“On the road to victory you have endured every discomfort and privation and have surmounted every obstacle ingenuity and desperation could throw in your path. You did not pause until our front was firmly joined up with the great Red Army coming from the East, and other Allied forces coming from the South. Full victory in Europe has been attained.”—General Dwight D. Eisenhower, May 6, 1945
At this point eighty-one years ago, World War II in Europe was rapidly ending through the immense pressure that the United States, England, and the Soviet Union applied against the Third Reich. Hitler’s self-proclaimed thousand-year leadership of the Nazis lasted twelve years and ended in a complete disaster for large parts of Europe. Eisenhower had immense authority during the fighting, but he was solemn in understanding the immense losses of this tragic conflict.
About ten days before the surrender of Germany, American and Soviet forces met at the Elbe River. While these men were from different backgrounds, they were joined by the hope of finally ending this war against Hitler. For the Soviet Union, it took three years to force the Germans out of their territory, with an estimated 29,000,000 killed, along with the western part of their country destroyed. Whereas the United States entered this conflict late, the nation fought a brutal two-front war with an immense number of soldiers, resources, and military support to defeat German and Japanese forces. The culmination of the war in Europe was seen on April 25, 1945, as the Soviets encircled Berlin and met the Americans close to the town of Torgau on the Elbe River.
These two major warring powers were represented by junior officers from both sides who shook each other’s hands. At the end of the war, there was a risk that American and Soviet forces could assault each other through friendly fire. The Americans at this eastern point were led by Lieutenant Bill Robertson from the 69th Infantry Division under the leadership of General Courtney Hodges of the First Army. Robertson understood that his soldiers were going to contact the Soviets and needed a symbol to present the American presence. While they did not have an official American flag, Robertson created one to help represent this legendary Allied union. At first, the Soviet counterpart believed that the American military might be Germans, but Robertson’s substitute flag clarified their identity. When both sides met, these foreign Allies flashed the “V” sign for “Victory.”
As these soldiers met, it marked the beginning of brief encounters between Americans and Soviets to celebrate the end of the war. From private soldiers to generals, gifts were exchanged among these victorious military forces. Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev gave American General Omar Bradley a horse, and in return, Konev was presented with the Legion of Merit, while the head of Soviet forces received a jeep. Meeting his counterpart, Eisenhower presented Zhukov with his favorite drink, Coca-Cola. Shortly after the war, Eisenhower commented on his relationship with Zhukov, stating, “Georgy is a very decent fellow. [If he were] left on his own, I believe I could do business with him.” Although American and Soviet forces came from vastly different backgrounds, many of these soldiers were pleased to know that they had jointly fought this war to end Hitler’s tyrannical grip on Europe.
World War II in Europe, and later the victory against Japan, resulted in 40,000,000 to 60,000,000 losses. It was estimated that Poland lost 20% of its total population, China faced staggering deaths of well over 20,000,000, and Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union each lost about 10% of their people. Both armies had already liberated concentration and extermination camps, where they witnessed murder, cruelty, and starvation under the warped policies of the Nazi regime. These two converging armies would always recall the scenes of battles fought in Europe for almost six years.
When Eisenhower walked through the Ordruf concentration camp with Generals Bradley and George S. Patton at his side, the disdain on his face was easily seen. Concerned that people might doubt these Nazi atrocities, Eisenhower directed American soldiers—and later members of Congress—to witness these liberated camps. As the war came to an end, soldiers hardened by fighting in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and Germany were shocked at the sight of government-organized murder. Although both sides were on the verge of a monumental victory, they saw immense disease, destruction of cities and towns, and the displacement of populations from France to the Soviet Union.
Many of these soldiers were relatively young, and they carried these horrific memories for the rest of their lives. There was virtually no counseling or support services to help them deal with the violent impact of the war. Later, these veterans worked, raised families, took care of their homes, and dealt with the reminders of the war that were rarely spoken about.
The Cold War began soon after this historic Allied meeting at the Elbe River, where men from different ideologies shared the same types of scars from World War II. Soviet soldiers returned to a western region of their nation that had been virtually destroyed by the advancing and retreating Nazis. On Long Island, the massive “Baby Boom,” the GI Bill, and communities like Levittown were created to meet the needs of returning veterans who represented the “Greatest Generation.” Both countries emerged as superpowers, but there was a tremendous cost to defeat the Nazis and Japanese and restore safety and stability.
Eisenhower shared many personality and command traits with President and General Ulysses S. Grant. When he met with the German Wehrmacht delegation to sign the final peace, he spoke briefly but reminded these senior enemy figures that they would be held responsible for maintaining the peace. Just as Grant had reminded his officers to stop firing artillery after the surrender of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Eisenhower was pleased with victory in Europe but remained mindful of the tremendous losses.