What is V-J Day?

World War II was an intense and bloody conflict that mercifully came to a conclusion in 1945, when the Allied forces claimed victory over the Axis powers. The Axis powers included Japan, which did not surrender until several months after the Allies declared victory in Europe. The day of the Japanese surrender in World War II is commemorated as V-J Day, or Victory over Japan Day. Though the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made on August 15, 1945, The National World War II Museum notes formal documents of surrender were not signed until September 2, 1945. That distinction is why there is no uniform date on which nations that made up the Allied forces commemorate V-J Day. The United Kingdom commemorates the day on August 15, while the United States does so on September 2. Regardless of when V-J Day is celebrated, its significance makes it worthy of commemoration across the globe.