GENERAL EISENHOWER ANNOUNCES THE END OF WORLD WAR II IN EUROPEOn May 7 1945 at 0241 the unconditional ...

GENERAL EISENHOWER ANNOUNCES THE END OF WORLD WAR II IN EUROPE
On May 7 1945 at 0241 the unconditional surrender of Germany’s armed forces was signed in the War Room of SHAEF Headquarters in Reims thus ending World War II in Europe. Six years of war that took the lives of perhaps 20 million soldiers and innocent civilians had finally come to an end. At 0320 Eisenhower somberly transmitted the news to the Combined Chiefs of Staff in the United States and British Chiefs of Staff in London. The 8 x 10.5 inch message sent on a “SHAEF TOP SECRET OUTGOING MESSAGE” read simply: “THE MISSION OF THIS ALLIED FORCE WAS FULFILLED AT 0241 LOCAL TIME MAY 07 1945” Offered here is Copy No. 37 an original copy prepared at the time of surrender hand-signed “Dwight D. Eisenhower” in black ink beneath the text. A series of these official dispatches were prepared although the number is unknown and only a tiny handful were presented to Eisenhower for signing. This example was signed on the scene and given to his military assistant Col. (later Brigadier) Sir James Gault (1902-1977). As is the case with almost all such messages printed in this way the ink has faded significantly due to exposure to light and varied atmospheric conditions by its previous owner. The current owner has had the document de-acidified and it has been encapsulated by the foremost conservators in the United Kingdom. It has not lightened or otherwise degraded further in over thirty years. An identical signed telegram Copy No. 16 which was mistakenly believed to be the first original copy – was sold for $160 000.