Upon the death of [[Hitler]] and [[Joseph Goebbels|Goebbels]], Dönitz was appointed [[President]]<ref>http://www.flottenbasis.de/marine_kurier/ausgabe012005/achterstich1.html</ref><ref>http://lexikon.meyers.de/meyers/Bundespr%C3%A4sident</ref>. Dönitz immediately opened up negotiations with the [[Allied Powers]] to offer Germany's unconditional surrender <ref>http://www.br-online.de/wissen-bildung/thema/kriegsenden/09-kapitulation.xml</ref>. On May 7, the British and US governments accepted a surrender authorized by Dönitz <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/11/a3530611.shtml</ref>. The decision was controversial, as the the [[Big Three]] [[Allied Powers]] had agreed not to accept any separate peace terms. Dönitz was subsequently arrested and tried as a [[war criminal]] <ref>http://www.br-online.de/wissen-bildung/thema/kriegsenden/09-kapitulation.xml</ref>. | Upon the death of [[Hitler]] and [[Joseph Goebbels|Goebbels]], Dönitz was appointed [[President]]<ref>http://www.flottenbasis.de/marine_kurier/ausgabe012005/achterstich1.html</ref><ref>http://lexikon.meyers.de/meyers/Bundespr%C3%A4sident</ref>. Dönitz immediately opened up negotiations with the [[Allied Powers]] to offer Germany's unconditional surrender <ref>http://www.br-online.de/wissen-bildung/thema/kriegsenden/09-kapitulation.xml</ref>. On May 7, the British and US governments accepted a surrender authorized by Dönitz <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/11/a3530611.shtml</ref>. The decision was controversial, as the the [[Big Three]] [[Allied Powers]] had agreed not to accept any separate peace terms. Dönitz was subsequently arrested and tried as a [[war criminal]] <ref>http://www.br-online.de/wissen-bildung/thema/kriegsenden/09-kapitulation.xml</ref>. |