Who opened the formal Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri in 1945?

Douglas MacArthur opened the formal Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri in 1945.

MacArthur was Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and presided over the September 2 ceremony in Tokyo Bay. At about 9:02 a.m., he stepped before the microphones and declared the proceedings open. He then invited the Japanese representatives to sign the surrender instrument before Allied representatives added their signatures.

MacArthur did not sign as the representative of only the United States. He signed the document for the Allied powers in his capacity as their supreme commander. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz signed immediately afterward as the U.S. representative.

The ceremony was carefully staged and broadcast internationally. MacArthur’s opening remarks expressed hope that the occasion would lead to a better world, but the ceremony itself was brief, lasting roughly 23 minutes. His leadership role should not be confused with that of President Harry Truman, who was the American civilian leader during the surrender.