In the United States, V-J Day is commonly associated with August 14, 1945, when Japan's surrender was announced.
President Harry S. Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied surrender terms in the evening of August 14, U.S. time. Celebrations quickly spread across American cities, with crowds gathering in Times Square and elsewhere. Because of time-zone differences, the announcement was heard in Japan on August 15.
The date can cause confusion because Japan's emperor broadcast the surrender message to the Japanese public on August 15 in Japan, while the formal surrender ceremony occurred on September 2 aboard USS Missouri. Different countries and sources therefore use slightly different dates for V-J Day.
The announcement ended major combat in World War II, but military surrender documents and occupation arrangements still had to be completed. Regional Japanese forces also signed separate surrender instruments during September 1945.