The meeting of US and Soviet forces on 27 April 1945 at Torgau on the Elbe marked the linkup of the Western and Eastern Fronts. Troops of the US 69th Infantry Division (1st US Army) met units of the Soviet 58th Guards Rifle Division. The historic encounter became known as “Elbe Day” and was broadcast worldwide as a symbol of the war’s imminent end. The image shows a group of Soviet soldiers with an accordion — music and dance were an essential part of the spontaneous celebration between American and Soviet troops at Torgau. The accordion (Russian “bayan” or “garmoshka”) was among the most commonly carried instruments in the Red Army.