Harry S. Truman declared 2 September 1945 the official V-J Day after Japan signed its surrender.
The date followed the formal signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Representatives of Japan signed the document on the morning of 2 September, ending the Second World War’s major fighting in the Pacific.
Truman had already announced Japan’s acceptance of the Allied surrender terms in August, but he distinguished that announcement from the official end marked by the signing ceremony. This distinction explains why V-J Day is associated with both 14 or 15 August and 2 September, depending on the country and the event being commemorated.
In the United States, 2 September became the official V-J Day date. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, traditionally observe 15 August, when news of Japan’s surrender was announced and Emperor Hirohito’s broadcast was heard. The different dates reflect separate milestones rather than competing surrender events.