World War II

Historical eventMay 21945

World War II

World War II: General Helmuth Weidling, the German commander of Berlin, surrendered to Soviet forces led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov, ending the Battle of Berlin.

Everything on May 2Original source

In context

When
Wednesday, May 2 194581 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1940s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1945.

What happened

World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many engaging in total war on an unprecedented scale. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, causing the deaths of 60 to 75 million people, a majority of whom were civilians. Millions died as a result of massacres, starvation, disease, and genocides including the Holocaust. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan,

May 2 through the years

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Also in 1945

  • September 11Imperial Japanese ArmyThe Japanese-run camp at Batu Lintang in Borneo was liberated by the Australian 9th Division, averting the planned massacre of its 2,000-…
  • March 14Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force first used the Grand Slam, a 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) earthquake bomb, on a strategic railway viaduct in Bielefeld, Germ…
  • October 22Cigar FactoryWorkers at the Cigar Factory in Charleston, South Carolina, began a labor strike against the American Tobacco Company that lasted more th…
  • June 14Philippine ArmyWorld War II: Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army liberate the captured in Ilocos Sur and start the Battle of Bessang Pas…
  • November 27CARE InternationalA consortium of twenty-two U.S. charities founded CARE with the mission of delivering food aid to Europe in the aftermath of World War II.
  • August 14Kenji HatanakaKenji Hatanaka (pictured) and other Japanese military officers launched an attempted coup d'état to prevent the surrender of Japan.
  • September 3Victory over Japan DayA three-day celebration begins in China, following the Victory over Japan Day on September 2.
  • June 26United Nations Conference on International OrganizationAt a conference in San Francisco, delegates from 50 nations signed a charter establishing the United Nations.

Everything we record for 1945 →

Sources

Cite this page

“World War II”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/world-war-ii-1945-may-2, accessed October 28, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did World War II happen?

May 2 1945 — 81 years ago, on a Wednesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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