07 BBC Thomas Cadett sees Jodl surrender

Hello, BBC, this is Thomas Cadet reporting from Supreme Headquarters. Yes, I saw it. In the small hours of this morning, May 7, 1945, I saw the formal acknowledgement by Germanist present leaders, military leaders of their country's complete and utter defeat by land in the air and at sea.

The final act, General Yodel's signed admission of unconditional surrender, had little or nothing outwardly dramatic about it. The whole ceremony in fact was carried out on a cold and business-like basis, which was not increased in dignity by numerous scaring photographers with glare of powerful lights and the popping of flashlight bulbs. If the sense of drama was there and it was, it was because we

carried it in our own hearts, remembering that this meant liberation, freedom from suffering and spared lives for countless thousands in tortured Europe. It was not the ceremony that mattered but the thing itself. There was in which pity might have come near, but the miss was as good as a mile. It was when, after he had signed away of freedom already

lost, General Girdle rose to his feet. Facing General Beadle Smith, General Eisenhower's Chief of Staff, who presided, the German said these words, speaking his own language. In a low voice he said, General, with this signature the German people and the German are marked are for better or for worse delivered into the victor's hands.

This is the BBC Home Service. We're interrupting programs to make the following announcement. It is understood that in accordance with arrangements between the three great powers, an official announcement will be broadcast by the Prime Minister at three o'clock tomorrow Tuesday afternoon the 8th of May.