WWII 80: Highlights from the Truman Library

Japan Surrenders – President Truman’s News Conference
August 14, 1945

THE PRESIDENT [reading]: I have received this afternoon a message from the Japanese Government–
Read More

WWII 80: Highlights from the Truman Library

Japan Surrenders
August 14, 1945

As Emperor Hirohito and his cabinet accepted the surrender terms on August 14, officials on both sides knew Japanese commanders and soldiers would find it a bitter pill to swallow. How could Japan’s proud troops be convinced to lay down their arms and finally end the bloodshed of World War II?

Davidson Sommers’ oral history in the archives of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum reveals how American and Japanese leaders worked out a last-minute plan to achieve peace.

Read More

WWII 80: Highlights from the Truman Library

The Bombing of Nagasaki
August 9, 1945

Visitors to the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum can view a unique artifact that speaks to the revolutionary power and danger of the weapon that destroyed Nagasaki and helped end World War II.
Read More

WWII 80: Highlights from the Truman Library

The Bombing of Hiroshima
August 6, 1945

At 8:15 AM on August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber opened its bay doors over the Japanese city of Hiroshima and released a solitary bomb. Forty-four seconds later, it exploded 1,900 feet above the city. This single explosion brought the Second World War into its final phase and revealed to the world a new and devastating weapon.
Read More