Today in World War II History—May 8, 1940 & 1945

Churchill waving to crowds at Whitehall, London, on the day the war with Germany was won, 8 May 1945 (Imperial War Museum: 4700-37 H 41849)
80 Years Ago—May 8, 1940: British Labour Party calls for vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s government.
Gen. Semyon Timoshenko replaces Marshal Kliment Voroshilov as Soviet defense commissar.

Ground crew on a RAF Bomber Command station in Britain return the ‘V for Victory’ sign to a neighboring searchlight crew. Silhouetted is the nose of a Lancaster bomber. (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—May 8, 1945: V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day)—the US and the western Allies celebrate as the German surrender becomes official.
Off Bergen, Norway, an RAF Catalina sinks U-320, the last German U-boat sunk in the war.
US troops and Monuments Men discover art stash at Altaussee, Austria, saved by Austrian civilians.
US secures Leyte in the Philippines.