Which country gained independence from the United States on July 4, 1946?

The Philippines gained independence from the United States on July 4, 1946. On that date, the United States recognized the Republic of the Philippines as independent and relinquished sovereignty over the islands.

The date marked the end of a transition established by the Tydings–McDuffie Act of 1934. That law created a ten-year Commonwealth period intended to prepare the Philippines for self-government. World War II interrupted the process after Japan occupied the islands, but the Commonwealth was restored after the Allied liberation and continued until independence.

The Treaty of Manila, formally the Treaty of General Relations and Protocol, was signed in Manila on July 4, 1946. Philippine President Manuel Roxas and U.S. High Commissioner Paul V. McNutt represented the two governments. U.S. President Harry Truman also issued a proclamation recognizing Philippine independence that day.

This date can cause confusion because Filipino revolutionaries had declared independence from Spain in 1898. That earlier declaration did not produce internationally recognized sovereignty; the 1946 event ended American rule. The treaty formally entered into force after ratifications were exchanged on October 22, 1946.