Historical point on "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army": The Potsdam Declaration was announced on July 26, 1945.

[Context & Analysis] Announced by the names of the leaders of the US, UK, and China (Truman, Churchill, and Chiang Kai-shek). Demands unconditional surrender from Japan. Later the Soviet Union also joined. Japan announced its acceptance on August 14th and signed the Instrument of Surrender on September 2nd. [Verdict] Official records available (Source: Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender (Potsdam Declaration) (in Japanese) [National Diet Library])

Historical point on "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army": Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

[Context & Analysis] An estimated 140,000 people will die from the Hiroshima type (Little Boy, uranium type) and 70,000 people will die from the Nagasaki type (Fat Man, plutonium type) by the end of the year. These are the only two cases in human history of nuclear weapons being used in war. The legitimacy of the bombing is still divided among countries. [Verdict] Historical facts (Source: Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki [Atomic Archive], Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (in Japanese) [Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum])

Historical point on "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army": The instrument of surrender was signed on board the Missouri on September 2, 1945.

[Context & Analysis] Japanese Foreign Minister Aoi Shigemitsu and Chief of Staff Yoshijiro Umetsu sign the instrument of surrender on the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Commander-in-Chief MacArthur signed on behalf of the Allied powers. Representatives from China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand also signed. [Verdict] Official records available (Source: Japanese Instrument of Surrender [U.S. National Archives])

How is "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army" described in China's history textbooks?

On August 15, 1945, the Japanese army declared unconditional surrender due to pressure from the Allies and the unyielding resistance of the entire Chinese people. This is a great victory that ends the "100 years of humiliation" in China's modern history. (Source: Chinese history textbook (general description))

How is "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army" described in Japan's history textbooks?

In August 1945, Japan faced an unprecedented situation: the world's first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima (6th) and Nagasaki (9th), and the Soviet Union entered the war. (Source: Japanese history textbooks (general description))

How is "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army" described in Korea's history textbooks?

On August 15, 1945, the day of independence for the Republic of Korea arrived. This is the moment when Japan's colonial rule, which lasted for 35 years since 1910, came to an end, and it is a memorable day when the unyielding anti-Japanese independence movement finally came to fruition. (Source: Korean history textbook (general description))

How is "Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army" described in Taiwan's history textbooks?

On August 15, 1945, Emperor Showa announced the end of the war in Taiwan, which was under Japanese rule at the time. This is a historical event that marks the end of Japan's 50-year colonial rule and signifies the country's ``return'' to the Republic of China. (Source: Republic of China (Taiwan) history textbook (general description))

Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army | HistoryDiff

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This project does not aim to criticize or defend any specific historical narrative or nation. We objectively present differences in textbook and official descriptions to encourage multi-faceted understanding.

ArchiveEnd of WWIIAugust 1945Japan/Pacific

The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

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Related Photos1

The formal surrender ceremony of Japan aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, marking the official end of World War II.

Source: Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain

United StatesEnd of WWIIAugust 1945Japan/Pacific

The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

Source:United States history textbook (general description)

Source Nature:

Commercial / Standard TextbookOriginal Language

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman decided that a large-scale military invasion of mainland Japan (Operation Downfall) would be necessary, and the number of casualties for both the U.S. military and the Japanese side was predicted to be in the millions.

In American textbooks, the dropping of the atomic bomb is described as a "military and political decision to bring the war to an early end and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of American and even Japanese citizens." The drops on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, were overwhelming displays of force that signaled to the Japanese leadership that immediate and unconditional surrender was the only option.

The success of the Manhattan Project is regarded as the pinnacle of science and technology at the time, and as a decisive factor in ending the long war that began with Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan's declaration of surrender on August 14th (V-J Day) is portrayed as a pivotal victory in the long fight to protect democracy and freedom.

Perspectives Summary

Item	China	Japan	Korea	Taiwan	United States
Title	Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army	Interpretation of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of the war	Gwangbok and the end of colonial rule	Taiwan's Retrocession and End of War Experience	The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender
Category	National liberation/victory	End of war/peace	National liberation/independence	Change of government/liberation	End of WWII
Era	August 1945	August 1945	August 1945	August 1945	August 1945
Source	Chinese history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	Japanese history textbooks (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	Korean history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	Republic of China (Taiwan) history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	United States history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookOriginal Language
Excerpt	On August 15, 1945, the Japanese army declared unconditional surrender due to pressure from the Allies and the unyieldin…	In August 1945, Japan faced an unprecedented situation: the world's first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima (6th) a…	On August 15, 1945, the day of independence for the Republic of Korea arrived. This is the moment when Japan's colonial …	On August 15, 1945, Emperor Showa announced the end of the war in Taiwan, which was under Japanese rule at the time. Thi…	In 1945, President Harry S. Truman decided that a large-scale military invasion of mainland Japan (Operation Downfall) w…

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Notes on this comparison

This comparison is based on general descriptions from official or widely used history textbooks in each country. While minor nuances may change in translation, the goal is to highlight differences in how major events are perceived, the order of description, and what is emphasized. In particular, notable differences in the naming of events and the background of their occurrence can be seen between "United States" and "China".

Item

China

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

United States

Title

Victory in the War of Resistance and Surrender of the Japanese Army

Interpretation of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of the war

Gwangbok and the end of colonial rule

Taiwan's Retrocession and End of War Experience

The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

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The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

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The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

The Atomic Bomb and the Decision to Surrender

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