Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/May 8
May 8: Mother's Day in various countries (2005), Victory in Europe Day
- 1541 - The expedition led by Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River.
- 1794 - French chemist and economist Antoine Lavoisier, a former royal tax collector with the Ferme Générale, was tried, convicted, and guillotined on the same day during the Reign of Terror.
- 1846 - The first major battle in the Mexican-American War was fought in the Battle of Palo Alto.
- 1902 - The volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée destroyed the town of St. Pierre, Martinique, killing over 30,000 people.
- 1945 - Most armed forces under German control ceased active operations by 23:01 hours CET at the end of World War II in Europe, in accordance with the capitulation documents signed the day before.