Tag Archives: Hirohito

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18th August 1945

  • Last American killed in air combat during the Second World War: US Army Photographer, Sgt Anthony James Marchione was fatally wounded when the B-32 he was flying in as part of a mission to monitor the Japanese ceasefire was hit by canon-fire by Japanese fighters. He died frm his injuries before the plane managed to land in Okinawa.
  • Sukarno becomes first President of Indonesia.
  • Soviet invasion of Kuril Islands begins along with the invasion of Karafuto on South Sakhalin Island, Soviet landings also begin in North Korea.
  • Invasion of the Kuril Islands
  • Sgt Anthony James Marchione
  • President Sukarno

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17th August 1945

  • The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters issue a formal ceasefire in Manchuria.
  • General MacArthur issues General Order No. 1 .
  • Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni becomes Prime Minister of Japan and orders the Imperial Japanese Army to obey the Emperor’s ceasefire.
  • Proclamation of Indonesian Independence issued beginning the Indonesian National Revoloution.
  • Chinese Civil War: Battle of Tianmen, results in a Communist victory.
  • Japanese forces in Manchuria
  • Prince Naruhiko Kigashikuni
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16th 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.
  • General Jonathan Wainwright
  • Sir Winston Churchill
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15th August 1945

  • “Jewel Voice Broadcast” (Gyokuon-Hōsō) is aired in Japan at noon officially announcing Japanese Surrender, many are unable to accept the news due to censorship having hidden Japan’s decreasing odds in the months prior.
  • VJ celebrations break out in Allied Countries (in America this takes place on 14th August due to time differences)
  • Philippines Campaign comes to an end, resulting in an Allied Victory
  • Chinese Civil War: Battle of Baoying begins
  • British government unveils RADAR as one of their biggest secrets of the war.
  • Transcript of the Imperial Surrender “Jewel Voice Broadcast”
  • VJ Day celebrations in Birmingham, 1945

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14th August 1945

  • A radio recording is made by Emperor Hirohito in which he states that the “war should end” and the Japanese people should expect to “bear the unbearable”.
  • The Kyūjō incident occurs, where some Japanese Officers, unsuccessfully, attempt to steal the Emperor’s recording to prevent it being broadcast in order to stop the surrender. They are unsuccessful and take their own lives as a result.
  • VJ Celebrations begin in New York City (surrender occurred noon 15th August 1945 Japan Standard Time / 23:00 14th August 1945 Eastern Daylight Time (New York)).
  • The Viet Minh begin an uprising, in what is now known as the August Revolution, against the French colonial rule in Vietnam.
  • General Douglas McArthur is made head of Occupation Forces within Japan
  • General Douglas MacArthur, 1945
  • Emperor Hirohito recording the surrender speech
  • Viet Minh
  • New York 1945, VJ Day Celebrations