Written by the author of The Holocaust, this is a history of the events of 8 May 1945 and its repercussions, published to coincide with the 50th anniversary celebrations of VE Day in May 1995. It focuses not only on the events of that day, but also looks forward from that day to the years ahead. The theme of the book is the way in which the world today has been moulded by the events of 8 May 1945. Gilbert traces, in narrative form, the events and personalities of that day, from the early hours of the morning until midnight, looking at the topics and the people first in the context of that day, and then in the wider sweep of the events to which they led across the years. This story of one day's impact and its aftermath combines global perspectives with the stories of individuals.