Which U.S. president announced Japan’s acceptance of the surrender terms on August 14, 1945?

Harry S. Truman announced Japan’s acceptance of the surrender terms on August 14, 1945.

Truman addressed the American public after the Allies received Japan’s agreement to accept the Potsdam Declaration. The announcement produced celebrations across the United States and is why August 14 is often called V-J Day in American sources, even though the formal instrument was not signed until September 2.

Truman had become 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 stages of the Pacific war. Japan’s diplomatic acceptance followed the bombings, the Soviet declaration of war, and intense internal debate among Japanese leaders.

The announcement did not instantly end every military action. Japanese forces still had to receive and implement surrender orders across a vast region. The formal signing aboard USS Missouri provided the official ceremony that completed the process and established the surrender date used in many historical accounts.