On which date did the United States announce its 1945 observance of V-J Day?

The United States announced its 1945 observance of V-J Day on August 14, 1945.

The date reflected the time-zone difference between Japan and the United States. Hirohito’s surrender broadcast was transmitted at noon on August 15 in Japan, but it was still August 14 in much of the United States when President Harry S. Truman announced the news to the American public. Newspapers and crowds therefore treated August 14 as the American announcement day.

This created two commonly cited August dates. August 15 is the date associated with the announcement in Japan and many other countries, while August 14 was the date of the American announcement. September 2 is another major date because it marked the formal signing of the surrender document.

The phrase V-J Day can therefore refer to either the public announcement or the formal end of hostilities, depending on the country and historical convention. The differing dates are not contradictory; they reflect both time zones and the distinction between announcement and signing.