Surrender+of+Germany,+1945

Brittany Lovett Mr. Nolan April 1st, 2009 H History per.1 __Surrender of__ __Germany__ __(1945).__ //Explain the times and/or issues that gave cause to your document…// It has been six years since World War II began. It is late April, early May, 1945 and the final battles of this European conflict continue to plague Europe. On April 27th, 1945, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was captured and executed by Italian partisans. Not wanting the same fate, on May 30th, 1945, Adolf Hitler put a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger. His suicide marked the end of the Third Reich. //What is the history of your document…// On the day before Hitler’s death, all German troops surrendered in Italy. On May 4th, 1945, German forces in Holland, Denmark, and northwest Germany also surrendered to British Field Marshall Montgomery. Then on May 6th, Admiral Karl Donitz, Hitler’s successor, he authorized an armistice agreement with General Eisenhower. // Was there any controversy attached to this document from any direction… // The Germans wanted a separate peace agreement with the allied troops in the west so that they could continue their battle with the Russians in the east. Our President Eisenhower would have none of it. He ordered the Germans to surrender unconditionally the very next day. In the French city of Reims, the Germans signed the surrender document on May 7th, 1945. All fighting ceased on May 8th, at 11:01 pm. Not trusting the Germans, the Russians insisted that a separate signing take place In Berlin on May 9th, 1945. //What was the significance of this document in American history…// The New Deal helped to get America out of the Great Depression but it was World War II that made the biggest difference. As we went to war, our own American factories started producing weapons, clothing, and supplies to support our troops in Europe. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, over ten million young men went into the armed service. This opened up a huge demand for workers to supply them with materials and equipment and the Depression was over! After the war most of Europe, as well as other nations, was in ruins and the American economy set the pace for the rest of the world. We were now a super power! //Where would you place this document on a scale from 100-1…// I would place this historic document at number 10. My reasoning behind this decision is that not only did it aid the United States during its depression, but it also saved countries in turmoil, and countless innocent lives of those affected by the dictatorships of Europe. Only a handful of documents would be given a higher place value. Examples of these would be the Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and the Bill Of Rights. Without the surrender of Germany, many of the atrocities experienced in 1945 could possibly still be experienced today. //Compare and contrast surrender of// //Germany// //and National Interstate and// //Defense Highway// //Acts of 1956…which was more significant…// The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 funded highway improvements for the development of roads in the United States, as well as the construction of 40,000 miles of highway in the United States. The Surrender of Germany and the National Interstate and Defense Highway Act are similar in that they paved the way for America to prosper and grow. The Surrender of Germany helped the economy because now America was a super power. Our economy was strong as we aided Europe in the rebuilding process. The National Interstate and Defense Highway Act provided work for American because many laborers were needed to build over 40, 000 miles of new highways across the United States. These roadways allowed Americans to travel, explore, and find work in areas far away from “home.” This intricate system of roadways also enabled America to grow and live up to its Superpower status. In my opinion, the Surrender of Germany was more important then the National Interstate and Defense Highway Acts of 1956. During the Surrender of Germany, not only did the US come out of the Great Depression, but we also helped many innocent lives and terrorized countries in Europe.