Eternal August 15th

Author: Liu Xiaofeng, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-06-01
Features: On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. Its broadcast marked the end of World War II, the second conflict of the 20th century, which had claimed the lives of tens of millions of people. They perished in the flames of war, under the brutal footsteps of invaders, or vanished into thin air in an instant of atomic bomb heat radiation. All of this was the fault of the terrifying demon known as fascism. Its end allowed the people of war-torn nations to emerge from the shadows of conflict and once again bask in the sunshine of peace. At noon on August 15, 1945, the "Imperial Rescript," a recording of Emperor Hirohito's unconditional surrender announcement to the world, was officially broadcast from the eighth studio of NHK headquarters. This recording, painstakingly made twice in the Imperial Palace's and narrowly avoided the search by a few fanatical Japanese militarists, was reluctantly issued to the global population. On August 15, 1945, the Japanese Emperor announced an unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers. This moment was destined to be deeply remembered by the nation and its descendants who endured immense war disasters but ultimately achieved peace, as well as by all who oppose war and cherish peace. This book focuses on the historical moment of August 15th, selecting multiple perspectives from China's liberated areas, the controlled areas, and the occupied areas, as well as from the Korean Peninsula, Japan, the Soviet Union, and Europe and America, to provide a panoramic yet detailed scan of the changes in the world's historical situation before and after Japan's surrender on August 15th. To allow readers to feel closer to yesterday's history, in addition to the narrative text, we have painstakingly collected a large number of historical photographs, archives, and documentary materials, and organically combined and arranged them according to the content. To help readers understand this period of history from multiple angles, we have also designed special sections such as "Reflections on History" and "Key Figures," and have prepared in-depth reading lists for those who wish to learn more. We hope to brush away the dust of 60 years and present yesterday's history to the general readership once again. We hope that readers can travel through time to relive the decisive moment in history and, as a result, cherish today's peace even more!