White House Press Release, Address by President Harry S. Truman

208 #231 HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE September 1, 1945 CAUTION: The following address of the President, to be broad- cast from the White House after the signing of the Japanese surrender, MUST BE HELD IN CONFIDENCE until the President begins speaking. NOTE: Release is expected between 9:45 and 10:00 P. , E.W.T., tonight, Saturday, September 1, 1945. The same release applies to radio announcers and news commentators. Because of uncertainty as to the exact time of de- livery, extreme care MUST BE EXERCISED to prevent premature publication. CHARLES G. ROSS Secretary to the President My fellow Americans: The thoughts and hopes of all America -- indeed of all the civilized world -- are centered tonight on the battle- ship Missouri. There on that small piece of American soil anchored in Tokyo Harbor the Japanese have just officially laid down their arms. They have signed terms of unconditional surrender. Four years ago the thoughts and fears of the whole civilized world were centered on another piece of American soil -- Pearl Harbor. The mighty threat to civilization which began there is now laid at rest. It was a long road to Tokyo and a bloody one. We shall not forget Pearl Harbor. The Japanese militarists will not forget the Missouri. The evil done by the Japanese war lords can never be repaired or forgotten. But their power to destroy and kill has been taken from them. Their armies and what is left of their Navy are now impotent. To all of us there comes first a sense of gratitude to Almighty God Who sustained us and our Allies in the dark days of grave danger, Who made us to grow from weakness into the strongest fighting force in history, and Who now has seen us overcome the forces of tyranny that sought to destroy His civili- zation. God grant that in our pride of the hour, we may not forget the hard tasks that are still before us; that we may ap- proach these with the same courage, zeal and patience with which we faced the trials and problems of the past four years. Our first thoughts, of course -- thoughts of grateful- ness and deep obligation -- go out to those of our loved ones who have been killed or maimed in this terrible war. On land and sea and in the air, American men and women have given their lives so that this day of ultimate victory might come and as- sure the survival of a civilized world. No victory can make good their loss. We think of those whom death in this war has hurt, taking from them husbands, sons, brothers and sisters whom they loved. No victory can bring back the faces they longed to see. (OVER)