Image: Framingham History Center (FHC)
This August marks the 80th Anniversary of the Allied victory over Japan. On 15 August,Japan finally agreed to a full surrender,bringing the deadliest war in human history to an end. Though the Japanese didn’t officially sign the formal surrender document until 02 September 1945, 14 and 15 August (depending upon your time zone) were days full of celebration as word quickly made its way around the world that the fighting was over. Hence, 15 August has come to be known as Victory over Japan (V-J) Day. The US officially recognizes 02 September as V-J Day.
“More than a million people crowd New York’s Times Square to celebrate the end of the fighting in the Pacific on 15 August 1945.”
Image: New York Daily News
The surrender was a long time coming. Our Strategic Bombing Campaign and the Navy’s highly successful anti-shipping operations were causing staggering casualties and devastating the Japanese economy. Horrific Japanese losses on Guam, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and in the Philippines were hugely problematic and were harbingers of things to come. On 06 August 1945, the US B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the City of Hiroshima. Despite the compelling devastation and loss of lives, the Japanese continued to resist unconditional surrender. On August 8,the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and subsequently invaded Japanese occupied Manchuria. On 09 August,a second atomic bomb was dropped on the City of Nagasaki. It took personal intervention by Emperor Hirohito to convince his government that the end had come. Hirohito publicly announced the decision during a 15 August 1945 radio broadcast. The Japanese had finally surrendered;the war was over.
Japanese General Yoshijiro signs the instrument of unconditional surrender aboard the USS MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay
Image: Truman Library Institute
Millions of brave men and women fought to defend the world from Italian Fascism, German National Socialism and Japanese Militarism, many making the ultimate sacrifice. As was the case in the European and Mediterranean Theaters, several Framingham Citizens distinguished themselves and some even laid down their lives for the cause. It is critically important that we remember the service and unflinchingly honor their sacrifice.
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This post was co-authored with Ezra Mason-Goulette, FHC Intern.
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