Potsdam gave its name to the 26 July 1945 Allied declaration demanding Japan’s surrender.
The declaration was issued during the Potsdam Conference near Berlin, where Allied leaders were discussing the postwar order after Germany’s defeat. The United States, the United Kingdom, and China called on Japan to surrender its armed forces and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if it refused.
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin did not initially sign the declaration because the Soviet Union was not yet at war with Japan. After declaring war on Japan in August, the Soviet Union subscribed to the declaration.
The document outlined major conditions for surrender, including disarmament, punishment of war criminals, occupation of designated locations, and limiting Japanese sovereignty mainly to the home islands. Japan’s eventual surrender was formally completed on 2 September 1945.