Which 1945 Allied declaration called for Japan’s unconditional surrender before V-J Day?

The Potsdam Declaration called for Japan’s unconditional surrender before V-J Day in 1945.

The declaration was issued on July 26, 1945, by the United States, United Kingdom, and China. It warned Japan that rejection would bring “prompt and utter destruction” and demanded the elimination of Japanese militarism. The Soviet Union did not initially sign the declaration because it was still neutral toward Japan at that point.

Japan’s government did not immediately accept the demand. After the atomic bombings, the Soviet declaration of war, and intense internal debate, Japan communicated its acceptance of the Allied terms in August. The Allies then clarified that the emperor would remain subject to the authority of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

The Potsdam Declaration was a political ultimatum, not the document that formally recorded Japan’s surrender. That later document was the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed aboard USS Missouri on September 2. Confusing these two documents is a common error because both are central to the final weeks of the Pacific War.