 Afternoon. The place? The United Press offices in Paris, France. The man, Boyd Lewis, European news manager of the United Press. The action? Hello? That's you, Lewis. Oh, hello, Alan. You've got exactly 15 minutes to meet me at La Boujée Airport. Can you make it? Right away. Don't tell me the war is over. Never mind. You're going on an important out-of-time assignment. Shake a leg. Okay. Oh, this is it. Say, Joe, stand by on a 24-hour alert and go further notice. On my arrival at the airport I ran into 15 other war correspondents. Representing various world press services, newspapers and radio. Army officials hurriedly crowded us into a big Douglas C-47. And soon we were flying over the rooftops of Paris, heading east. The nature of our mission was soon disclosed, and we were told to gather around an army official in the waste of a speeding plane. We are going on a mission to cover the signing of peace. Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You represent the press of the world. This story is off the record until the respective heads of allied governments announce the fact of the world. I therefore pledge each and every one of you, on your honor, not to communicate the results of this conference or the fact of its existence, until it is released by Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force. I reiterate, this story you are going to cover is top secret. By top secret, the Army man meant that the story was in the highest confidential category. None of the correspondents in the plane raised an objection to this pledge, although one was later to violate it. At any rate, our plane landed us Sunday afternoon at Rans, the advanced headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower. There, the Army man filled us in on what had transpired before our arrival. All right, boys, here's the setup. Actual negotiations for the surrender of Germany began yesterday, Saturday, when Admiral Friedeberg and his aide arrived in Rans by plane. The German emissary was tired and depressed. I have had little sleep during the past ten days, sir. I would like to wash up. Orderly! Yes, sir. Escort the German emissaries to their billets. Yes, sir. This way. Admiral Friedeberg hummed softly while he bathed his face and hands, but his aide was nervous. They remained alone until five-twenty o'clock Saturday afternoon, and they were taken before Eisenhower's chief of staff, General Walter Bedell Smith. What are your terms? Unconditional surrender. All German forces to remain in their present positions. All German air and sea craft must remain at their present stations. The high command of the German Army must guarantee to forward and enforce the execution of all orders of the Allied command. I beg of you, many Germans will be killed by the Russians unless they are permitted to surrender directly to the Allies and the West. We are not prepared to discuss anything, but simultaneous surrender to the Allies of the East and the West. But the German people think of the hardships they will suffer. The German people are the enemies of the Allies until they surrender. Go on. After your surrender, the Allies will be guided by the dictates of humanity. Do you possess the proper credentials to negotiate for the German high command? No, I am not prepared. Then you must forward immediately these two Allied proposals to your superior Admiral Danitz. Aren't the proposals... First, the Jubion power to surrender all theaters. Or second, that Admiral Danitz sent his chief of staff to surrender in chief of the German Army, Navy and Air Forces with the necessary authority. It will take some time. You must realize that. If the terms are not signed by midnight Sunday, the Allied lines will be closed 48 hours from that time. 48 hours? The German emissary acted immediately. He dispatched a message to Dernott's by British courier through the confused northern lines. The next morning, Sunday, dawn full of portent, we dragged on with our afternoon arrival at Renz. Having covered every phase of the European war for the United Press, I could hardly contain myself while waiting for the German reply. It came precisely at 5.08 p.m. Sunday when a plane landed at the Renz airport. Permit me to introduce the new German emissary, Colonel General Gustav Yodl, chief of staff for the German high command. Yahl. This way. Yodl returned the salute stiffly and unsmilingly. Then he walked arrogantly to an American staff car, which sped him to General Eisenhower's headquarters in Renz. Before we begin negotiations, I wonder if I might... Certainly! Already! American soldiers escorted General Yodl in his aid to the billet of the first German emissary, Admiral Friedeberg. The admiral opened the door of his quarters, took one look at the grim-faced Yodl and exclaimed, Aha! Don't