When and where did World War II end?
Please cite your sources.
5 Answers | Add Yours
This would depend on whether or not you are talking about the European war or the war in the Pacific. For the European war we use the date of the 8th of May 1945 which is when the Germans formally surrendered in Berlin - although German troops in Italy surrendered on the 2nd of May.
On the 14th of August in 1945 the Japanese formally surrendered in Tokyo unconditionally and thus ended the war in the Pacific.
September 2, 1945 is considered to be the end of World War II for the United States, when the Japanese formally ceased hostilities and signed a surrender aboard the USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay. However, on September 8, 1951, forty-nine nations signed the Treaty of San Francisco, otherwise known as the Treaty of Peace with Japan, where Japan was welcomed back into the world and diplomatic relations were reestablished. The terms of this agreement didn't become in force until April 28, 1952. The Soviet Union did not sign this agreement; it declared war on Japan on August 8, 1945, the day before the United States dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. In October 1956, Japan and the Soviet Union signed a joint declaration which ended the state of war between the two and reestablished diplomatic relations. Surprisingly, these two countries have NEVER SIGNED A PEACE TREATY, and there are still conflicts between them over several islands the Soviet Union invaded in August 1945. Has World War II really ended?
Rise of The American Nation, 3rd ed., Todd & Curti, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1972, pg. 746.
Wikipedia, "Treaty of San Francisco"
If you consider the Asia-Pacific War as part of World War II, then it officially ended on 2 September 1945. If you don't, then it ended at 8 May 1945.
Germany surrendered to the Allied Powers in Berlin when their leader, Adolf Hitler committed suicide, so that he would not be captured by the British, American or Russian troops, to suffer the humiliation of being caught under the enemies hands.
September 2, 1945 is considered the day where Japanese surrendered to the American troops after many years of fighting. They formally surrendered on board the American battleship, USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. They could not carry on fighting as Henry Truman, then American President, decided that the war would take too long and cost too many lives to invade Japan, so permit the use of atomic bomb. So, on 6 August 1945, Hiroshima was bombed. Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki, forcing the Japanese emperor to surrender, ending the Asia-Pacific War.
WWII ended in September 2, 1945. Japanese surrendered to the American troops on USS Missouri Tokyo Bay.
Worldwide it would be Sept 2 1945. Without Asia 8 May 1945
Join to answer this question
Join a community of thousands of dedicated teachers and students.Join eNotes