musée de la Reddition is the site where on Monday 7 May 1945 at 02h41 the first instrument of Surrender was signed by the Germans. It was here, the Collège Moderne et Technique de Reims, that General Eisenhower had set up his headquarters. The map room where the signing took place has been transformed into a museum, and the rest of the building is still a school – Lycée polyvalent Franklin Roosevelt. Besides the map room, a short film sets out the events that lead to the signing in Reims. Also on display are a range of artefacts associated with Reims during WWII from occupation to liberation.
Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
Perhaps one of the most significant WWII sites in Berlin. Following the declaration of surrender on 7 May 1945 in Reims, here on the night of May 8 the supreme commanders of the Wehrmacht signed the unconditional surrender with representatives of the Soviet Union, the United States, Great Britain and France. From 1945 to 1949, the building housed the head of the Soviet Military in Germany. Today it is a museum that focuses on the Eastern Front, and the only museum in Germany with a permanent exhibition about the war of extermination against the Soviet Union.
Battleship Missouri Memorial
On 2 September 1945 the surrender of Japan was formally signed on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. This brought an end to the Second World War globally. Commissioned in 1944, the battleship was the last battleship commissioned by the US government. After WWII the ship was used in various diplomatic, show of force and training missions, including in the Korean War and the Persian Gulf. In January 1999 the ship opened as a museum in Pearl Harbour, where visitors o guided tour are taken to the spot where the Instrument of Surrender was signed.
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