What 1945 Allied declaration set the terms demanding Japan’s surrender before V-J Day?

The Potsdam Declaration was the 1945 Allied declaration that set the terms demanding Japan’s surrender before V-J Day.

The United States, United Kingdom, and China issued the declaration on July 26, 1945, during the Potsdam Conference. It called for the unconditional surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned that the alternative would be “prompt and utter destruction.” The Soviet Union was not yet a signatory when the declaration was issued.

The document also described major postwar conditions. Japan’s sovereignty would be limited to the home islands and other islands designated by the Allies, its armed forces would be disarmed, and war criminals would face punishment. It promised that the Japanese people would not be enslaved or destroyed as a nation.

Japan initially did not accept the declaration publicly. After the atomic bombings, the Soviet declaration of war, and intense internal debate, Emperor Hirohito supported acceptance. Japan announced its surrender on August 15, and representatives signed the formal instrument on September 2.