ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945—aboard the new 45,000-ton battleship U.S.S. Missouri—World War II officially ended. Witnessed by representatives from nine Allied nations, the Japanese signed the official Instrument of Surrender, prepared by the U.S. War Department and approved by President Harry S. Truman.
We uncovered 24 dramatic images from that historic capitulation, most you’ve likely never seen before, and all are from the online photography collection of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum.
Tuesday, August 14, 1945
Truman Announces the Surrender
“We hereby proclaim the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and of all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under Japanese control wherever situated.”
At 7 p.m. on August 14, 1945, President Harry Truman stood before reporters gathered at The White House and announced the unconditional surrender of Japan. The Pacific War was over. The announcement sent millions of Americans out into the streets of cities and towns across the country.
Sunday, August 19, 1945
Negotiating the Surrender
Above: The 16-member Japanese delegation climb aboard in an American C-54 Transport at Ie Jima, Japan, for the flight to Manila, Philippines where they negotiated the unconditional surrender of Japan that officially ended the war.
Below: The Japanese delegation disembark and are greeted in Manila, Philippines by Major General Charles A. Willoughby (far right) who served as General Douglas MacArthur’s Chief of Intelligence during most of World War II and the Korean War.
Above: Allied commanders charged with negotiating the surrender stand together in Manila, Philippines: (L. to R.) Lieutenant General K. N. Dereyanko (Russia); General Walter Krueger (U.S.); General Sir Thomas Blamey (Australia); Lieutenant General Richard Sutherland (U.S.); Lieutenant General Arthur Percival (Great Britain); Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright and Supreme Allied Commander General Douglas MacArthur (U.S.).
Major General Charles A. Willoughby (left), Intelligence Officer on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff, is shown with Lieutenant General Kawabe Torashiro (second from left) and unidentified members of the Japanese delegation as they arrive at General Headquarters in Manila, Philippines to begin negotiating the terms of surrender.
Above: Japanese Lieutenant General Kawabe Torashiro, Vice Chief of the General Staff and head of the Japanese Surrender Delegation, presents his credentials from Emperor Hirohito to Lieutenant General Richard Sutherland, Chief of Staff to General Douglas MacArthur.
Gold-braided hats, samurai swords and briefcases rest in an anteroom at General Headquarters in Manila, Philippines as negotiations for the surrender begin.
Above: At the negotiating table at General Headquarters in Manila were, from left to right on the far side: Captain Hidemi Yoshida (Navy); Captain Toshiichi Omaye (Navy); Rear Admiral Ichiro Yokoyama (Navy); Lieutenant General Kawabe Torashiro (Army); Katsuo Okazaki, (Chief of the Research Division); Major General Morkikazu Amano (Army) and Lieutenant Colonel Masao Matsuda (Army). From left to right, on the near side of the conference table: Major General Lester J. Whitlock, Major General Richard Marshall; Rear Admiral Forrst P. Sherman; Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland; Major General S. J. Chamberlin; Major General C. A. Willoughby and Brigadier General D. R. Hutchinson.
Sunday, September 2, 1945
Ceremonial Surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri
Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu arrive at the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay to sign the surrender of Japan.
Above: General Yoshijiro signs the instrument of unconditional surrender as General Douglas MacArthur watches.
Above: Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the instrument of surrender terms while General Richard K. Sutherland looks on.
Above: With Admiral Chester W. Nimitz’s signature on the instrument of unconditional surrender, the war with Japan is formally ended. Behind Admiral Nimitz are (left to right) General Douglas MacArthur, Admiral William F. Halsey and Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman.
Following the ceremonial surrender, Admiral Nimitz captured the moment with this photo of the Pacific Fleet in Tokyo Bay.
Above: General Tomoyuki Yamashita, commander of all Japanese forces in the Philippines, calmy puffs an American cigar as he surrenders to the 128th Regiment of the 32nd Division at Kiangan, Nueva, Visocaya, Province on Luzon, Philippines.
He had refused to surrender until the Japanese government signed the formal surrender agreement aboard the U.S.S. Missouri.
Called “The Tiger of Malaya” for his swift conquering of Singapore and Malaya, General Yamashita would later be tried and convicted for war crimes related to the Manila massacre and numerous atrocities against civilians and prisoners of war. He was executed on February 23, 1946.
Above: High ranking Japanese officers on General Yamashita’s staff, following their surrender in Northern Luzon, Philippines.
Friday, September 7, 1945
Washington, D.C.
President Harry S. Truman holds the original surrender document signed by the Japanese dignitaries aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Standing from left to right: Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, Secretary of War Henry Stimson, General George C. Marshall, President Truman.
The official Instrument of Surrender, prepared by the War Department and approved by President Truman, set out in eight short paragraphs the complete capitulation of Japan. Following the presentation to President Truman on September 7, the historic documents were exhibited at the National Archives. On October 1, 1945, they were formally received (accessioned) into the holdings of the National Archives.
MORE TO EXPLORE
Want the full story? Dive into our “You-Are-There” blog post for a dramatic account of this day in history.
Listen to President Truman’s radio address to the American people after the signing of the terms of unconditional surrender. His message was broadcast by CBS at 9:56 p.m. on September 2, 1945.
All images featured in this post are part of the extensive online photography collection of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum.
