Japan's surrender was announced in the United States on August 14, 1945. President Harry S. Truman made the announcement in a nationwide broadcast from Washington, D.C., at 7 p.m. local daylight time.
The date differs from the date commonly observed in Japan. Because of time zones, the announcement reached Japan on August 15, when Emperor Hirohito's recorded message was broadcast to the Japanese people. Both dates are associated with V-J Day, while September 2 marks the formal signing of the surrender document.
Truman also distinguished the announcement from the legal conclusion of hostilities. He stated that the official proclamation of V-J Day would wait for Japan to sign the surrender terms. That ceremony took place aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.
This date is sometimes confused with August 15 or September 2. August 14 is the standard U.S. date for the public announcement, while August 15 is the corresponding Japanese calendar date.