16^th August 1945

• General Jonathan Wainwright, senior field commander of U.S. and Philippine forces, is released from Manchuria.
• The Japanese cabinet resigns.
• Emperor Hirohito issues a decree at 16:00JST ordering Japanese forces to ceasefire.
• Winston Churchill speaks in the House of Commons and describes an “iron curtain” that has descended across Europe.
• Chinese Civil War: Battle of Yongjiazhen begins.