ITALY In April 1945 the Italian front suddenly burst into life, after six months of near stalemate. Morale was dangerously low amongst the Allied troops because of the extremely hard winter conditions following a year of hard fighting in 1944. There was, also an all pervading feeling that Italy was merely a sideshow compared with greater events in other areas. THE BATTLE OF THE RHINE By January 1945 the Allies were planning a campaign rivalling the plans for D-Day, this was the assault across the Rhine the last great natural barrier protecting Hitler's Reich. THE RED ARMY ADVANCES In December 1944, Major-General Gehlen, in charge of German Military intelligence on the eastern front, had warned Hitler of the build up of Russian strength, particularly on the Vistula threatening East Prussia and ultimately, Prussia and Berlin. THE BATTLE FOR BERLIN 1945 Much has been said and written about the fall of Berlin at the end of the war. Many have argued that the Anglo-American forces should have made the taking of Berlin a primary objective rather than leaving it to the Soviet forces to take the German capital. However, many forget that the Allied agreement at the Yalta conference in February 1945 promised that the Anglo-American forces would halt at the Elbe. The Americans became obsessed with the idea that the Nazis would set up a final position of resistance in Bavaria. Americans over here AMERICANS IN BRITAIN The G.I.s, Initials standing for Government Issue, referring to the uniforms, became the generic term applied to all American servicemen. The American servicemen came to Britain like an occupied force of over a million men. 1942 introduced this new influence on the life of wartime Britain, the American G.I. These were the early days of the American build-up in the UK. The American servicemen brought with them a glut of candy and nylons, all of which led to somewhat derogatory phrase about the Americans; 'Over paid, over sexed, and over here.' THE YALTA CONFERENCE On 4th February 1945, the big three Allied leaders, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, met in Yalta in the Crimea to settle the future of Europe as soon as Germany was defeated. Roosevelt, becoming increasingly unwell, met Churchill two days earlier at Malta before flying on to Yalta. THE POTSDAM CONFERENCE The conference held at Potsdam outside Berlin between 17th July and 2nd August 1945, was the last of the Allied conferences to be held when Roosevelt died on 12th April he was succeeded by Truman who announced on the 24th July he had a new and powerful weapon to be used against Japan (The Atomic Bomb!). The conference was in recess between 25th and 28th July due to the General election in Britain: Churchill suffered an overwhelming defeat and was replaced by Clement Atlee who joined the conference on 28th July. Stalin was the only big-time war leader left. VE DAY (Victory in Europe Day) Tuesday 8th May 1945 The British premier, Winston Churchill broadcast to the nation and the empire saying "The evil doers are now prostrate before us. Our gratitude to our splendid allies goes forth from all our hearts in this island and throughout the British Empire. "Once the news had been broadcast that the war was over then Tuesday 8th May 1945 was declared a public holiday. After five years and eight months of war in Europe Nazi Germany was beaten into total surrender. THE HOLOCAUST During the Allied sweep across Germany in 1945, the full horrors of the treatment of some ethnic minorities groups at the hands of the Germans were gradually unfolding. The full horror was revealed to an unsuspecting Europe, including the German public. The sheer horror of the concentration camps and the crimes perpetrated therein, were deeply shocking to hardened soldiers and pressmen at the end of the war. VICTORY IN JAPAN On 6th August 1945,the first ATOMIC BOMB was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. That devastating event killed between 60,000 and 80,000 people, either immediately or in the weeks directly after the explosion. Another 70,000 suffered horrendous injuries. The long term genetic effects on the surviving population are still not fully understood. On 9th August of that year, a second attack, with a similar device wrought havoc on the city of Nagasaki. On 8th August Russia honored her agreement by entering the Japanese war as soon as the conflict against Germany was over. Their vast war machine moved into Manchuria. By 14th August, the Japanese Emperor had accepted unconditional surrender, in the face of the potential destruction of his country. On 30th August a contingent of American and British troops landed at Yokusuka. Many Japanese officers could not accept what was happening and took the honourable route by committing HARI KARI. Japan WAR IN PEACE TIME Thus despite peace being declared in 1945. The fighting continued in many areas often in confrontations between the communist world and the west. UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION (U.N.O) The United Nations Organisation was an idea devised by Roosevelt and Churchill in 1944 to avoid unnecessary conflict in the word, and was already in existence by the end of the war. So far the U.N.O can be seen more successful than the league of Nations which was formed after the First World War.