2021-09-02

Victory over Japan Day

Victory over Japan Day

V-J Day, aka Victory in the Pacific Day aka or V-P Day is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II which brought the war to a close.

The term has been applied to both of the days on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made:

• August 15, 1945In Japan, and because of time zone differences
• August 14, 1945In the United States and the rest of the Americas and Eastern Pacific Islands
• September 2, 1945When the surrender document was signed, officially ending World War II.

August 15 is the official V-J Day for the United Kingdom, while the official US commemoration is September 2.

The name V-J Day, had been selected by the Allies after they named V-E Day for the victory in Europe.

On September 2, 1945, formal surrender happened in a ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.