Historic document in private hands
His generals had surrendered to Allied forces a day earlier, leaving
Admiral Karl Doenitz, who succeeded Adolf Hitler, with one final act as head of
the collapsing Third Reich.
In terse language, he telexed his commanders in the field at 10.40pm on
May 8 informing them the war was over and that all hostilities were to cease.
“Effective immediately, no maritime vehicle or aeroplane shall be sunk
or destroyed, no military equipment may be damaged in any way,” he wrote,
warning that failure to comply would bring punitive action from the Allies.
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