What date did U.S. President Harry Truman declare as the official V-J Day in 1945?

U.S. President Harry Truman declared September 2, 1945, the official V-J Day.

Japan announced its acceptance of the Allied surrender terms in August, and Emperor Hirohito's radio announcement reached the Japanese public on August 15. Newspapers and governments in several countries therefore used August 14 or August 15 as their local Victory over Japan observance.

However, Truman distinguished the announcement from the formal conclusion of the surrender process. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Truman treated that signing as the legally and ceremonially definitive moment and designated September 2 as the official V-J Day in the United States.

This explains why sources sometimes list different V-J dates. The August date marks Japan's public acceptance and announcement, while September 2 marks the formal signing ceremony. The difference also reflects time zones: the announcement occurred on August 14 in parts of the Americas but August 15 in Japan.