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Elections were held in Vietnam in areas controlled by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam with the nationalist but communist dominated Viet Minh Party, led by Ho Chi Minh, winning 230 of the 300 seats in the National Assembly. The ballot was not secret and ballot papers were filled out in the presence of aides who were "to help comrades who had difficulty in making out their ballots."
It was not a free and fair election, but its interesting that those who will engage in antidemocratic activities still crave the legitimacy of elections.
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As Emperor, he had participated in an anti French rebellion while only 16 years old, an event which lead to the French removing him from his throne. He thereafter went into exile on Réunion Island, where he retained pro independence views. During World War Two he held anti Vichy views and entered the Free French Navy, and then Army, when the island was liberated from Vichy. DeGaulle, realizing how desperate the situation in French Indochina was, was having him returned to Vietnam where he would have been re-installed as Emperor, which would have amounted to deposing Boa Dai, who had sided with Vichy. His untimely death left the Communist dominated Viet Minh as the only real functioning anti colonial force in the region.
Still highly regarded in Vietnam, most Vietnamese cities have streets named after him. His remains were reinterred in Vietnam in 1987.
The Red Chinese won the Gaoyou–Shaobo Campaign in which the Nationalist troops were principally made up of units that had formerly collaborated with the Japanese.
Admiral of the Fleet Roger John Brownlow Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes, who in spite of his age saw some service in World War Two, died at age 73.
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Vientiane fell to the Pathet Loa, bringing to an end the devided leadership of Laos and making it a fully communist country.
It effectively brought to an end the wars that broke out with end of World War Two over what type of governments former French Indochina would have.
Ironically, the new head of state was the French educated Communist Prince Souphanouvong. While we think of Communism as being inherently anti monarchical, in Indochina this was much less the case.
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It was Armistice Day.
The Indochinese Communist Party voluntarily dissolved itself "in order to destroy all misunderstanding, domestic and foreign, which can hinder the liberation of our country."
In Yugoslavia an election was held. Only Communist candidates appeared on the ballot.
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The Viet Minh's Resistance Committee of the Saigon-Cholon Region was set up and issued an order calling for non-collaboration with the French. It was effectively a call to arms.
The Egyptian government demanded that British forces withdraw from the Sudan, prior to its incorporation with Egypt.
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In what would prove to be a last straw for Gen. Eisenhower, Gen. Patton expressed skepticism over denazification, comparing the Nazis to Republicans and Democrats.
Patton was growing increasingly frustrated now that peace had arrived. If Eisenhower could have read the comments in his journal, he would have been relieved by this time.
The Huaiyin–Huai'an Campaign ended in communist victory in China.
Former French pows went on a rampage in Saigon and killed members of the Viet Minh and innocent civilians, including children. French civilians joined in.
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The 1945–1946 War in Southern Vietnam began with the arrival of Major General Douglas Gracey in command if Indian troops. He arrived to take the Japanese surrendered but immediately apprised the situation as being nearly out of control.
One of his first acts was to arm liberated French POWs. His Indian Forces and the rearmed French soon evicted the Việt Minh from Saigon.
One of the really astounding elements of this is that the British not only won the Malayan Emergency, but arguably won their own portion of the Vietnam War.
The Japanese surrendered at Rangoon, save for their commander who would not surrender until October. The Japanese 18th Army surrendered in New Guinea.
The Chinese Communist prevailed in the Battle of Dazhongji while the Wudi Campaign (无棣战役) began.
British military authorities publish a Gestapo "death list" of 2300 British and Allied notables, including Churchill and the leaders of the French, Polish and Czechoslovak governments in exile.
Spain abolished the Falangist salute.
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Hideki Tojo attempted suicide when American troops arrived at his home to arrest him as a war criminal. The self inflicted gunshot wound was not fatal.
He's entered the Japanese Army as an officer in 1905, right after the Russo Japanese War. He became Prime Minister in October, 1941, and advocated for war against the United States, and occupied that position until July 1944, at which time he was replaced as it was realized that the United States would not negotiate with him, and indeed he was tried as a war criminal and executed in 1948.
The U.S. House voted for a Congressional investigation of Pearl Harbor. The measure had already passed the Senate.
The Chinese Nationalist Army occupied Hanoi under agreement with the Allied Powers, pending resumption of French control of Indochina.
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America and British troops landed in the Tokyo region. The US 11th Airborne Division flew into Atsugi airfield. The 4th and 6th Marine Regiments landed in the naval base at Yokosuka. General MacArthur flew from Manila to organize the US occupation and set up his temporary headquarters at Yokohama.
The USS San Juan started to evacuate Allied prisoners of war detained in the Japanese home islands.
The Royal Navy reoccupied Hong Kong.
Japanese surrenders in Burma continued..
The Allied Control Council took formal control of Germany.
A B-29 Superfortress on a supply flight crashed in bad weather in the neighbourhood of Mount Oyaji (親父岳, Oyaji-take) on Mount Sobo (祖母山). All twelve crewmen were killed.
Hồ Chí Minh invited several people to contribute their ideas toward his Declaration of Independence, including a number of American OSS officers. While there were notable exceptions, like John Burch, the OSS was heavily left leaning and indeed included a number of Communists within its ranks, something that was not really very much frowned on at the time.
