Harry S. Truman announced Japan's surrender in a radio address on August 14, 1945.
Truman became president after Franklin D. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945. He therefore led the United States during the final months of World War II in Europe and the war against Japan. His announcement followed Japan's decision to accept the Allied surrender terms.
The address came after diplomatic messages and radio reports had circulated about Japan's acceptance. Truman told Americans that the war with Japan was over, while the formal legal ceremony still remained to be held.
The announcement is sometimes confused with Emperor Hirohito's broadcast, which was directed to the Japanese public on August 15. Truman's statement came earlier in the United States because of the international date line and time-zone differences.