Saturday marked the 75th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day). This was a key event for our personnel in Australia, bringing to an end a hard fought and at times brutal campaign to the north of Australia.
Here are two offerings to bring you a deeper appreciation of the significance of VJ Day:
Watch the Australian War Memorial 75th Anniversary of VJ Day ceremony
The ceremony is available here if you missed it: 75th Anniversary Of The End Of WWII
Voices of War: Remembering VJ Day
Continuing our theme this year of hearing first hand testimony of wartime experiences, you can listen to the VJ Day recollections of people from many countries in this Imperial War Museums soundscape:
At midnight on 14 August 1945, US President Harry Truman and British Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced to the world that Japan had accepted the Allied demand for unconditional surrender, thus bringing the Second World War to an end.
The following day was declared to be VJ – Victory over Japan – Day, although it was also widely referred to as VP (Victory in the Pacific) Day.
As had happened on VE (Victory in Europe) Day earlier that year, the announcement sparked spontaneous popular celebrations in Britain, the USA and many other countries whose people had endured six long years of war. Scenes reminiscent of VE Day occurred on the streets of London.
The audio is available here: Remembering VJ Day