ALLIES CELEBRATE V-J DAY

Japan Accepts Defeat

Washington, D.C.

At 6:10 p.m. EDT on August 14, 1945, The United States received word of Emperor Hirohito's surrender and declared Victory in Japan or V-J Day. As the news spread, celebrations began throughout the world.

The Potsdam Conference offered a simple choice: surrender unconditionally or risk total annihilation. Japan refused, and in turn, the U.S dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The threat of further nuclear attacks drove Japanese officials to accept the Potsdam terms, bringing peace to the Pacific Front and effectively ending World War II.