On what date was the famous Times Square V-J Day kiss photograph taken in 1945?

The famous Times Square V-J Day kiss photograph was taken on 14 August 1945.

Alfred Eisenstaedt photographed the scene in New York as crowds waited for the announcement that the war with Japan had ended. In the United States, news of Japan’s surrender reached the public on 14 August because of the time difference between Japan and North America.

The date can be confusing because Japan’s emperor broadcast the surrender message at noon on 15 August Japan Standard Time. The formal surrender ceremony then occurred on 2 September aboard USS Missouri. Different countries and time zones therefore used different dates for celebrations connected with the same surrender process.

The photograph shows a sailor kissing a woman in Times Square. The woman was later identified as Greta Zimmer Friedman. The scene became a lasting symbol of public relief and celebration, although Friedman later explained that the kiss was not a consensual romantic gesture.