Harry S. Truman addressed Japan’s surrender in a radio report to the American people on 1 September 1945.
Truman became president after Franklin D. Roosevelt died in April 1945. As president, he authorized the use of atomic bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki and managed the final American decisions of the Pacific War.
His 1 September radio report discussed the signing of Japan’s surrender terms scheduled for the following day. The formal ceremony took place aboard USS Missouri on 2 September, so Truman’s address preceded the legal signing by one day.
This timing can cause confusion because Japan had already announced its acceptance of the Allied terms on 15 August. The August announcement ended organized national resistance in practical terms, while the September ceremony completed the formal diplomatic process. Truman’s broadcast marked the transition from wartime operations to the occupation and reconstruction of Japan.