(Photo provided) The front page from May 8, 1945, edition of The Times.

Giant headlines with the WORDS IN ALL CAPS are fairly rare in newspapers. If you use them, you better make sure you have a good excuse.

Eighty years ago, The Times ran a giant headline. VICTORY! blared out from the top of the front page. The subhead, itself huge, told the rest of the story. GERMANY DEFEATED, JAPAN COMES NEXT.

Headlines are measured in points. The VICTORY headline was around 216 points. There are 72 points to an inch. A normal large headline rarely goes over 72 points. Journalists like to save the really huge ones for special occasions. May 8, 1945, was definitely one of those occasions.

The headline in the Parkersburg News that day was even larger. VICTORY! GERMANY QUITS! took up the entire top half of the page.

A United Press article from Paris outlined the details of the agreement that ended five years of conflict on the continent. Victory in Europe was finally a reality.

The surrender by Germany was unconditional, but some “Fanatical Nazis” continued to hold out, they would become outlaws if they continued to fight after the 12:01 a.m. deadline (Paris time), warned Winston Churchill, they would be attacked on all sides by the allies.

American troops throughout Europe were celebrating V-E Day as a holiday.

On the homefront things were looking brighter, literally, after the War Production Board announced that bright lights could once again be turned on. The brownout order had been in effect for months to curtail the use of coal.

In Marietta, The Times reported, people accepted the news in a “serious vain.”

“Smiles were apparent on all sides, but general opinion was that no great rejoicing is on order until the war with Japan is brought to a close.”

The city had plans in place for months as to what to do when the day came. The news came early morning.

Many people gathered to hear the news around radios. Following President Truman’s announcement many stood at attention as the national anthem played. Bars in the city immediately closed. Many government offices closed late in the morning.

Most factories worked until the end of the shift. Downtown businesses closed as soon as the announcements were made. Local schools released students at noon. Most groups planned to return to normal hours the following day.

Because the nation was still at war with Japan, the reaction in Marietta and elsewhere was somewhat muted. “I call upon every American to stick to his post until the last battle is won,” said Truman at a news conference. “Our victory is but half-won.”

On Aug. 14 The Times would run another giant head, THREE YEARS OF WAR END. The headline in the Parkersburg News that day PEACE! WAR ENDS! JAPS SURRENDER! is the largest headline I have seen in either newspaper.

Marietta and Parkersburg, the country, and the world could finally let loose and celebrated.

1945. There has never been a year like it. Let’s hope there never is again.

Art Smith is online manager of The Times. You can reach him at asmith@mariettatimes.com