When news of Germany's surrender reached Sydney on May 8, 1945, spontaneous celebrations broke out across the city, with crowds " shouting, waving flags and paper, singing and laughing."

A few handfuls of torn paper fluttering from an upper window of a Martin Place office, about 4.30 p.m. yesterday, began Sydney's outbreak of V-E Day mass jubilation. Within a few minutes the air was filled with fluttering paper falling on Martin Place, Castlereagh and Pitt Streets.

With this the city found its voice and mood, and last night Martin Place and other streets and King's Cross were filled with screaming revellers.

This day honours the service and sacrifice of those who served in the Second World War against Germany and her European allies.

On 3 September 1939, it was announced on every national and commercial radio station that because Britain had declared war on Germany, Australia was also at war.

On 7 May 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender on all fronts, which took effect from midnight 8–9 May and ended five years and eight months of hostilities against Germany and her European allies.

Victory in Europe Day was declared on 8 May 1945 and Australians held in European prisoner-of-war camps were liberated. Australian sailors and aircrew began returning home soon afterwards.

Almost one million Australians served during the Second World War.

In the European theatre, some 10,000 Australians died, almost 10,000 more were wounded and some 8,000 became prisoners of war.

While Victory in Europe Day was cause of great celebration in Allied nations, Australians were still focused on the war in the Pacific against the Japanese, which had no end in sight and continued until Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945.

Millions of people in the UK & elsewhere around the world rejoiced in the news that Germany had surrendered, relieved that the intense strain of total war was finally over. In towns and cities across the world, people marked the victory with street parties, dancing and singing.

But it was not the end of the conflict, nor was it an end to the impact the war had on people. The war against Japan did not end until August 1945, and the political, social and economic repercussions of the Second World War were felt long after Germany and Japan surrendered.

Here's what you need to know about VE Day and how it was marked in Britain and around the world.

GERMANY SIGNED AN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER

With Berlin surrounded, Adolf Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945. His named successor was Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz. During his brief spell as Germany’s president, Dönitz negotiated an end to the war with the Allies – whilst seeking to save as many Germans as possible from falling into Soviet hands.

A German delegation arrived at the headquarters of British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery at Lüneburg Heath, east of Hamburg, on 4 May. There, Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany and Denmark. On 7 May, at his headquarters in Reims, France, Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of all German forces. The document of surrender was signed on behalf of Germany by General Alfred Jodl and came into effect the following day.

Soviet leader Josef Stalin wanted his own ceremony. At Berlin on 8 May, therefore, a further document was signed – this time by German Field Marshal William Keitel. Dönitz’s plan was partially successful and millions of German soldiers surrendered to Allied forces, thereby escaping Soviet capture.

The news of Germany’s surrender was not surprising. It had been anticipated for some time and people across Britain were on standby to start celebrating the end of the war.

The announcement that the war had ended in Europe was broadcast to the British people over the radio late in the day on 7 May. The BBC interrupted its scheduled programming with a news flash announcing that Victory in Europe Day would be a national holiday, to take place the following day. Newspapers ran the headlines as soon as they could, and special editions were printed to carry the long-awaited announcement. The news that the war was over in Europe soon spread like wildfire across the world.

Lest We Forget

Source | Australian War Memorial, SMH, Imperial War Museum.