On 15 August 1945, understanding that his armed forces had no response to the atomic bomb, Japanese emperor Hirohito broadcast to the nation. All over Asia and the Pacific, Japanese troops began to lay down their weapons. As a consequence of this speech, 15 August 1945 is officially commemorated as the anniversary of VJ Day in Britain and Korea, and unofficially so across much of Asia. However, a formal surrender document was not signed until 2 September aboard the American battleship, USS Missouri. This later date is considered the anniversary of VJ Day in the USA. Read more about the events of VJ and the aftermath of WW2 here…