VJ Day

On August 14, 1945, Japan unconditionally submitted to the Allies in a public declaration that would eventually come to be known as Victory Day. It was August 15 (due to time zone differences) in Japan. Japan formally submitted its surrender in writing on September 2, 1945, two weeks later.

Fighting went on between the Japanese and the Soviet Union in Manchuria and between the Japanese and the United States in the South Pacific despite the War Council of Japan having already sent an ambassadorial declaration of surrender to the Allies on August 10 at the urging of Emperor Hirohito. In fact, a Japanese submarine attacked the American destroyer Thomas F. Nickel and the American landing ship Oak Hill, both of which were east of Okinawa, two days after the Council decided to surrender.

On August 14, in the late afternoon, Japanese radio stated that an Imperial Proclamation recognizing the terms of an unconditional surrender outlined at the Potsdam Conference would soon be issued. The emperor had already written down that declaration. More than 1,000 Japanese soldiers rushed the Imperial Palace in an effort to locate the proclamation and stop it from being sent to the Allies as a result of the bad reception to the news. The invaders were repelled by Emperor Hirohito’s remaining soldiers.

The War Council member who was most adamant about refusing to surrender that day, General Anami, committed suicide that evening. His motivation was to make amends for the Japanese army’s failure and avoid having to listen to his emperor announce the country’s capitulation.

At the White House, U.S. president Harry S. Truman relayed the news to the American people; celebrations broke out in Washington, D.C. and across the country. At 7 p.m. on Aug. 14, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced the unconditional surrender of Japan to reporters gathered at the White House.

Sailors at Naval Air Station Beaufort, S.C., listen to a radio broadcast announcing the news and war-weary citizens around the world erupted in celebrating V-J Day, known as Victory over Japan Day, that also marks the end of World War II. The US alliances, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom celebrate August 15 as the V-J Day due to the different time zones.

This action can be said to be one part of crippling Japan, even though here the United States used more traditional “power”, but this had an impact on the geopolitical landscape where Japan really slumped after various attacks from the US.

The surrender of Japanese Emperor was later becoming a chance for Indonesia to formulate and declare their independence on August 17^th of 1940 by Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta which next becomes the first president and vice president of the Republic Indonesia.