In Britain and many Commonwealth countries, what date was observed as V-J Day in 1945?

Britain and many Commonwealth countries observed V-J Day on August 15, 1945, the day Japan’s surrender announcement was broadcast and publicly celebrated. Emperor Hirohito’s radio address had been recorded the previous day and transmitted at noon Japanese time.

The date corresponded to August 14 in some Western time zones because of the International Date Line. Allied governments issued announcements as the Japanese message was received, and crowds gathered in London, Sydney, Washington, and other cities. The celebrations ended the war’s fighting, even though the formal document was signed later.

September 2 is the legal surrender date because Japanese representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri. Thus, August 15 generally means the announcement and public victory celebrations, while September 2 refers to the official ceremony. Both dates are historically connected with V-J Day.