Surrender of Japan Notification 1945
$495.00
1 in stock
Description
Measuring 20.5cm in length x 12.5cm wide this ‘Order of the Day’ Notification came from the office of General Sir Thomas Blamey in Borneo. Typed up and signed on the day the Japanese surrendered – 15th August, 1945 and received by the 2/1st Australian Battalion on 4th September, 1945.
Background:
On 6th August 1945, the United States detonated an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Sixteen hours later American President Harry S. Truman called for Japan’s surrender. Late in the evening of 8th August 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan violating a pact and they invaded Japan on 9th August 1945. Hours later a second bomb was dropped by the United States on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. It is estimated these two bombs killed 226,000 civilians.
The surrender of the Empire of Japan in WWII was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15th August by radio address across the Empire of Japan and the agreement formally signed on 2nd September, 1945 bringing hostilities of world war two to a close. Allied civilians and military personnel celebrated V-J Day (Victory Japan Day), however isolated soldiers from Japan’s far flung forces throughout Asia and the Pacific refused to surrender for months and years afterwards. Treaty came into force on 28th April, 1952. The Soviet-Japanese declaration ended their state of war in 1956 formally.
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey was an Australian General of the First and Second World Wars. During WWII he commanded troops and protect the interests of Australia against the British in the Middle East and the Americans in the South Pacific. During WWII Blamey commanded the Second Australian Imperial Force and the I Corps in the Middle East and was promoted to General in 1941. In 1942 he returned to Australia commanding Allied Land Forces in the South West Pacific Area under command of General Douglas MacArthur. Blamey assumed command of the New Guinea Force during the Kokoda Track campaign.
Blamey signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Australia at Japan’s ceremonial surrender in Tokyo Bay on 2nd Septemebr, 1945 and later personally accepted the Japanese surrender at Morotai on 9th September.
There have been only four field marshals in the history of the Australian Army and Blamey is the only Australian to attain the rank, receiving his baton in 1950. All of the other Australian field marshals (Lord Birdwood, King George VI & the Duke of Edinburgh were honorary positions.
