On what date did the Potsdam Declaration call for Japan’s surrender in 1945?

The Potsdam Declaration called for Japan’s surrender on July 26, 1945.

The declaration was issued by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China during the Potsdam Conference. It demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned that refusal would bring “prompt and utter destruction.” The Soviet Union did not initially sign because it was still neutral in its war with Japan.

The document outlined broad terms for Japan’s future. It called for the elimination of militarist influence, the occupation of selected Japanese territory, the disarmament of Japanese forces, and the establishment of democratic tendencies. It also stated that Japan’s sovereignty would be limited largely to the four main islands and certain smaller islands.

Japan did not immediately accept the declaration. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Soviet Union entered the war against Japan. Japan’s government eventually accepted the Allied terms in August, leading to the surrender announcement and later signing ceremony.