81 years ago today
Emperor Hirohito Announces Japan's Surrender
On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito made a pre-recorded radio broadcast — the first time most Japanese had ever heard his voice — announcing Japan's acceptance of the Allied surrender terms. His stilted, formal speech referred to an "unendurable" situation and a "new and most cruel bomb" without explicitly using the word surrender, yet the meaning was unmistakable: World War II was over. The announcement came six days after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan. In Japan, the day is called Shūsen-kinenbi, the anniversary of the war's end. Simultaneously, Korea — which had been under Japanese colonial rule for 35 years — celebrated its liberation. It remains one of the pivotal moments of the 20th century.
This day, across time
- 636 CEEventBattle of Yarmouk Begins: Arabs Defeat Byzantines
- 1057DiedMacbeth, King of Scotland
- 1519EventPanama City Founded
- 1769EventNapoleon Bonaparte Born in Corsica
- 1771BornWalter Scott
- 1912BornJulia Child
- 1914EventPanama Canal Opens to Traffic
- 1939EventThe Wizard of Oz Premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
- 1945FeaturedEmperor Hirohito Announces Japan's Surrender
- 1945EventJapan Surrenders, WWII Ends in the Pacific
- 1947EventIndia Gains Independence from Britain
- 1965EventThe Beatles Play Shea Stadium
- 1967EventCIA Launches Operation CHAOS to Spy on American Dissidents
- 1969EventWoodstock Music Festival Opens
- 1972BornBen Affleck
- 1990BornJennifer Lawrence
Alive in 1945
OverlapSame years; not influence
- Adolf Hitlerdied this year
Abraham Heschelturned 38 this year
Albert Einsteinturned 66 this year
Carl Gustav Jungturned 70 this year
Deng Xiaopingturned 41 this year
Eleanor Rooseveltturned 61 this year
Elvis Presleyturned 10 this year
Emmanuel Levinasturned 39 this year
Ernest Hemingwayturned 46 this year
Frida Kahloturned 38 this year
19 more figures were alive that year
On This Day in History
10 EventsBattle of Yarmouk Begins: Arabs Defeat Byzantines
Arab Muslim forces under Khalid ibn al-Walid began a decisive six-day battle against the Byzantine Empire near the Yarmouk River in modern Jordan. The Arab victory opened the door to the Islamic conquest of the Levant and Syria.
Panama City Founded
Spanish conquistador Pedro Arias Dávila founded Panama City on the Pacific coast, making it the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. It became the launching point for the conquest of Peru.
Napoleon Bonaparte Born in Corsica
Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, just one year after France acquired the island from Genoa. His Corsican origins — and the slight accent he never fully lost — were a source of mockery from French aristocrats, fueling the ambition that would carry him to dominate a continent.
Panama Canal Opens to Traffic
The SS Ancon made the first official transit of the Panama Canal, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Isthmus of Panama. The canal cut the sea journey from New York to San Francisco from over 13,000 miles to under 5,000.
The Wizard of Oz Premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
The MGM musical fantasy starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale opened in Hollywood. Though it performed only modestly at the box office in 1939, repeated television broadcasts beginning in 1956 transformed it into one of the most beloved films in history.
Japan Surrenders, WWII Ends in the Pacific
Emperor Hirohito's radio broadcast announced Japan's acceptance of Allied surrender terms, ending World War II after nearly six years of global conflict and the deaths of an estimated 70 to 85 million people.
India Gains Independence from Britain
At midnight, India became an independent nation after nearly 200 years of British rule, with Jawaharlal Nehru delivering his famous 'Tryst with Destiny' address to the Constituent Assembly. Independence arrived simultaneously with Pakistan's creation in the painful Partition.
The Beatles Play Shea Stadium
The Beatles performed before 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium in New York, the largest concert audience in history to that point. The event marked the dawn of the stadium rock era and was filmed for a celebrated documentary.
CIA Launches Operation CHAOS to Spy on American Dissidents
Deputy Director for Plans Thomas Karamessines issued a directive — on orders from CIA Director Richard Helms — establishing a counterintelligence operation to investigate possible foreign influence behind the American antiwar and civil rights movements. Codenamed MHCHAOS, the program grew far beyond its original mandate, eventually compiling files on over 7,200 Americans and indexing 300,000 citizens. When journalist Seymour Hersh exposed the operation in 1974, it became a defining scandal of Cold War domestic surveillance.
Woodstock Music Festival Opens
The Woodstock Music & Art Fair opened on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, drawing an unexpected crowd of 400,000 people. Over three days, performances by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, and others created the defining cultural moment of the 1960s counterculture.
Born on This Day
Napoleon Bonaparte
French Emperor & Military Commander
Napoleon rose from minor Corsican nobility to dominate Europe as Emperor of the French, rewriting laws, redrawing borders, and reshaping the modern world. His Napoleonic Code forms the basis of civil law in dozens of countries today.
Julia Child
American Chef & Television Host
Child spent years learning to cook in France before writing Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the landmark cookbook that demystified French cuisine for American home cooks. Her television persona — warm, unflappable, and joyful — made her one of the most beloved figures in American food culture.
Walter Scott
Scottish Novelist & Poet
The inventor of the historical novel, Scott's works — including Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and Waverley — created the romantic image of medieval and Scottish history that shaped 19th-century culture. He was the first author to achieve international celebrity in the modern sense.
Ben Affleck
American Actor, Director & Screenwriter
Affleck won his first Academy Award at 25 for co-writing Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon. He went on to direct Argo, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2013, and played Batman in the DC Extended Universe films.
Jennifer Lawrence
American Actress
Lawrence became the second-youngest Best Actress Oscar winner for Silver Linings Playbook in 2013, after playing Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise. She received four Academy Award nominations before age 25.
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Macbeth, King of Scotland
King of Scotland (r. 1040–1057)
The historical Macbeth was killed in battle at Lumphanan by forces loyal to the future Malcolm III. Unlike Shakespeare's murderous tyrant, the real Macbeth ruled Scotland for 17 years and was considered a capable king.
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