75th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific and the end of the Second World War, Saturday 15 August 2020

The Australian War Memorial has developed a range of resources and virtual activities to enable commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Pacific on 15 August 2020, and the end of the Second World War.  

Online hub
A curated collection of stories, photos, audio files, events and first-hand accounts from veterans is available through the Memorial’s website: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/vp-day75.

Commemorative Service to mark the 75th Anniversary of end of the Second World War, (Department of Veterans’ Affairs)

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs will deliver a closed televised commemorative service to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War from inside the Australian War Memorial on Saturday, 15 August 2020, commencing at 10.00 am with coverage beginning at 9.30 am.

For more information: https://www.dva.gov.au/recognition/commemorating-all-who-served/75th-anniversary-end-second-world-war/75th-anniversary

Last Post Ceremony, 15 August 2020, 4.55 pm

Join us in the Commemorative Area of the Australian War Memorial at 4.55pm on 15 August to pay tribute to Private Dudley Boughton and his service in Second World War and the 75th Anniversary of Victory in the Pacific. The ceremony will be streamed live on the Memorial’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
 

Victory in the Pacific! Photographic Exhibition, 10 August - 7 September 2020
This photographic exhibition highlights the varying emotions at the news of Victory in the Pacific and the end of the Second World War. The Victory in the Pacific! photographic exhibition located in the entry corridor on the ground floor of the Australian War Memorial.

For more information: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/vp-day75/events/exhibition-vpday.

Visitors will need to book a ticket to the Galleries and Commemorative Area to see this exhibition. Tickets are free, register here.
 

Historical background

Seventy-five years ago, on 15 August 1945, Emperor Hirohito publicly announced Japan’s acceptance of the Allies’ terms and Japan’s surrender. Nazi Germany had surrendered to the Allies three months earlier. The Second World War was over.

Australian forces were engaged in campaigns across the Pacific – in New Guinea, Bougainville, New Britain, Borneo, and in the Philippines – and Australian prisoners of the Japanese were spread throughout Asia.

While there were many contributors to Japan’s defeat, the dropping of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945 brought the conflict to a sudden end. Most had expected the war against Japan to continue into 1946.

Editor’s notes

The Commemorative Service marking the end of the Second World War is being led by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Media enquiries should be directed to DVA Media Director: Dale Starr, 0428 805 578 E: dale.starr@dva.gov.au. 

The ABC will provide a television feed available in HD via Telstra Dimetis. This feed will not be available in SD. Receiving parties who are unable to take a HD feed will need to make alternative arrangements for down-conversion to SD through an external intermediary of their choosing.

The television feed will be a complete Program and is ‘brand free’.  The program will also include an ABC closing copyright. The broadcast will have a wide shot up prior to commencement of the service at 10:00:00 AEST. At the end of the service it will go back to the wide shot for 5 seconds before the ABC closing copyright logo to allow time for anyone taking the broadcast live to get out.

There is no radio feed available for the service but an audio split for radio use can be made available by ABC Radio Master Control in Sydney.

The host broadcast will be provided free of charge to accredited media, where it is requested.

Stills imagery                                                                                                            

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this is a closed event and a pooled media arrangement is in place. High resolution images from the services, will be available for download from http://images.defence.gov.au.  

Key contacts:

ABC Executive Producer: Matt Scully, 0419 407 776

Email: scully.matt@abc.net.au  

ABC Technical Producer: Morgan Faets, 0421 242 905

Email: faets.morgan@abc.net.au  

 DVA Media Director: Dale Starr, 0428 805 578

Email: dale.starr@dva.gov.au