The Germans surrendered on May 7, 1945. Japan then surrendered on August 14, 1945. On September 15, 1945, 362,170 German POWs, 5,080 Japanese POWs and 49,784 Italian POWs still remained in camps. Then prisoners were returned to their homeland. The Germans were returned to Europe were they could be released. Some of the POWs ended up staying in America and got jobs.