What date was the Potsdam Declaration issued, demanding Japan's surrender in 1945?

The Potsdam Declaration was issued on July 26, 1945, demanding Japan’s surrender.

The declaration was released during the Potsdam Conference near Berlin by the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. It called for the unconditional surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan refused. The Soviet Union was not yet at war with Japan and did not initially sign the declaration at Potsdam.

Japan did not immediately accept the ultimatum. The United States then dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, while the Soviet Union entered the war against Japan. Japan ultimately accepted the declaration’s terms in August, although the status of the emperor remained a major concern during the surrender process.

The Potsdam Declaration should not be confused with the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. The declaration was an Allied demand issued before the surrender; the instrument was the legal document signed on September 2, 1945.