OKINAWA YANKS REACT CALMLY TO NEWS OF ETO VICTORIES

From The May 7, 1945 Edition of Stars and Stripes

OKINAWA, May 6 (ANS)—The reported death of Adolf Hitler and the word of surrender of the German armies in Italy was good news to soldiers, sailors and marines here but there was no celebrating.

Most of the fighting men figured it wouldn’t mean a thing to them “until we can see some help coming and see a chance of ending the war out here.”

They termed Hitler’s death “good riddance” and said it was a good thing he went that way because there probably would have been lots of bickering around if we had taken him alive.”

Soldiers of the US Army 77th Infantry Division listen to news of the Surrender of Nazi Germany during a typical Okinawan downpour in May 1945.

For More Reading About Okinawa Check Out:

The Ultimate Battle: Okinawa 1945–The Last Epic Struggle of World War II

The Battle For Okinawa

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

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