Скачать или смотреть Celebrating 80 years of the End of WWII: Stunning enhanced footage of VJ Day 15 August 1945 in color

On 15 August 2025 the world celebrates the 80th anniversary of VJ-Day.

VJ Day, or 'Victory over Japan Day, is the term used to describe the end of World War II. While the surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945, brought an end to the war in Europe, the conflict in the Pacific raged on for another three months.

Shortly after VE-Day, 'Victory in Europe' Day, the US intensified its attention to also end the war in the Pacific. Japan refused to surrender, despite heavy bombings by the American airforce of major Japanese cities as well as heavy fighting on the Japanese islands.
President Truman issued a number of warnings to Japan's rulers, like can be seen in this film.

Japan continued its war efforts. Another warning was given on the 7th of June 1945 by president Truman.

The Allies issued the Potsdam Declaration on 26 July 1945. It outlined the terms for Japan's unconditional surrender, promising a peaceful future while warning of "prompt and utter destruction" if they refused, as already stated in Truman's earlier warning.

We all know what happened next: The US felt obliged to deploy an atomic weapon named "Little Boy" on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on the 6th of August 1945. Considering that Japan still remained unwilling to give in, a second atomic bomb, named "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki 3 days later. President Truman reported to the American public about the release of both bombs.

Despite the fact that some hardliners in the Japanese government still wanted to continue the war, the Japanese Emperor Herohito decided to accept the terms of the Potsdam declaration and issued a statement of unconditional surrender on 15 August 1945. The fact that Russia had also declared war on Japan after the first atomic bomb on 8 August 1945, probably played a role too.

The surrender of Imperial Japan, was breaking news all over the world. It was a moment of immense global relief and celebration, though it was a culmination of years of brutal fighting and was directly precipitated by the most destructive weapons ever used in warfare.

The story of VJ Day is not just one of victory, but also one of complex political calculations, unimaginable human suffering, and the dawn of a new, uncertain era.

VJ Day on August 15, 1945, therefore, represents the symbolic end of the fighting and the moment when the world was able to collectively breathe a sigh of relief. It also marked the beginning of a new chapter in global history. The use of atomic weapons brought the World into the nuclear age, forever changing the nature of warfare and international relations.

The defeat of Japan set the stage for the American occupation and reconstruction of the country, transforming it into a democratic and peaceful nation. General Douglas MacArthur was appointed to govern Japan and coordinate its transition into a peaceful nation.

The war's end also accelerated the decline of European colonial empires in Asia, paving the way for independence movements across the continent. Ultimately, VJ Day was not just a single event, but a turning point, a day that simultaneously concluded a period of unimaginable conflict and initiated the long, complex process of building the post-war world.

The news of Japan's surrender spread rapidly across the globe, sparking jubilant celebrations. In London, people danced in the streets, while in New York's Times Square, a massive crowd gathered, culminating in the iconic photograph of a sailor kissing a woman in a white dress. For millions of Allied soldiers, sailors, and airmen, the news meant they would finally be going home.

However, the joy was tempered by the immense sadness of the war's human cost. More than 400,000 Americans and an estimated 65 million people worldwide had died in the conflict.

It is important to note that while August 15, 1945 marks the day of the surrender announcement, the formal end of the war was not until the 2nd of September 1945. On that day, representatives of the Japanese government formally signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. This official ceremony, led by General Douglas MacArthur, included representatives from all the major Allied powers.

An elaborate documentary for my channel about the proceedings on the USS Missouri is currently in the making in preparation of its commemoration on 2 September 1945.