East Meets West Day

It is the witness of the historical meeting between the Eastern Front of the Allied forces and the Western Front on the banks of the River Elbe on April 25th every year. Moreover, it is also a pivotal event in the ending of World War II.

Why East Meets West Day?

East Meets West Day is a great opportunity to express the gratitude one of the most important historical events and prevent a devastating war from turning the world into a graveyard.

During the time that World War II had raged for more than six years, in the years before that, the Axis had been losing ground in the war, and the allies were becoming stronger. In mid-April, the Allies decided to move and start the war at Berlin. It was established that the allies would meet near the Elbe River, where American troops came from the East and Soviet troops stationed in the West. They were ordered not to communicate and to wait in their respective sections on the riverbank until the Senior Officers formulated a strategy for Berlin. On the morning of Wednesday, April 25th, a group of American commanders boarded the boat and headed west. American Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue first made contact with Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev, who was accompanied by his Rangers comrades, and shook hands. That action changed the fate of World War Two. Since then, the commanders of the American arriving to the other side received a warm welcome from the Soviets.

In spite of a simple gesture, it has brought a big impact. Here, we can understand the importance of non-verbal communication as it doesn't take a long speech to declare trust but just a pass to shake the hands of allies. History has been full of royal messes, but they've all been cleaned up because of gestures like these. The allies united together and effectively destroyed half of the Nazi force, which helps end the war in Europe quickly. After two weeks, the Red Army invaded and got out of Berlin, with the notifying of ending the war. Even 76 years later, because of its power, we still celebrate it.

History of East Meets West Day

The Independence Day West on April 25th commemorates the meeting day between the Allied Eastern Front and the Western Front on the Elbe River. Another name of East Meets West Day is Elbe Day, which is considered as an important step in ending World War II.

The Second World War lasted for more than six years. During the previous year, a number of events began to turn the tide of the war against the Axis. In April 1945, the Allies reached the target toward peace. However, it would require a concerted effort by both American troops in the East and Soviet troops in the West.

The commanders had directed their units not to communicate with each other. Their orders were to remain on the eastern and western banks of the river while the officers of each division formally occupied Berlin.

After the meeting between two armies on April 25th the south of Berlin, on the Elbe, the patrols entered the river in a small boat. American Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev are the first contactors.

Two days later, there was an event to commemorate that meeting between the Eastern Front and the Western Front.

Some truths about East Meets West Day

• More than 100,000 bomber crews were killed in Europe,
• In 1923, there were only 20% of the participants to be survived through the war in the Soviet Union.
• History records that William Hitler, the grandson of Adolf Hitler, served in the United States Navy during the Second World War.
• Tokyo is the location for a third atomic bomb.

How to celebrate East Meets West Day

• Let take this day to bring a certain symbolic: We often forget the little things that make up the big picture, teaching nothing but ignorance. East Meets West Day is also a reminder about the importance of choosing of belief and hope when things feel uncertain.
• Visit the War Museums: Spend some time this day touring the Museums that hold artifacts from the War and World War II that will help you discover the significance of any historical event changed events. The National World War II Museum, located in New Orealin, Louisiana, or the International Museum of World War II in Natick, Massachusetts, holds a large variety of artifacts that serve as a reminder to do good better and better not to make mistakes in the past.
• Educate yourself and the World Around: In a world where we are all connected through the internet and social media, we can spread awareness about these historic days by using hashtag including #NationalEastMeetsWest or #ElbeDay. We recommend watching World War II documentaries and literary works that revolve around the climax to better visualize it for you.