“降伏します. WE SURRENDER.”
At this exact moment, sixty years ago, at 1200 hours Japan Standard Time on 15 August 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced to the Japanese People the acceptance by the Japanese Government of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, ending World War II, the bloodiest war in the history of the world. This day is known in the Allied nations as V-J Day, in the same manner V-E Day took place three months before. Believe it or don’t, this day is still celebrated as a state holiday in Rhode Island on the second Monday in August.
The single most famous photograph of V-J Day was Alfred Eisenstaedt‘s timeless snapshot of The Sailor kissing The Nurse (click on the thumbnail). No other photo could have captured the joy of the war’s ending. And it’s pretty amazing that sixty years later, there’s still some form of controversy as to who exactly these two people are.

Domo arigato to Amritas for his translation from English to Japanese.