August 14, 1945: Japan surrenders, ending World War II. President Harry S Truman proclaims it is V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day.
Emperor Hirohito delivered Japan's surrender over radio. It was the 1st time the people of that country had ever heard their Emperor's voice. Since they revered him as something like a god, they accepted his surrender.
It had been 8 days since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. It had been 5 days since the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.
The Soviets were planning to invade Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's "home islands" on August 15. The Americans and the British were planning to invade Kyushu, the southernmost island, on November 1.
The Emperor knew it was over. Some in his Cabinet, including the military leaders, wanted to fight to the last man. But the Emperor knew that surrendering now would mean he could work with the Americans, and keep the Soviets out. There would be an East and West Germany, a North and South Korea, and a North and South Vietnam. There would be no North and South Japan.
World War II cost 75 million lives, military and civilian combined. America rebuilt its defeated enemies, not just because it was a generous thing to do, but because it made West Germany and a still-united Japan allies against the Communist world.
For all the decisions he had to make on such short notice, between April 12 and August 14, just 4 months, Time magazine named President Truman its Man of the Year for 1945.
The photo above was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt in Times Square in New York, and put on the cover of Life magazine. The identities of the sailor and the "nurse" have not been definitively established, but it is generally agreed that they are, respectively, George Mendonsa, on leave from the USS The Sullivans, identified because his actual girlfriend, and later wife, can also be seen in the photo, her face over his right shoulder, as they were attending a movie together, which doesn't explain why he kissed someone else; and Greta Zimmer, a 21-year-old Austrian-born Jewish dental hygienist, who later married and had 2 children.
George Mendonza and Greta Zimmer Friedman were guests of honor at a veterans parade in 2009. Greta lived until 2016; George, until 2019.
Despite some close calls, there has never been a World War III.
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August 14, 1945 was a Tuesday. The following Major League Baseball games are played on that day:
* New York Giants 5, Cincinnati Reds 2, at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan.
* St. Louis Cardinals 2, Brooklyn Dodgers 1 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
* Philadelphia Phillies 2, Chicago Cubs 1 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.
* The Pittsburgh Pirates sweep a doubleheader from the Boston Braves, 7-5 in 10 innings, and 6-2, at Braves Field in Boston.
* Cleveland Indians 3, Boston Red Sox 0 at League Park in Cleveland.
* St. Louis Browns 5, Washington Senators 4 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.
* The New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Athletics, the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox did not play.
Comedian and actor Steve Martin, and Dutch film director Wim Wenders, were born on this day.
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