VJ Day celebration, Aug. 14, 1945
This is from the National Archives;
President Truman announces Japan’s surrender,
at the White House, Washington, DC, August 14, 1945.At 7 pm on August 14, 1945, President Harry Truman stood before reporters gathered at the White House and announced the unconditional surrender of Japan. The Pacific War was over.
Although the formal signing of the terms of surrender ending World War II would not occur until September 2nd, the announcement of Victory Over Japan Day, or V-J Day, sent millions of Americans— citizens and members of the armed forces, out into the streets of cities and towns across the country and around the world .
This video is silent, but you can almost hear the sounds in the downtown DC scenes;
Category: Historical
An interesting slice of history. A window view into a lifestyle that was. The clothes, the behavior, the automobiles.
The first half is strangely “quiet”. It could have been filmed from the month before VJ Day, or even the day before.
The second half is more like it. Celebration is apparent everywhere. Ticker tape (shredded trash) out the windows, kissing in public (gasp!) and on film (gasp! gasp!). Yes, the second half is what I would expect of the opening moments of VJ Day.
And thank goodness. I hate to think of all the lives and resources that would have been wasted if we had actually had to go in and invade Japan.
Welcome home, all you Greatest Generation WWII vets!
I was stationed at Schofield Barracks in 1995 when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of V-J day. On the 13th we held a ceremony where President Clinton attended and COL Millet was a speaker. President Clinton was a couple hours late. All Military personnel on the island from all branches attended. The next day we had a parade down Wikiki where I had the honor of being in the front carrying the 25th ID flag and behind me were Soldiers carrying the flags of the other divisions that fought in the Pacific theater. I remember being pissed at the time because the 25th ID flag had all the battle streamers on it and that thing was heavy and it was windy that day. Looking back though that was a day I will never forget.
@2, I was there too. Nec aspera terrent.
B Woodman – You pretty much said everything I was going to. Except you didn’t comment on how the homeless were also in suits.
No wonder they were known as the greatest generation. Not a hair outta place and they cared to speak to those around them. Might not have really been a “better or simpler” time but it dang sure was a nice looking slice of history.
@3, I was also a Wolfhound at the time. I can’t remember if we had redesignated from 4/27 to 2/27 at that time yet though.
Thanks to all of you “Greatest Generation” members. It is because of you we are not speaking either German or Japanese.
@5, I don’t remember either. That was a busy time. We came back from Haiti, got moved to the Wolfhounds,then JRTC and MFO.
@7, I didn’t go to Haiti, but I did go to that JRTC rotation and MFO. I was on checkpoint 3C.
RIP, dad, Uncle Stan, Uncle Joe, and Uncle Bill. Good health, Uncle Norb.
Thanks.
Great film footage; a real “snapshot in time”…