Eighty years ago Germany was to be placed under military rule

 

 The Americans disclosed the plans for the occupation of Germany agreed with Britain, France and the Soviet Union. The country would be placed under "stern military government" which would last longer that the arrangements in place for Italy. It would control every aspect of government work. There would be no other authority of any kind. One of the tasks of the political division would be to protect American interests in Germany, a clear hint that the US intended to be present in Europe for the long term.

Preparations were under way for a general election in Britain. There was no possibility that the Parliament elected in 1935 would be further prolonged by legislation, so November would be the last possible date. The Conservatives were understood to favour a summer election so as to capitalise on Churchill's kudos as victorious war leader in a re-run of the infamous "khaki" election of 1918. Labour and the Liberals preferred the autumn.

Churchill told Parliament that it would be necessary to keep conscription until Japan was defeated. General Eisenhower had  announced that men who had served in Europe would not be sent to the Pacific but given Britain's crippling shortage of manpower, it would have to maintain an all-out effort for the war in the East which most thought would last into 1946 or beyond.

Struggles over post-war boundaries began. The city of Trieste was the target of the Yugoslav government under Marshal Tito but the US was firmly opposed. Italy had been awarded Trieste at the end of the first World War. In the Franco-Italian border region, placards were being displayed saying that the French army would give inhabitants the choice of which country they wished to belong to. Forms were distributed asking people to decide their nationality.