Tomorrow's the day the Emperor threw in the towel and I got to be born.
I know, September 2nd is the day the surrender documents were signed but the 15th is when most of the shooting stopped.

And my neighbor Gene Buehman was a YOUNG Sailor on the Missouri, when the surrender was signed.

And my Dad was on R&R after surviving a month on Iwo Jima. He mentioned to me that most Marines felt an invasion of Japan was inevitable. I distinctly remember him telling me that when the surrender was announced...Many of them simply did not believe it.

What a day it had to be for those destined for a mainland invasion!

Someone needs to post the shot of the Sailor kissing the Nurse in (IIRC) Times Square...when the surrender was announced. My favorite photo of the war. The END of it.

Also, the last war we officially won.
Events since then show that fighting to a draw and peace treaties don't usually work out too well.

My father and uncle, selling icecream to the saliors in San Diego on VJ day.

Almost the same as kissing pretty nurses...