| Original caption: “Chicago Celebrates. Part of the large crowd that flocked to Chicago’s Loop area when the report of Germany’s surrender, later denied by the White House, was reported in the newspapers.” Revelers in front of the Empire Liquor Store at 150 North State Street hold up copies of the April 28, 1945, issue of the Chicago Times, which used heavy type that proclaimed “Victory Extra – Germany Quits!” and the Chicago Tribune declared “Germany Gives Up!” Both carried the Associated Press bulletin that Germany had surrendered: “San Francisco, April 28 (Associated Press) Germany has surrendered to the Allied governments unconditionally, and an announcement is expected momentarily, it was stated by a high American official today.” Newspapermen would long debate how much of the blame belonged to the Associated Press. The red-faced Associated Press treasured 1 technical defense: it had not sent the Connally story out as a flash (as such news deserved, if the Associated Press were unreservedly vouching for it) but only as a bulletin. And the bulletin carried a hedge, “announcement is expected momentarily,” which did not justify the unqualified headlines. An hour and a half later, when United States President Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) said it wasn’t so, recriminations began. Editors and broadcasters who had gone off halfcocked blamed it all on the A.P. So, gleefully, did the U.P. and I.N.S., which have long smarted under the A.P.’s boast: the Byline of Dependability. The A.P. blamed it all on the “high American official” – Senator Tom Connally (August 19, 1877 – October 28, 1963), Democrat of Texas. Chicago Police turned out all patrolmen, recalling everyone to their stations. Stores in the Chicago Loop read out the Associated Press bulletin over loudspeakers, triggering a rush on newstands. The Chicago Sun, which filed reports from United Press International, did not print an extra edition with the Associated Press bulletin. Regardless, celebratory crowds gathered in the Loop. Celebrations broke out in Paris, London, New York, Miami, and Atlanta, but the Rocky Mountain News waited for confirmation; the Denver Post printed the Associated Press report. The reactions were not surprising, given the long, bloody experience of the war, but given that United Press International correspondent Roy W. Howard (January 1, 1883 – November 20, 1964) had erroneously reported the end of World War I on November 7, 1918, it’s surprising that more newspapers didn’t wait for confirmation. However, such exciting news would be repeatedly reported in the lead-up to the actual surrender announcement on May 8. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0931.jpg |
| Image Size | 581.16 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2347 |
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| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 28, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Chicago |
| State or Province | Illinois |
| Country | United States |
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| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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