On what date was Japan’s surrender announcement heard in the United States in 1945?

Japan’s surrender announcement was heard in the United States on August 14, 1945.

Emperor Hirohito’s recorded announcement was broadcast in Japan at noon on August 15, but the time-zone difference meant that listeners in the United States heard it on August 14. American newspapers and public celebrations therefore used August 14 as the date of the announcement in the United States, while Japan commemorated August 15.

The broadcast announced Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and called on the Japanese people to endure the difficult conditions that followed. It was the first time most Japanese civilians had heard the emperor speak by radio.

August 14 should not be confused with September 2, the date the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard USS Missouri. It also differs from August 15, the date traditionally associated with V-J Day in Japan and the United Kingdom. The three dates describe related but distinct events or time zones.