Mexico recognized the Spanish Republican government in exile as the government of Spain. The Spanish Republican government in exile was located in Mexico City, having relocated there after the fall of France in World War Two. It'd return to Paris in 1946. The body would recognize the restored Spanish constitutional monarch as the legitimate government in 1977.
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Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright, Lt. Gen. Arthur Percival, and the governor-general of the Dutch East Indies, Mr. van Starkenborch Stachouwer. were rescued from being Prisoners of War by a special American parachute detail at Mukden. The goal was to free the POWs before the area was overrun by the Red Army.
The occupation of Mukden, as well as Harbin, in fact occurred on this day.
Anti Semitic riots broke out in Cracow, Poland.
The US War Production Board removed most of its controls over manufacturing activity, setting the stage for a post war economic boom.
The US standard of living had actually increased during the war, which is not entirely surprising given that the US economy had effectively stagnated in 1929, and the US was the only major industrial power other than Canada whose industrial base hadn't been severely damaged during the war. Ever since the war, Americans have been proud of the economics of the post war era, failing to appreciate that if every major city on two continents is bombed or otherwise destroyed, and yours aren't, your going to succeed.
Having said that, the Truman Administration's rapid normalization of the economy was very smart. The British failed to do that to their detriment.
British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin condemned Soviet policy in Eastern Europe as "one kind of totalitarianism replaced by another."
The trial of Vidkun Quisling began in Oslo.
The Việt Minh consolidated their control of Hanoi.
Seventeen year old Tommy Brown became the youngest player in Major League Baseball to hit a home run. Brown had joined the Dodgers at age 16.
Brown provides a good glimpse into mid 20th Century America. Nobody would think it a good thing for a 16 year old to become a professional baseball player now. Moreover, the next year, when Brown was 18, he was conscripted into the Army, something that likely wouldn't happen now even if conscription existed. He returned to professional baseball after his service, and played until 1953 and thereafter worked in a Ford plant until he retired, dying this year at age 97. Clearly baseball, which was America's biggest sport at the time, didn't pay the sort of huge sums it does now.
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Emperor Hirohito accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and recorded a radio message to the Japanese people saying that the war should end and that they must "bear the unbearable." Truman announced the Japanese surrender the same day.
Hirohito's full recorded, and then broadcast, speech stated:
To our good and loyal subjects.
After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining to our empire today, we have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure.
We have ordered our government to communicate to the governments of the United States, Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union that our empire accepts the provisions of their Joint Declaration.
To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well-being of our subjects is the solemn obligation which has been handed down by our imperial ancestors, and which we lay close to heart. Indeed, we declared war on America and Britain out of our sincere desire to ensure Japan’s self-preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement.
But now the war has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone—the gallant fighting of the military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of our servants of the state, and the devoted service of our 100 million people—the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest.
Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to damage is indeed incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives.
Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our subjects or to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our imperial ancestors? This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers.
We cannot but express the deepest sense of regret to our allied nations of East Asia, who have consistently co-operated with the empire towards the emancipation of East Asia. The thought of those officers and men as well as others who have fallen in the fields of battle, those who died at their posts of duty, or those who met with untimely death and all their bereaved families, pains our heart day and night.
The welfare of the wounded and the war sufferers, and of those who have lost their homes and livelihood, are the objects of our profound solicitude. The hardships and sufferings to which our nation is to be subjected hereafter will certainly be great. We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all you, our subjects.
However, it is according to the dictate of time and fate that we have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is insufferable.
Having been able to safeguard and maintain the structure of the imperial state, we are always with you, our good and loyal subjects, relying upon your sincerity and integrity. Beware most strictly of any outbursts of emotion which may engender needless complications, or any fraternal contention and strife which may create confusion, lead you astray, and cause you to lose the confidence of the world.
Let the entire nation continue as one family from generation to generation, ever firm in its faith of the imperishableness of its divine land, and mindful of its heavy responsibilities, and the long road before it.
Unite your total strength to be devoted to the construction for the future. Cultivate the ways of rectitude; foster nobility of spirit; and work with resolution so that you may enhance the innate glory of the imperial state and keep pace with the progress of the world.
Bearing it would prove to be nowhere as difficult as predicted for anyone, particularly Japanese women, and in general the Japanese middle and lower class. Frankly, everyone's life in Japan would improve immeasurably. So much so, but for some wackadoodles, Japan has never looked back.
The recording had to be smuggled out of the Tokyo Imperial Palace out of fear of a military coup taking place
The attempted coup did in fact take place, as Japanese officers attempted to steal the recording and prevent the surrender. The attempt failed, and at 19:00 Truman announced the Japanese surrender. Coup leader Major Kenji Hatanaka commited suicide after its failure..
As odd as it may seem, there were still air raids conducted until the surrender was broadcast. The last raid was on Akita (秋田空襲), which was the last raid of the war, which was a nighttime raid that occurred more or less at the same time as the attempted coup.
Huge crowds gathered all over the US to celebrate the end of the war.
The famous Times Square photograph of a sailor kissing a woman, which is protected by copyright, as American copyright provisions are absurdly long, was taken.
The Soviets continued their advance on South Sakhalin and some of the Kurils, and advanced deep into Manchuria.
Gen. MacArthur was delegated to take the Japanese surrender. A cessation of hostilities is ordered by both sides.
The War Production Board lifted restrictions on the productions of automobiles.
The Viet Minh launched an uprising against the French in Vietnam.
Steve Martin was born.
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