Wednesday
The Emperor's voice, and a day the rest of the world spent outdoors
Because of the date line, Japan, Britain and Australia had their V-J Day on the 15th. Hirohito broadcast to his people at noon Tokyo time — most of them had never heard him speak — and Attlee announced the surrender in London just after midnight.
Opening the day…
The night of
After midnight, London
Clement Attlee, six weeks into office, announced the surrender of Japan from Downing Street just after midnight. The BBC recording of the crowds outside — and of them singing the national anthem — is from the small hours of a country that had already had one victory day this year and knew how to do this one.
Noon, Tokyo
At noon Japanese time NHK played a phonograph recording made the night before: the Emperor, in formal court language most listeners struggled to follow, saying that the war situation had developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage. It was the first time the Japanese public had heard the voice. The disc had survived an attempted coup to seize it hours earlier.
Evening
George VI broadcast to the Empire. Bill Henry told CBS listeners the Second World War was over. Halsey signalled the Third Fleet. WOR carried a bulletin on the suicide of the Japanese war minister, and Gene Krupa played the Hotel Astor into a New York that had been celebrating since the previous evening.
Where this comes from
