Which date is the official V-J Day observed by the United States?

The official V-J Day observed by the United States is 2 September.

That date marks the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945. President Harry S. Truman proclaimed 2 September as the official U.S. Victory over Japan Day after the formal ceremony.

The date is often confused with 14 or 15 August. Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration in a radio broadcast recorded on 14 August in the Americas and heard in Japan on 15 August. Those dates are commonly called V-J Day in public memory and are official observances in some countries.

The United Kingdom officially commemorates V-J Day on 15 August, while the United States traditionally uses 2 September. The difference reflects the distinction between the surrender announcement and the later signed instrument.