August 14th, 1945 (TUESDAY)
U.S.S.R.: Pacific Fleet ship loss. MS "T-279" (ex AM.270 "Palisade") - mined at Rasin port (Korea) (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
MALAYA: Captain Mahmood Khan Durrani (b.1914), 1st Bahawalpur Infantry, was a PoW for three years. Despite torture he had refused all co-operation. (George Cross)
JAPAN:
The Japanese army coup is scheduled for 10:00 am. At 9:00 am War Minister Anami addresses all senior section war ministry staff: "The army should act in unison, because Japan is now facing the critical situation.Strengthen your unity. Beware of any undisciplined acts. Those who consider any arbitrary actions will have to carry them out over my dead body." This statement ends the hopes of the Junior Officers for an easy takeover.
At 10:30 the Imperial Conference with the cabinet and the Emperor begins.
After discussion the Emperor again gives his decision: "I have carefully studied the Allied reply and concluded that it virtually acknowledges our position in the note sent several days ago. In short, I believe the reply is acceptable. Though it is understandable that some should distrust the Allied intentions, I do not believe the reply was written with malice."
With this statement it is now a matter of trust.
Shortly after Noon, Professor Asada meets with the Navy. After hearing his report on the Hiroshima bombing, he reports their conclusion was: "to isolate all Japanese physicists in the caves in Nagano Prefecture to have them produce atomic bombs. They planned to drop them on America. The navy had no intention of surrendering."
At 1:00 pm the full cabinet meets and after much discussion reluctantly approves the Emperor's decision.
Representatives of the Radio Tokyo arrive at the palace at 3:00 to record the Emperor's statement. It is finished recording just before midnight. There are 3 copies. Members of the household ministry agree to hold the recording until they will be broadcast tomorrow.
In Japan, US Far East Air Force (FEAF) B-25s, P-47s, and P-51s attack shipping in Korea and Kyushu waters, claiming several vessels destroyed and damaged. P-47s over the Osaka-Nagoya, Japan area claim several Japanese aircraft shot down.
The US Twentieth Air Force sends 752 B-29 Superfortresses to fly 7 missions against Japan without loss. These are the last B-29 missions against Japan in WWII. The following 3 missions were flown during the day:
- Mission 325: 157 B-29s bomb the naval arsenal at Hikari; 4 others hit alternate targets.
- Mission 326: 145 B-29s bomb the Osaka Army Arsenal and 2 hit alternate targets; 160+ P-51 escort the B-29s and attack airfields in the Nagoya area; 1 P-51 is lost.
- Mission 327: 108 B-29s bomb the railroad yards at Marifu; 2 others hit alternate targets.
The following 4 missions were flown during the night of 14/15 August:
- Mission 328: In the longest nonstop, unstaged B-29 mission from the Mariana Islands, 3,650 miles (5,874 km), 132 B-29s bomb the Nippon Oil Company, Akita-Aradi refinery at Tsuchizakiminato.
- Mission 329: 81 B-29s drop incendiaries on the Kumagaya urban area destroying 0.27 sq mi (0.7 sq km), 45% of the city area.
- Mission 330: 86 B-29s drop incendiaries on the Isezaki urban area, north-west of Tokyo, destroying 0.166 sq mi (0.43 sq km), 17% of the city area.
- Mission 331: 39 B-29s mine the waters at Nanao, Shimonoseki, Miyazu, and Hamada.
509BG perform another Pumpkin Raid.
| Ops. | Miss. | Date | Aircraft | Cdr. | Crew | Bombing | Target | Lat | Long | Result |
| 44 | 17 | 14/08/45 | 44-27296 | Price | B-7 | Primary | Visual | Arsenal, Nagoya | Poor | ||
| 44 | 18 | 14/08/45 | 44-27298 | Bock | C-13 | Primary | Visual | Toyota Auto Works, Koromo | Good | ||
| 44 | 17 | 14/08/45 | 44-27299 | Devore | A-3 | Primary | Visual | Arsenal, Nagoya | Poor | ||
| 44 | 17 | 14/08/45 | 44-27300 | Westover | A-4 | Opport. | Visual | Arsenal, Nagoya | Excellent | ||
| 44 | 18 | 14/08/45 | 44-27301 | Albury | C-15 | Primary | Visual | Toyota Auto Works, Koromo | Poor | ||
| 44 | 18 | 14/08/45 | 44-27302 | McKnight | B-8 | Primary | Visual | Toyota Auto Works, Koromo | Poor | ||
| 44 | 17 | 14/08/45 | 44-27304 | Hopkins | C-14 | Primary | Visual | Arsenal, Nagoya | Poor |
(David Hebditch)
Before the last B-29s return from the missions above, US President Harry S Truman announces the unconditional surrender of Japan. Immediately thereafter, the 11th Airborne Division leaves the Philippine Islands by air for Okinawa, where it goes on standby as the initial occupation force for Japan.
News of the surrender was announced simultaneously in London, Washington and Moscow.
The US in its first response has ordered Japan to end fighting by all its forces on all fronts immediately. Japan has been told "to send emissaries at once to the supreme commander of the Allies powers with information of the disposition of the Japanese forces."
Allied armed forces have been ordered to suspend hostilities immediately. General Douglas MacArthur has been appointed supreme Allied commander to accept the Japanese surrender. Outside the imperial palace in Tokyo, where the imperial decision was read out, an emotional crowd gathered. Thousands of weeping people bowed to the ground wailing: "Forgive us, O Emperor, our efforts are not enough."
Submarine USS Spikefish sinks Japanese submarine HIJMS I-373. The last Japanese submarine lost in WWII.
CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Hickory Lake completed and transferred to USSR.
Minesweeper HMCS Fir Lake laid down Sarnia, Ontario.
U.S.A.: The US War Production Board removes its controls over automobile manufacturing activity.