8 May 1945: Victory in Europe Day, the day after the armistice between the Allied powers and Nazi Germany goes into effect. Almost 5 years long, World War 2 in Europe destroyed millions of lives, burned ancient cities to cinders, displaced populations, and permanently changed the world order.

How, then, did it come to end? How did the Allies defeat the Nazis, and why did the war end when it did? What issues led the world from war to Cold War in only a few years, turning supposed allies against one another?

Jeff discusses VE Day and its legacy with historian John Moser, answering these questions and helping to set the stage for the rest of the 20th Century in Europe and the rest of the world.

Read Ian Kershaw's book. mentioned in the episode: https://a.co/d/echNXaL

Read the text of the Yalta agreement: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/the-yalta-conference/

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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