May 8, 1945 –
Let’s face it, Harry S. Truman was a shlub for most of his adult life. He was a failed businessman. He was a minor cog in a a political machine when he was picked to be Senator for his home state, Missouri. Roosevelt picked him to be his Vice President to spite his former Vice President, Henry Wallace, who was thought too liberal. Truman’s vice-presidency was relatively uneventful, and contact with the White House was minimal; he was not asked for advice nor informed of major decisions. Truman might have slipped into historical obscurity had Roosevelt not to have a massive stroke and died on April 12, 1945.
Truman’s birthday was coming up and Germany, well, the part of it that didn’t commit suicide in the bunker or fled to Argentina wanted to give the new President a special gift. So on May 7th, the Chief-of-Staff of the German Armed Forces High Command, General Alfred Jodl, one of the only German’s left standing, signed the unconditional surrender documents for all German forces to the Allies.
All active operations were to cease at 23:01 Central European Time on May 8 1945, Truman’s 61st birthday.
And what did Jodl get for this special gift – a necktie party at the end of his trial at Nuremberg. It was later learned that Jodl was neither guilty of crimes of war punishable by death under international law, nor of other crimes which would have made him a criminal or abuser of military power.
Oops, that what you get for trying to be nice!
And so it goes.
The Haus of Dcaligari 