Which Allied leader declared 2 September 1945 to be V-J Day in the United States?

Harry S. Truman declared 2 September 1945 to be V-J Day in the United States. The American president designated the date of Japan’s formal surrender ceremony as Victory over Japan Day, although he noted that the legal end of hostilities required further proclamation.

The date can cause confusion because Japan announced its acceptance of the Allied terms on 15 August in Japan Standard Time. Many countries therefore commemorate V-J Day on 15 August, while the United States commonly associates it with 2 September, when the surrender document was signed aboard USS Missouri.

Truman’s announcement followed the ceremony in Tokyo Bay. General Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender for the Allied powers, and representatives of Japan and nine Allied nations signed the instrument.

The distinction between announcement and formal signing is important. The August broadcast communicated the decision to surrender; the September ceremony documented that decision through an official instrument and began the formal occupation framework.