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DEFEAT OF JAPAN 247

the defense of the homeland involving the entire population

in suicidal resistance, under the slogan “The Glorious Death

of One Hundred Million.” Emperor Hirohito leaned toward

support of the peace party, but at this point no decisions

were made. The peace party’s hopes for a compromise

deal with the Allies was unrealistic, and the war party

remained adamant.

The dropping of the bomb

Unknown to all but a few, even in the Allied political

and military leadership, the Manhattan Project had been

pursuing development of the atomic bomb, initially intended

for use against Germany. The new weapon was successfully

tested the day before the opening of an Allied conference

at Potsdam, Germany, one of the aims of which was to

encourage the Soviet Union to join the war against Japan.

Although some doubts were raised behind the scenes,

vetoing the dropping of atomic bombs on Japanese cities was

never seriously considered. The Potsdam Declaration, calling

on Japan to

surrender or

face destruction,

was issued before

the bombing, but its

threats were too vague to

influence Japanese policy. In

early August 1945, atomic

bombs were dropped on

Hiroshima and Nagasaki,

and the Soviet Union declared

war on Japan. Emperor Hirohito

and the peace party

finally surrendered,

although even then

Japanese officers

tried to prevent the

announcement from

being broadcast.

◁ Soviet offensive

Motorized Soviet infantry advance into

Japanese-occupied Manchuria in August 1945.

The invasion of Manchuria by the Soviet Union

was a major factor in persuading Japan to

recognize the need for surrender.

“Despite the best that has been done by

everyone... the war situation has developed

not necessarily to Japan’s advantage.

EMPEROR HIROHITO, SURRENDER BROADCAST,

AUGUST 15, 1945

Jun 22, 1945 Fighting

on Okinawa ends with

Allied victory

Jun 28, 1945

Fighting in the

Philippines ends

Aug 9, 1945

Soviet troops

invade Manchuria

Aug 6, 1945

Atomic bomb

dropped

on Hiroshima

Jul 16, 1945 Successful

atomic bomb test

conducted in New Mexico

Aug 15, 1945 Emperor

Hirohito announces

Japanese surrender

JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT

Jun 22, 1945

Emperor Hirohito tells

his government it is

necessary to pursue peace

Jul 17, 1945

Potsdam

conference

opens in Berlin

Jul 26, 1945 Potsdam

Declaration calls on Japan to

surrender or face “prompt

and utter destruction”

Sep 2, 1945 Formal

Japanese surrender

at Tokyo on board

USS Missouri

Aug 9, 1945

Atomic bomb

dropped on Nagasaki

▽ Raising the flag

A famous photograph shows US

Marines planting the Stars and Stripes

flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in

March 1945. The capture of the Pacific

island took five weeks of intensive

fighting, and was one of the bloodiest

battles against Japan in World War II.

US_246-247_N_Defeat_of_Japan.indd 247 24/05/19 1:17 PM