Encyclopedia

VP (Victory in the Pacific) Day

VP (Victory in the Pacific) Day, also referred to as VJ (Victory over Japan) Day, is celebrated on 15 August. This date commemorates Japan’s acceptance of the Allied demand for unconditional surrender 14 August 1945. For Australians, it meant that the Second World War was finally over.

The following day, 15 August, is usually referred to as VP Day. In August 1945 Australian governments gazetted a public holiday as VP Day and most newspapers reported it as such. However, the governments of Britain, the United States and New Zealand preferred VJ Day. It is not true, as some have claimed, that the day was originally called VJ and that the name was surreptitiously changed later.

Melbourne, Victoria, 15 August 1945. Rejoicing broke out spontaneously when the surrender of Japan was announced: the war was over. Betty Williams, Lois Anne Martin and Carmel O'Connor typified the joy and relief felt by all Australians. Miss Martin knitted the red, white and blue vest especially for VP Day and never wore it again. The vest is on display in the Memorial's Second World War Gallery.
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Source

“VP or VJ Day?” Wartime 21 (2003) 5

More About:

• Prime Minister J. B. Chifley announcing the end of the war against Japan, 15 August 1945
  Click on the play button next to "the war is over" to hear Prime Minister Chifley’s announcement of Japan's surrender
• Eric Carpenter, "Accepting the Japanese surrender" Wartime 31 (2005) 30-33
• VE Day