V-E Day: Victory and Its Limits
On May 8, 1945, church bells rang and crowds filled streets in cities across Europe and the United States. People were celebrating Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day. After years of war, Germany had surrendered. Yet the news did not mean that World War II was over everywhere.
The surrender had been signed one day earlier. On May 7, German military representatives met Allied officers in Reims, France. The Allies were the countries fighting Germany, including the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union. The agreement called for German forces to stop fighting late on May 8. Another surrender ceremony took place in Berlin after midnight, when it was already May 9 there.
News traveled quickly by radio and newspaper. A radio set on a table near a window could bring a leader’s voice into a family’s home. In public, people waved flags, sang, and gathered with neighbors. Many felt enormous relief that the fighting in Europe was ending and hoped their loved ones would soon return.
Celebration, however, existed alongside grief. Millions of people had died during the war in Europe, including soldiers and civilians. Nazi Germany had also murdered millions of Jewish people and others in the Holocaust. Families who had lost relatives or homes could not simply leave their sorrow behind when the fighting stopped.
- surrendered:
- Stopped fighting and gave up to an opposing force.
- representatives:
- People chosen to speak or act for others.
- agreement:
- A decision or arrangement accepted by the people involved.
- ceremony:
- A formal event held for an important occasion.
- relief:
- A feeling of comfort when something worrying has ended or improved.
- civilians:
- People who are not members of the armed forces.
- grief:
- Deep sadness, especially after a serious loss.
- formal:
- Official and following established procedures.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How does the opening paragraph introduce both the importance and the limits of V-E Day?
- 2How do the dates of the two surrender ceremonies clarify the sequence of events?
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About this explanatory article passage for 6th Grade
“V-E Day: Victory and Its Limits” is a explanatory article reading passage about World War II, written for 6th Grade. It takes about 2 minutes to read (279 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.