“PEACE!”: 70 years ago marked the end of WWII

From the McIntosh Times, August 16, 1945

Japan Surrenders!

Gen. MacArthur Named Commander

At 6:01 pm Tuesday evening the news that “the War is over” was flashed to a waiting world that had been looking forward to this moment since December 7, 1941. Previous to this announcement Pres. Truman had told reporters that Japan has succeeded to the Potsdam Declaration in entirety plus the provision that Emperor Hirohito remain as the Allied Instrument of surrender. 

Surrender Text

The White House has made public this surrender text, which was delivered by the Swiss charge d’affaires: “Communication of the Japanese government of August 14, 1945, addressed to the gov-ernments of United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and China. With reference to the Japanese government’s note of August 10 regarding the acceptance of the provisions of the Potsdam Declara-tion and the reply of the governments of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and China sent by the American Secretary of State Byrnes under the date of August 11, the Japanese govern-ment have the honor to communicate to the governments of four powers.

Unqualified Reply

Said President Truman, “I deem this reply a full acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration which specifies the unconditional surrender of Japan.” “In reply there is no qualifications, arrangements are now being made for the formal signing of surrender terms at the earliest possible moment.”  

Revolution Ahead

The mere fact the emperor and sun-god is to broadcast is a sign of the vast revolution destined to come in Japanese life as it falls to the military might and the scientific skill of the western world.

This defeat came after the most intense air bombardment in history climaxed by thtancee awesome destructive power of the atomic bomb. It is the first was won by the application of land and navel based airpower. 

President Truman was pale, but calm and unhurried as he read the announcement that dooms the Japanese empire and its fantastic dream of divine mission to rule the entire world.

Acceptance Disclosed

Japan considered this note, after receiving it via radio broadcast, intil Tuesday morning, Washington time, when her radio announced she was accepting and sending a note to Washington. 

The note was conveyed through the neutral government of Switzerland, arriving in Washington Tues-day afternoon. 

The Swiss charge d’affaires delivered it to the office of the Secretary of State Byrnes at 6:10 pm.

Byrnes has been in frequent consultation with the President.