On August 14, 1945, word spread that Japan had accepted defeat, bringing World War II to a close — and the world erupted in jubilation.
In Times Square, enormous crowds gathered in a frenzy of relief and joy, with weary Americans waving newspapers overhead, their fingers shaped into a 'V' as a symbol of victory.
Among the most iconic images to emerge from that celebration was a now-legendary kiss shared between a sailor and a nurse. The occasion would eventually earn its place in history as Victory over Japan Day, or simply V-J Day.
The aftermath of the First World War had left Europe deeply unstable, laying the groundwork for yet another global conflict — this one spearheaded by Adolf Hitler. When he launched his invasion of Poland in September 1939, both France and Great Britain responded by declaring war on Germany, and World War II officially began.
To advance his ambitions of global domination, Hitler forged alliances with both Japan and Italy.
Throughout this period, the United States was intent on remaining uninvolved in World War II. That changed on December 7, 1941, when Japan launched a devastating surprise aerial assault on the U.S. Naval Base on Oahu, Hawaii. The attack shattered relations between the two countries, and America entered the war.
What followed was a three-year campaign in which the Allies leveraged their technological superiority to wage a lopsided war against Japan, resulting in massive casualties.
On July 26, 1945, Allied leaders issued The Potsdam Declaration, which called on Japan to surrender in exchange for a peaceful government — or face complete and utter destruction.
Back in Tokyo, Japanese leaders refused to capitulate. The result was the devastating atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which claimed the lives of over 110,000 people.
The following day, Japan's government released a statement agreeing to the terms laid out in the Potsdam Declaration, effectively bringing World War II to an end.