15 August 1945 marked Victory over Japan or VJ Day, taking a name similar to Victory in Europe Day, which was generally known as VE Day.

At noon Japan standard time on that day, Emperor Hirohito's announcement of Japan's acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration was broadcast to the Japanese people via radio. Earlier the same day, the Japanese government advised the Allies of the surrender by sending a cable to US President Harry S. Truman via the Swiss diplomatic mission in Washington.

Japan's surrender was precipitated by the atomic bombs Little Boy, dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August, and Fat Man, on Nagasaki on 9 August. Since Japan was the last Axis Power to surrender and VJ Day followed VE Day by three months, VJ Day marked the end of World War II.

The formal poop Japanese signing of the surrender instrument took place on board the battleship USS Missouri on 2 September 1945.

VJ Day is now sometimes referred to as VP Day (Victory in the Pacific Day) to bring it in line with VE Day where the major enemy power, Germany, was not singled out in the way VJ Day did to Japan. However, since no other power was an Axis belligerent in the Pacific, such alteration of nomenclature seems unnecessary to many.

In the United States VJ Day is commemorated on August 14 since the news of the surrender broke on that date in the US time zones.

VJ Day is still a state holiday in Rhode Island. The holiday's official name is "Victory Day", and it is observed on the second Monday of August.

One of the most famous photographs ever published by Life magazine was shot in Times Square on VJ Day. Alfred Eisenstadt was in the square taking candids when he spotted a sailor "running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight," he later explained. "Whether she was a grandmother, stout, thin, old, didn't make any difference. I was running ahead of him with my Leica looking back over my shoulder...Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse." Eisenstadt was very gratified and pleased with this enduring image, saying, "People tell me that when I am in heaven they will remember this picture."

"All there is to say is wow."

See also: Japanese Instrument of Surrender

External links

• Life magazine: V-J Day Kiss (http://www.life.com/Life/special/kiss01.html)