What is National East Meets West Day?
On April 25th, the Eastern Front of the Allied forces met the Western front on the River Elbe on the Western front. The Allied Front of the Allied forces met the Western front on the River Elbe on the Western front. This day, also known as Elbe Day, marked a significant step toward ending World War II.
For more than six years, World War II had been raging for more than six years. Several events in the previous year had started turning the tides of the war against the Axis powers. The Allies were marching toward peace in April of 1945. However, it would require a joint effort from both American troops in the East and Soviet armies from the West.
The commanders ordered their troops not to speak to each other in any form. Officers from both sides of the river were expected to remain on their eastern and western banks of the river, while police from each division formalized their occupation of Berlin.
However, patrols flooded the river outside of Berlin on the River Elbe on April 25th, just south of Torgau. American First Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev were among the first to reach contact, along with their orders.
Photographs captured the moment of the Eastern front's meeting the Western front two days later.
