President Donald Trump late Thursday announced plans to designate May 8 as World War II "Victory Day" in the United States, which coincides with the "Victory in Europe Day" that has been celebrated in most of Europe since the Germans surrendered in 1945.
Trump acknowledged in a Truth Social that "many of our allies and friends" already celebrate on May 8, but said America should join in because "we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result."
On May 7, 1945, the Germans surrendered to the Allied Forces, and agreed to cease all operations the next day.
World War II officially ended later in the year on Sept. 2 when the Japanese signed an instrument of surrender, though Japan waved a white flag on Aug. 14 – about a week after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The U.S. does not have any public holidays commemorating World War II specifically, but there have been remembrance ceremonies in May, August and September across the country for decades.
