unconditional surrenders
Complete military submissions
Unconditional surrenders are capitulations in which the defeated party accepts all terms imposed by the victor without negotiation or conditions.
The phrase gained prominence during World War II when Allied leaders demanded unconditional surrender from Axis powers, meaning Germany and Japan could not bargain for favorable terms.
In broader use, an unconditional surrender describes any complete yielding to another's demands: After weeks of argument, he finally made an unconditional surrender to his wife's renovation plans.
- total defeatComplete, decisive loss
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
- waving white flagGesture of surrender
- white flagSignal of capitulation
- capitulationComplete yielding to demands
defeat · laying down arms · concession · overthrow · cessation · armistice · relinquishment · ultimatum · V-E Day · disarmament · occupation · succumbing · treaty · Appomattox · signing ceremony · yielding · acquiescence · resignation
unconditional surrendersarmistices
Agreements to stop fighting
peace accords · cease-fire agreements · ceasefires · truces · peace agreements
unconditional surrenderswars of attrition
Prolonged conflicts won through exhaustion
unconditional surrendersdefiance
Open resistance to authority
last stands · guerrilla warfare · resistance movements · scorched earth policies · strategic retreats
unconditional, surrender, condition, conditions, conditional, conditionally, conditioned, conditioning, unconditioned