May 8, 2015.
On this day during the war.
In 1942:
The balance of forces on the Soviet-German front of the second military summer was as follows: Soviet troops numbered 5.5 million people, 642 43 guns and mortars, 4 tanks and 3 065 164 combat aircraft. Germany and its allies had 6.2 million people, to 43 thousand guns and mortars, 3 230 tanks and assault guns and 3,400 aircraft.
The German command launched an offensive in the Crimea, where Soviet troops bound 11-th German army and where, in addition to the Sevastopol garrison, in a small space was focused in Kerch 17 rifle divisions, 3 rifle brigades and 4 tank brigades. Put the problem of the elimination of this accumulation of Soviet troops, the German command, in addition to the release of his army, deprived the Soviet army of 4-5 army connections, in the amount eliminated would be the group equivalent of the whole front. The German group, which in number and power was inferior to the Soviet forces by almost 2 times, struck along the coast of the Feodosia Bay.
In 1943:
The North-East from Novorossiysk our troops, overcoming fierce resistance of the enemy, came to the new defense line of the Germans. Our artillery fire and aerial bombardments destroyed the long-gun emplacements, bunkers and other defenses. In aerial combat shot down 21 German aircraft. Our losses – 9 aircraft.
This week (2-8 may) in air battles and on the airfields of the enemy destroyed and damaged 930 German planes. Our losses during the same period – 235 aircraft.
In 1944:
To the West of the city of Iasi infantry and tanks in the morning the enemy resumed the attack. The fight took a violent nature. Separate sections repeatedly passed from hand to hand. In this battle, the fire of our artillery wrecked and burned up to 40 German tanks.
Aviation of the Baltic fleet made a RAID on Finnish port of Kotka and bombarded the enemy ships. Sunk a transport with a displacement of 2,000 tons and three Moscow boats.
Signed the Soviet-Czechoslovak agreement on relations between the Soviet Commander-in-chief and by the Czechoslovakian administration after the entry of the red army on the territory of Czechoslovakia.
In 1945:
Victory day in Western Europe and the USA.
In Karlshorst (a suburb of Berlin) signed the Act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. In the United States and great Britain on the surrender was announced on may 8, have already been demonstrations on the radio were made by Churchill and Truman.
Soviet radio all day telling about the battle of Libau, on the subscription for a new loan and informed of the surrender only on the night of 9 may. As in old age, said Vyacheslav Molotov: "I think Stalin feared, as if we are not cheated, failed the allies. And that something is tight, something byakuya knows."
The people's liberation army of Yugoslavia, liberated Zagreb and Ljubljana.
In the sky of Germany was shot down 352 aircraft your the luckiest German ACE major Erich Hartmann. After landing, he ordered the burning utselevshye planes and surrendered to the Americans.
Signed the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR about the announcement of 9 may the Victory Day. Announced the Ordinance was may 9.
Starting from this day through August 1986, in Germany, examined 91 thousand cases against war criminals. 6 479 people were sentenced: 12 – death, the 160 – to life imprisonment, the others to imprisonment for various periods of time.
