VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, is celebrated on May 8 to mark the official end of World War II in Europe. On this day in 1945, Nazi Germany unconditionally surrendered to Allied forces, bringing nearly six years of brutal conflict on the continent to a close. Crowds gathered in cities across Europe and North America to celebrate the hard-won peace, though the war in the Pacific would continue until August. VE Day remains a day of remembrance for the sacrifices made and a celebration of the triumph of freedom over tyranny.

While VE Day brought relief and celebration, it was also a moment of reflection and mourning. Millions had lost their lives, cities lay in ruins, and survivors faced the long road to rebuilding their lives. For many, the end of the war marked the beginning of reckoning with its horrors—concentration camps were liberated, refugees were displaced, and families were forever changed. VE Day stands as a powerful reminder not only of victory, but of the cost of war and the enduring importance of peace.