“It was too much death to contemplate, too much savagery and suffering; and in August 1945 no one was counting. For those who had seen the face of battle and been in the camps and under the bombs—and had lived—there was a sense of immense relief.”

An Army Pictorial Service photographer captures the joy and relief of soldiers and civilians.

Japan’s ceasefire, Allied landings, POW rescues, and the formal surrender aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, marked the end of World War II. 

On May 8, 1945, thousands of people took to the streets in cities around the world to celebrate news of Germany's surrender and the end of World War II in Europe. 

Victory over Japan Day was and is celebrated on different dates around the world. Why?