This Day In History – September 2, 1945 | September 2, 2021
PICTURE HISTORY
THE SURRENDER OF JAPAN | SEPTEMBER 2, 1945
“We hereby proclaim the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and of all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under Japanese control wherever situated.”
76 years ago today, aboard the new 45,000-ton battleship U.S.S. Missouri and before representatives of nine Allied nations, the Japanese signed the official Instrument of Surrender, prepared by the U.S. War Department and approved by President Harry S. Truman.
We uncovered 18 dramatic images from that historic capitulation – most you’ve likely never seen before, and all are from the online photography collection of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum.
Scroll for highlights, or view the entire gallery online.
VIEW THE ONLINE PHOTO EXHIBIT
NEGOTIATING THE SURRENDER
MANILA, PHILIPPINES | AUGUST 19, 1945
THE 16-MEMBER JAPANESE DELEGATION CLIMB ABOARD AN AMERICAN C-54 TRANSPORT AT IE SHIMA, JAPAN FOR THE FLIGHT TO MANILA, PHILIPPINES WHERE THEY NEGOTIATED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF JAPAN THAT OFFICIALLY ENDED THE WAR.
ALLIED COMMANDERS CHARGED WITH NEGOTIATING THE SURRENDER STAND TOGETHER IN MANILA: (L. to R.) LIEUTENANT GENERAL K. N. DEREYANKO (RUSSIA); GENERAL WALTER KRUEGER (U.S.); GENERAL SIR THOMAS BLAMEY (AUSTRALIA); LIEUTENANT GENERAL RICHARD SUTHERLAND (U.S.); LIEUTENANT GENERAL ARTHUR PERCIVAL (GREAT BRITAIN); LIEUTENANT GENERAL JONATHAN WAINWRIGHT AND SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR (U.S.).
GOLD-BRAIDED HATS, SAMURAI SWORDS AND BRIEFCASES REST IN AN ANTE-ROOM AT GENERAL HEADQUARTERS IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES AS NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE SURRENDER BEGIN.
CEREMONIAL SURRENDER
USS MISSOURI, TOKYO BAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 1945
INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER
PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1945
VIEW THE ONLINE PHOTO EXHIBIT
“FROM THIS DAY WE MOVE FORWARD…TOWARD A NEW AND BETTER WORLD OF COOPERATION, OF PEACE AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD WILL.”
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