In U.S. wartime announcements, on what date was V-J Day first celebrated in 1945?

In U.S. wartime announcements, V-J Day was first celebrated on August 14, 1945. President Harry S. Truman announced Japan’s surrender to the American public that evening, although the formal signing had not yet occurred.

The date differed across countries because of time zones. In Japan, Emperor Hirohito’s surrender broadcast aired at noon on August 15. Newspapers and governments in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand used August 14 or August 15 depending on local time and official practice.

The distinction between the announcement date and the legal end of hostilities causes frequent confusion. The surrender document was signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Truman specifically stated that the official proclamation should wait until Japan signed the surrender terms.