In the United States, on what date was V-J Day proclaimed in 1945?

In the United States, V-J Day was proclaimed on August 14, 1945. The announcement followed Japan’s acceptance of the Allied surrender terms and President Harry Truman’s public declaration that Japan had surrendered.

The date can cause confusion because Japan announced its acceptance on August 15 in Japanese local time, while many other countries mark the end of the Pacific War on September 2, when Japan signed the formal surrender instrument. Time-zone differences also affected how newspapers reported the news.

V-J Day means “Victory over Japan Day.” It marked the end of World War II’s major fighting against Japan, although military occupation and the legal completion of surrender arrangements continued afterward. The United States held celebrations, parades, and public gatherings after the announcement, ending years of wartime mobilization and anxiety.