World war two was ‘the biggest and deadliest war in history’ which resulted in over 50 million military and civilian lives lost. Men, women and children. So how did the death of one man end it all?
Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazis and ex-dictator of Germany, committed suicide by gunshot on the 30th of April 1945 after coming to the realisation that the German army would not win the Battle of Berlin. His death sparked a series of events that led to the end of conflict in Europe.
According to website Britannica.com ‘Hitler’s suicide gave the garrison commander ,General Helmuth Weidling, the chance to surrender,’ in the Battle of Berlin, which they then did. The Soviet Union came out victorious at the end of the Battle of Berlin on the 2nd of May 1945 after General Weidling ‘signed the order of surrender’. Soon after this, many German troops followed suit and before long ‘Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending Hitler’s dreams of a “1000-year” Reich.’
The University of North Carolina’s Center for European Studies explains that ‘after the Potsdam conference ( where the allies agreed to the decentralization, demilitarization, denazification and democratization of the country), Germany was divided into four occupied zones: Great Britain in the northwest, France in the southwest, the United States in the south and the Soviet Union in the east.’ Berlin, the Nazi capital, was also divided into 4 sections as it was ‘deemed too important to be solely under Soviet control.’
The death of Hitler symbolised the end of battle in Europe, as the event lit the fuse that ultimately blew up Germany’s plans for “The New Order” and led to Victory in Europe.
Megan & Ffion Yr9
Boston High School