The United States, Britain and China issued the Potsdam Declaration demanding Japan’s surrender on 26 July 1945.
The declaration was released during the Potsdam Conference, which ran from 17 July to 2 August 1945 in occupied Germany. It outlined Allied terms for Japan, including the disarmament of Japanese forces, the removal of leaders responsible for militarism and the occupation of designated Japanese territory.
Its final warning called for the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces and threatened “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan refused. The statement did not mention the atomic bomb directly, although the United States had successfully tested one at Trinity in New Mexico on 16 July.
Japan did not immediately accept the declaration. After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet entry into the war against Japan, Japanese leaders eventually agreed to accept its terms. Hirohito announced that decision on 15 August, and the formal surrender instrument was signed on 2 September.