Front page of The News with various articles describing the announcement of Japan's surrender and the end of World War II including British Prime Minister Attlee's broadcast, Australian Prime Minister Chifley's announcement of public holidays for VP Day and a description of the response to the declaration of peace in Adelaide.

Emperor Hirohito broadcast to the Japanese people on 15 August 1945 that the war was over because it 'did not turn in Japan's favour'. The Japanese surrender came nine days after the Americans dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war in Europe had ended on 8 May 1945, a week after Adolf Hitler had committed suicide (30 April 1945).

The News described the reaction in Adelaide to British Prime Minister Attlee's announcement that Japan had surrendered:

Adelaidegreeted peace with a mad symphony of joy. And it was a symphony-played on train whistles, sirens; motor horns, trumpets, bells, punctuated by crackers-a mad, wonderful galaxy of sound, the indescribable outpouring of half a million souls who had just been given the most wonderful gift in this world-peace.

Mr Atllee's official announcement of the peace at 8.30 am was the signal which set the sirens, the joy bells going, which closed down businesses, which brought joyful crowds to the city ...

Australia's war, 1939-1945 / edited by Joan Beaumont, St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin, 1996

United States. National Archives The end of the war in the Pacific. Surrender documents in facsimile. Washington: US GPO, 1945

When the war came to Australia: Memories of the Second World War / Joanna Penglase and David Horner [compilers], St Leonard's, NSW: Allen & Unwin, 1992

SLSA South Australians at War

WWII timeline