The history and meaning behind V-J Day

What's V-J Day?

Victory over Japan Day is the anniversary of Japan's formal surrender to the Allies. In August of 1945 news of the surrender was announced and celebrations erupted all across the US.

On September 2, a formal surrendering ceremony was held aboard the USS Missouri.

See photos of V-J Day celebrations in the United States:

When is V-J-DAY?

Well that depends who you ask and where you are. Some say it's August 14th or 15th (the UK celebrates on August 15th) -- that's when word of the surrender made it to American soil and images like this one made the front page of papers across the country. President Truman declared September 2nd to be V-J Day in the US. Rhode Island, the only state that recognizes Victory Day as a state holiday.

How Did We Get Here?

In December of 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in a surprise attack. Immediately following, the United States officially entered World War II - over two years after the war began.

Victory Over Japan Day didn't come until 1945 after the United States dropped two atomic bombs in the country. The Enola Gay dropped the world's first nuclear weapon to ever be used in war on the city of Hiroshima. Just days later a second a-bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki.

Over one hundred thousand people lost their lives in the bombings that led to the Japanese surrender. These remain the only nuclear weapons to ever be used in warfare.

Somewhere around 60 million people lost their lives during World War II - some estimates go upward to 80 million. V-J Day commemorates the end of the deadly war.

See recreations of the famous V-J Day kiss: