Commemorating Victory in the Pacific Day
On 15 August 1945, Australia's Prime Minister, Hon Ben Chifley, announced that Japan had surrendered in Asia and the Pacific, bringing an end to the Second World War.
The surrender ending the global conflict was a defining moment in history and became known as Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day.
While the war in Europe had ended three months earlier with Germany’s surrender in Europe, fighting in the Pacific against Japanese forces continued. A number of key events ultimately led to the end of the war. Firstly, the USA dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Two days later Russia declared war against Japan, inflicting defeat in Manchuria and threatening a two-front Allied invasion of Japan’s home islands. The following day the USA dropped a second atomic bomb, this time on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. With the threats of invasion and further nuclear attacks, Japan surrendered.
On this day we remember the one million Australian men and women who served during the Second World War, many of them against Japan in Asia and the Pacific.
For many, the end of the war was bittersweet, with relief that it was finally over and apprehension for the future. Approximately 40,000 Australians lost their lives during the war, with over 17,000 losing their lives against Japan alone. Some 8,000 of whom died in Japanese captivity, having endured unimaginable hardships.
78 years on, we honour our fallen and express our deep gratitude to those who served during the Second World War. Their service and sacrifice has helped to shape our nation, and their legacy will endure for generations to come.
To find more about this important moment in Australia’s history, visit our Anzac Portal.
