Key Events of 1945: The Final Year of World War II

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1945 marked a pivotal year in World War II, culminating in the defeat of Nazi Germany and significant shifts in global politics. On January 27, advancing Soviet soldiers liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, a site where 1.1 million people, primarily Jews, were exterminated. As the war progressed, the Yalta Conference occurred from February 4 to 11, where leaders Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin decided on the post-war ordering of Europe, splitting Germany into occupation zones.

The year saw significant military actions, including the devastating bombing of Dresden from February 13 to 15, resulting in an estimated 25,000 casualties. On April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his Berlin bunker as Soviet forces closed in, leading to Germany’s surrender on May 8. This date marked the end of the war in Europe, celebrated as Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The Potsdam Conference followed in July, where Allied leaders finalized plans for Germany’s demilitarization and established borders in Eastern Europe. The war continued in the Pacific, culminating with the U.S. dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9, leading to Japan's surrender on September 2 and the formal conclusion of World War II.

The creation of the United Nations on October 24 aimed to prevent future global conflicts, while the Nuremberg Trials began on November 20, holding Nazi leaders accountable for war crimes. These events shaped the geopolitical landscape and set the stage for the post-war world order.

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