Victory In Europe: On Moscow Time

Berlin's end came two years and four months after the salvation of Stalingrad. It came 16 days after the armies of Marshals Georgi K. Zhukov and Ivan S. Konev lunged for the Nazi capital, twelve days after they reached its streets. The date was May 2 and the time was 3 p.m.—Moscow time.

It had almost ended sooner. In the gloomy dawn of May Day a German colonel bearing a huge white flag appeared at a ruined side street held by the Russians. "Will the Soviet Command receive emissaries to discuss negotiations?" he asked. Red Army Major Belousov agreed and walked...