81 years ago today
Germany Signs Unconditional Surrender — World War II in Europe Ends
On May 7, 1945, German General Alfred Jodl signed the unconditional surrender of all German armed forces at the Allied headquarters in Reims, France, bringing World War II in Europe to an end. The instrument of surrender took effect the following day, May 8 — celebrated ever since as VE Day. The war had claimed the lives of roughly 70–85 million people, the deadliest conflict in human history. Soviet leader Stalin, insisting that Germany's defeat be formally acknowledged in the conquered capital, demanded a second surrender ceremony in Berlin the following day. The signing at Reims was a quiet, businesslike affair witnessed by a handful of Allied officers — a stark contrast to the spontaneous eruptions of joy that swept London, Paris, New York, and the world within hours as word spread that the war in Europe was truly over.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Russian composer
Composer of Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and three celebrated symphonies, Tchaikovsky defined Russian Romanticism in music. His gift for memorable melody and emotional directness made his work universally loved across cultures and centuries.
Johannes Brahms
German composer
One of the supreme masters of the Romantic era, Brahms composed four symphonies, two piano concertos, and chamber music of extraordinary depth. He was considered the great conservative counterpart to Wagner's revolutionary innovations, upholding classical form while infusing it with Romantic passion.
Rabindranath Tagore
Bengali poet, philosopher, and Nobel laureate
The first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913), Tagore composed more than 2,000 songs and is the only person to have written the national anthems of two sovereign nations — India (Jana Gana Mana) and Bangladesh (Amar Shonar Bangla).
David Hume
Scottish philosopher and historian
One of the most important figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Hume developed a radical empiricist philosophy that challenged the basis of causation, religious belief, and human knowledge. His work profoundly influenced Kant and the development of modern philosophy.
Eva Perón
First Lady of Argentina
Known as "Evita," she served as First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death at 33 from ovarian cancer. She championed workers' rights and women's suffrage, becoming one of the most beloved and polarising figures in Argentine history.
Second Council of Lyon Opens
Pope Gregory X opens the Second Council of Lyon, which achieves a short-lived reunion between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches and organises plans for a new crusade. The union collapses within a few years.
New Orleans Founded by French Explorers
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founds New Orleans on the banks of the Mississippi River, naming it La Nouvelle-Orléans after the Duke of Orléans. It will grow into one of America's most distinctive cultural cities.
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Premieres in Vienna
Beethoven's Ninth — composed while the maestro was almost completely deaf — premieres in Vienna to a rapturous reception. Beethoven stands on stage, unable to hear the applause, and must be turned by a soloist to see the audience's reaction.
RMS Lusitania Torpedoed and Sunk
The British ocean liner RMS Lusitania is struck by a German torpedo off the Irish coast, sinking in just 18 minutes and killing 1,199 of the 1,959 people on board, including 128 Americans. The sinking intensifies American outrage toward Germany.
Battle of the Coral Sea — First Carrier Battle in History
The Battle of the Coral Sea ends as the first naval engagement in history where opposing fleets never came within sight of each other — all combat was conducted by carrier-based aircraft. The battle halts Japan's planned invasion of Port Moresby.
Germany Signs Unconditional Surrender at Reims
German General Alfred Jodl signs the unconditional surrender of all German armed forces at Allied Supreme Headquarters in Reims. The surrender takes effect the following day, ending nearly six years of war in Europe.
Sony Founded as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering
Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita found Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation in post-war Japan with 190,000 yen and 20 employees. The company will reinvent itself as Sony and become one of the world's foremost electronics brands.
Battle of Dien Bien Phu Falls — France Loses Indochina
French forces at the fortified camp of Dien Bien Phu surrender to General Giáp's Viet Minh after 57 days of siege. The defeat ends France's military presence in Indochina and sets the stage for American involvement in Vietnam.
27th Amendment to the US Constitution Ratified
The 27th Amendment is ratified after the longest ratification process in American history — 202 years since James Madison first proposed it in 1789. It prevents Congress from granting itself an immediate pay raise.
Vladimir Putin Inaugurated as Russian President
Vladimir Putin is inaugurated as President of Russia for the first time, succeeding Boris Yeltsin. May 7 becomes the traditional Russian presidential inauguration date, with Putin returning to the presidency in 2012 and 2024.
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Italian composer
Court composer to Emperor Joseph II of Austria and a central figure in Viennese musical life for decades, Salieri died aged 74. He was falsely rumoured to have poisoned Mozart — a myth popularised by the play and film Amadeus.
H. H. Holmes
American serial killer
Herman Webster Mudgett, known as H. H. Holmes, was hanged in Philadelphia, having confessed to 27 murders committed in his specially constructed "murder castle" in Chicago. He is considered one of America's first documented serial killers.
Seve Ballesteros
Spanish professional golfer
One of the greatest golfers in history, Ballesteros won five major championships including three Open Championships and two Masters titles. He died of brain cancer aged 54, mourned across Europe as the charismatic pioneer who brought continental golfers to prominence.
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