The act of unconditional surrender of Japan was signed on September 2, 1945, but the country's leadership took a very long time to reach this decision. In the Potsdam Declaration, terms of surrender were put forward, but the emperor formally refused the proposed ultimatum. True, Japan still had to accept all the conditions of surrender, putting a bullet in the course of hostilities.
Preliminary stage
Japan's unconditional surrender was not signed immediately. First, on July 26, 1945, China, England and the United States of America submitted for general consideration the demand for the surrender of Japan in the Potsdam Declaration. The main idea of the declaration was as follows: if the country refuses to accept the proposed conditions, then it will face "quick and complete destruction." Two days later, the Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun responded to the declaration with a categorical refusal.
Despite the fact that Japan suffered heavy losses, its fleet completely ceased to function (which is a terrible tragedy for an island state that is completely dependent on the supply of raw materials), and the likelihood of an invasion of American and Soviet troops into the country was extremely high, "Military newspaper" of the Japanese imperial command made strange conclusions: "We are not able to lead the war without the hope of success. The only way left for all the Japanese is to sacrifice their lives and do everything possible to undermine the morale of the enemy.”
Massive self-sacrifice
In fact, the government called on its subjects to commit an act of mass self-sacrifice. True, the population did not react to such a prospect. In some places it was still possible to meet pockets of fierce resistance, but on the whole, the samurai spirit had long outlived its usefulness. And as historians note, all the Japanese learned in 1945 was to surrender en masse.
At that time, Japan was expecting two attacks: the Allied (China, England, United States of America) attack on Kyushu and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. The act of unconditional surrender of Japan was signed only because the prevailing conditions in the country turned out to be critical.
The Emperor to the last advocated the continuation of the war. After all, for the Japanese to surrender was an unheard-of shame. Prior to this, the country had not lost a single war and for almost half a millennium had not known foreign invasions of its own.territory. But it turned out to be completely ruined, which is why the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed.
Attack
1945-06-08, fulfilling the threat stated in the Potsdam Declaration, America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, the same fate befell the city of Nagasaki, which was the country's largest naval base.
The country has not yet had time to recover from such a large-scale tragedy, as on August 8, 1945, the authorities of the Soviet Union declare war on Japan and on August 9 it begins to conduct hostilities. Thus, the Manchurian offensive operation of the Soviet army began. In fact, Japan's military and economic base on the Asian continent was completely eliminated.
Destruction of communications
At the first stage of the battles, Soviet aviation aimed at military installations, communication centers, communications of the frontier zones of the Pacific Fleet. Communications that connected Korea and Manchuria with Japan were cut, and the enemy's naval base was seriously damaged.
August 18, the Soviet army was already approaching the industrial and administrative centers of Manchuria, they were trying to prevent the enemy from destroying material values. On August 19, in the Land of the Rising Sun, they realized that they could not see victory as their own ears, they began to surrender en masse. Japan was forced to capitulate. On August 2, 1945, the World War ended completely and definitively with the signing of theJapan's unconditional surrender.
Document of Surrender
September 1945 aboard the USS Missouri is where Japan's Unconditional Surrender Act was signed. The document was signed on behalf of their states by:
- Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu.
- Chief of the General Staff Yoshijiro Umezu.
- US Army General Douglas MacArthur.
- Lieutenant General of the Soviet Union Kuzma Derevyanko.
- British Flotilla Admiral Bruce Fraser.
Besides them, representatives of China, France, Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand were present during the signing of the act.
It can be said that Japan's Unconditional Surrender Act was signed in the city of Kure. This was the last region, after the bombing of which the Japanese government decided to surrender. Some time later, a battleship appeared in Tokyo Bay.
The essence of the document
According to the resolutions approved in the document, Japan fully accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The sovereignty of the country was limited to the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, Hokkaido and other smaller islands of the Japanese archipelago. The islands of Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashir were ceded to the Soviet Union.
Japan was to cease all hostilities, release prisoners of war and other foreign soldiers imprisoned during the war, maintainwithout damaging civilian and military property. Also, Japanese officials had to obey the orders of the High Command of the Allied States.
To be able to monitor the implementation of the terms of the Surrender Act, the USSR, the USA and Great Britain decided to create the Far Eastern Commission and the Allied Council.
Meaning of war
Thus ended one of the bloodiest wars in human history. Japanese generals were convicted of military offenses. On May 3, 1946, a military tribunal began its work in Tokyo, which tried those responsible for preparing the Second World War. Those who wanted to seize foreign lands at the cost of death and enslavement appeared before the people's court.
The battles of the Second World War claimed about 65 million human lives. The biggest losses were suffered by the Soviet Union, which took the brunt. Signed in 1945, Japan's Unconditional Surrender Act can be called a document that sums up the results of a protracted, bloody and senseless battle.
The result of these battles was the expansion of the borders of the USSR. Fascist ideology was condemned, war criminals were punished, and the United Nations was created. A pact was signed on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and a ban on their creation.
The influence of Western Europe has noticeably decreased, the United States managed to maintain and strengthen its position in the international, economic market, and the victory of the USSR over fascism gave the country the opportunity to maintain independence and follow the chosen path of life. Butit all came at too high a price.
