Japan's WWII Surrender: The Soviet Role Clarified

Japan did not surrender specifically to the Soviet Union. On August 15, 1945 (announced) / September 2, 1945 (formal signing), Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers, represented by General Douglas MacArthur aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The Allies included the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, and others. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8 and invaded Manchuria, but the surrender was to the collective Allied command, not to the USSR alone. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima (Aug 6) and Nagasaki (Aug 9) were the immediate catalysts.