Who declared September 2, 1945, the official V-J Day in the United States?

Harry S. Truman declared September 2, 1945, the official V-J Day in the United States.

Truman was the U.S. president when Japan surrendered. In an announcement after the surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri, he identified September 2 as the official date connected with victory over Japan and the conclusion of the war.

The date was not the only one called V-J Day. Japan announced its acceptance of the Allied terms on August 15 in Japan, while the announcement reached the United States on August 14 because of the international date line and time differences. September 2 was the formal signing date.

The distinction between announcement and signing explains why historical sources sometimes list different V-J Day dates. The earlier date captures the public announcement, while September 2 records the completed legal ceremony. Australia also commonly used the term V-P Day, meaning Victory in the Pacific.