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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
901 M STREET SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- World War II in the Pacific --

Formal Surrender of Japan, 2 September 1945 --
Signing the Instruments of Surrender

After finishing his introductory statement General MacArthur directed the representatives of Japan to sign the two Instruments of Surrender, one each for the Allied and Japanese governments. At 9:04 AM, Foreign Minister Shigemitsu signed, followed two minutes later by General Umezu. General MacArthur then led the Allied delegations in signing, first Fleet Admiral Nimitz as United States Representative, then the representatives of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, The Netherlands and New Zealand. All signatures were in place by 9:22. Following a few brief remarks by MacArthur, the ceremonies concluded at 9:25.

This page features photographs of the signing of the Instruments of Surrender on board USS Missouri.

For a special selection of views of the 2 September 1945 Japanese surrender ceremonies, and for links to other views of the ceremonies, see: Formal Surrender of Japan, 2 September 1945 -- Selected and Miscellaneous Views.

For views of other aspects of Japan's surrender, see: Japan Capitulates, August - September 1945

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: SC 213700

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Japanese Government, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945.
Lieutentant General Richard K. Sutherland, U.S. Army, watches from the opposite side of the table. Foreign Ministry representative Toshikazu Kase is assisting Mr. Shigemitsu.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: 80-G-332701

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945.
Watching from across the table are Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. Representatives of the Allied powers are behind General MacArthur.
Photographed from atop Missouri's 16-inch gun turret # 2.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: SC 211872

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


General of the Army Douglas MacArthur signs the Instrument of Surrender, as Supreme Allied Commander, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Behind him are Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright, U.S. Army, and Lieutenant General Sir Arthur E. Percival, British Army, both of whom had just been released from Japanese prison camps.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: USA C-4627 (Color)

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


General of the Army Douglas MacArthur signs the Instrument of Surrender, as Supreme Allied Commander, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Behind him are Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright, U.S. Army, and Lieutenant General Sir Arthur E. Percival, British Army, both of whom had just been released from Japanese prison camps.

Identifications of many other senior officers present will be found in USA C-4627 (Complete Caption).

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: 80-G-701293

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, signs the Instrument of Surrender as United States Representative, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945.
Standing directly behind him are (left-to-right):
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur;
Admiral William F. Halsey, USN, and
Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman, USN.

Many of the other officers present are identified in 80-G-701293 (Complete Caption)".

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 113KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: NH 58082

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, and Pacific Ocean Areas, signs the Instrument of Surrender as United States representative, during the surrender ceremonies on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945.
Standing immediately behind him are (left to right):
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander;
Admiral William F. Halsey, Commander, Third Fleet, and
Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman, Deputy Chief of Staff to Admiral Nimitz.
Fleet Admiral Nimitz has signed this print.

Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 

Photo #: NH 58406

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, and Pacific Ocean Areas, signs the Instrument of Surrender as United States representative, during the surrender ceremonies on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945.
Standing immediately behind him are (from back to front):
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander;
Admiral William F. Halsey, Commander, Third Fleet, and
Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman, Deputy Chief of Staff to Admiral Nimitz.
Representatives of the other Allied powers are at right.

Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 

Photo #: SC 213698

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


General Hsu Yung-chang signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Republic of China, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Photo #: USA C-1189 (Color)

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945


View of the surrender ceremonies, looking forward from USS Missouri's superstructure, as Admiral Conrad E.L. Helfrich signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of The Netherlands. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur is standing beside him.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


For a special selection of views of the 2 September 1945 Japanese surrender ceremonies, and for links to other views of the ceremonies, see: Formal Surrender of Japan, 2 September 1945 -- Selected and Miscellaneous Views.

For views of other aspects of Japan's surrender, see: Japan Capitulates, August - September 1945



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Links revised 7 March 1999