> If you'd asked the continentals

Eastern Europeans, yes. Anything west of the GDR was done by US/UK/FR.

> as to who was responsible for ending the war in Europe, the overwhelming majority in the 40/50s would've answered "the Soviets".

... and then they'd follow up and say "and the Soviets weren't much better than the Nazis". The "Red Army" was truly infamous for massive amounts of alcohol abuse, looting, rape and torture (both among themselves and towards the civilian population), a tradition that was kept alive throughout the ages up until now in Ukraine.