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.
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