cop! A few minutes later, Friedeberg emerged and requested a map of Europe. Yodl placed the floor. We correspondents were watching Yodl. He was the man of authority, the man empowered to lay Germany's surrender on the line. His first opportunity came at 6.15 p.m. Sunday, when he was received by Allied General Smith and strong. I cannot guarantee that my orders to the German army and the field will be carried out. The refusal of sign means the Allies will resume operations against Germany. Then I must telegraph field marshal Keitel of the alternative you present me. The American generals conferred with Yodl for one hour and five minutes. And then the door opened. Send for the Russian representative, General Sushlaparov. Yes, sir. Hurry! Shortly after 9 o'clock that night, Sunday, the Germans retired to their billet. But the message to Keitel was on its way, with the Allied ultimatum, sign or face a resumption of hostilities. And the answer was not long and coming. It was a round midnight. Well, Yodl, what does it say? Do we sign or do we...? Keitel says we sign! At 2 o'clock, Monday morning, staff cars began to arrive at General Eisenhower's headquarters. We realized then that the last act of the drama was about to begin. Yes, about to begin in a schoolhouse in Rands. The Germans, ironically, had used it as supreme headquarters during their occupation. And our own General Eisenhower made it his headquarters after moving from Versailles several months ago. And at 2.29 a.m., the first of the Allied representatives entered one of the classrooms. I recognize most of them, although an army man pointed out the major actors in this drama as they entered. Over there is left-handed General Sir Frederick Morgan, standing next to General Savet. Savet is signing for France, isn't he? That's right. And General Sushlaparov to the right is signing for the Russians. Where is Eisenhower's representative? General Bedell Smith? He'll be in shortly. By the way, did you know that General Eisenhower himself is here? I think he'll show up. Sure. He'll get into the end of it, I bet. See, Alan, what time is it? Uh, she's... 2.31. Oh. Here comes General Smith. Who was signing for the German side? General General Siotl. Yeah. There are four copies to be signed. Here are the documents. History and the making happening before our eyes, marking the end of an era of terror and bloodletting. General Smith quickly affixed his signature for the British and Americans. Then he passed copies of the terms from the French General Savet on his right to the Russian General Sushlaparov on his left. The documents were then placed under the steely eyes of Yodel. The German, hesitating momentarily, seized the pen and scratched the word Yodel on the four documents one after another. It was the end. The German leader, his age jumped up. He glanced at the grim faces of the allied leaders. He gripped the edge of his chair. I would like to say a word, here, General. With his signature, the German people, the German armed forces are, for better or worse, delivered into the victor's hands. In this war, which has lasted for more than five years, both have achieved and suffered more than perhaps any other people in the world. In this hour, I can only express the hope that the victors will treat them with generosity. You will meet with me at 10 o'clock Monday morning to arrange for German liaison officers to carry out the surrender and disarmament orders. Yeah, Herr General. We watched American officers march the Germans down the corridor to a room where General Eisenhower was waiting. Herr General, do you understand the terms you were to carry out? Yeah. We do. We will carry them out. That is all. Yeah, Herr General. The Germans retired to their billet with the death knell of Nazism ringing in their ears. Unconditional surrender. Unconditional surrender of all German armed forces on land, sea, and in the air. The most complete and resounding defeat in the history of the world. The words of General of the Army is Eisenhower. Just a few minutes ago at this table, Germany surrendered unconditionally its forces on land, and sea, and in the air. Germany has been thoroughly whipped. You have been listening to United Press correspondent Boyd Lewis and his dramatic eyewitness account of the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces at Rans France on Monday, May 7, 1945. Other United Press correspondents the world over are prepared to bring you firsthand accounts of the great battle to come on the Pacific front. You will hear of these accounts when they happen in this series soon. Be sure to listen. Meanwhile, listen for United Press news on the air. Look for United Press dispatches in your favorite newspaper. They are your guarantee of the world's best coverage of the world's biggest news.