The Second World War came to an end on September 2, 1945.
The victorious powers—the Allies—called this moment “Victory Over Japan Day,”
or more simply, V-J Day.
For the United States, this was an event 45 months in the making.
When the U.S. entered the Second World War in December 1941, the other Allies had insisted
on a “Europe First” strategy, forcing America to commit its immediately available
military assets to overthrow Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.
Eventually, on May 8, 1945, after sustaining hundreds of thousands of casualties, American
forces helped bring Hitler’s regime to its knees.
That day, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signed the instrument of surrender in Berlin, inaugurating
Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day.
During that time, U.S. military forces had not been idle in the Pacific.
For the past three years, American Navy, Marine, and Army forces had greatly reduced Japan’s
hold on the western rim of the Pacific Ocean.
The Japanese had lost badly at such battles as Midway, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Kwajalein,
the Philippine Sea, the Marianas Islands, Peleliu, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and many other
countless engagements in between.
By the summer of 1945, the Allies were ready to follow the next step in the strategy: an
assault against Japan’s home islands.
On July 26, the Allied leaders met at Potsdam to finalize the instrument of surrender used
to end the war against the Empire of Japan.
None of the Allied diplomats yet knew how long Japan might hold out, but in the event
that Japanese leaders admitted their willingness to capitulate, they would have a document ready.
The Potsdam Ultimatum outlined fairly specific demands, which included removing Japan’s
civil and military leaders from power, mandating Allied military occupation of the home islands,
enforcing complete disarmament of Japan’s military forces, and granting jurisdiction
to punish Japanese civil and military officials for war crimes.
The Allies promised to end military reconstruction of postwar Japan once the Japanese people
had constructed a democratic government that protected freedom of speech, religion, and
thought, as well as fundamental human rights.
But until the time when the Japanese could demonstrate that they had created a peaceful,
responsible government, they would have to accept “unconditional surrender.”
The Potsdam Ultimatum stated bluntly, “The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction."
Convincing the Japanese government to accept unconditional surrender was easier said than
done, and American strategists did not know if the final stage of victory would involve
an amphibious invasion, a naval blockade, a series of air raids, or a combination of
the three.
In the summer of 1945, the U.S. Navy’s Third Fleet was off the shore of the home islands,
ready to launch low-level strike planes from the decks of its aircraft carriers.
Meanwhile, U.S. Army Air Forces launched high-altitude bombers from the Marianas Islands, unleashing
an aggressive and highly controversial fire bombing campaign against Japanese cities.
Further, fourteen U.S. divisions were readying themselves for X-Day, November 1, 1945, the
start date for OPERATION OLYMPIC, the invasion of Kyūshū, the southern end of the Japanese
home islands.
After that, on March 1, 1946, the Allies planned to proceed with OPERATION: CORONET, the invasion
of Honshu, which earmarked at least forty divisions for the initial landing.
But before any of the amphibious operations could begin, President Harry Truman decided
to deploy an experimental weapon—the Atomic Bomb—which had been tested for the first
time on July 16, 1945, in a remote desert location in central New Mexico.
Three weeks later, on August 6, a U.S. Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress named the Enola
Gay detonated a uranium fission bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” over the city of Hiroshima.
Then, three days later, on August 9, another B-29 called Bockscar, detonated a plutonium
implosion bomb nicknamed “Fat Man” over Nagasaki.
Although statistics are hard to determine precisely, as many as 200,000 Japanese civilians
and military personnel were killed by the explosion or died of radiation poisoning in
the months that followed.
Truman’s decision to utilize atomic weapons against Japanese civilians generated considerable
controversy, both at the time of the bombs’ deployment and ever since.
But whether or not it was the right decision, or even an ethical one, the use of the atomic
bombs brought a swift end to the Pacific War.
The deployment of the two atomic bombs had their desired effect.
On August 14, 1945, Emperor Hirohito devised a capitulation message, and announced it to
his people.
He said, in part: "The enemy now possesses a new and terrible
weapon with the power to destroy many innocent lives and do incalculable damage.
Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration
of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization.
Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves
before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors?
This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint
Declaration of the Powers."
With that, the U.S. Navy entered Tokyo Bay to receive the Emperor’s delegation and
bring the nightmare of the Second World War to a close.
In the following videos, you will hear the words of participants who remembered the arrival
of V-J Day.
More than 75 years have since passed, so many of the witnesses to V-J Day have since passed on.
But before they died, they left behind vivid accounts of their experiences.
Voice actors will read aloud their words to bring these recollections back to life.
These memories force us to pause and reflect upon the importance of the Navy’s role in
the Pacific War’s conclusion.