- In August 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the destruction of large parts of the cities.
- The bombings had a profound psychological and political impact on the Japanese government, leading them to surrender unconditionally on August 14, 1945.
Soviet invasion of Manchuria
- In August 1945, the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria, a Japanese-occupied territory in northeastern China.
- The Soviet forces rapidly defeated the Japanese Kwantung Army and advanced into Korea.
- The Soviet invasion, along with the atomic bombings, helped to convince the Japanese government that further resistance was futile and led to their decision to surrender.