Today in World War II History—Sept. 2, 1940 & 1945
80 Years Ago—Sept. 2, 1940: “Destroyers for Bases”: Roosevelt and Churchill agree to trade 50 old US destroyers for 99-year leases on British bases in Bahamas, Antigua, Trinidad, Jamaica, British Guiana, and St. Lucia, as well as land in Bermuda and Newfoundland; Roosevelt bypasses Congress in the deal.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is dedicated.
75 Years Ago—Sept. 2, 1945: World War II officially ends when Japan formally surrenders to Gen. Douglas MacArthur on battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay at 0903.
A US C-54 Skymaster transport plane makes a record 31 hr, 25 min flight from Tokyo to Washington, DC with film from the surrender ceremony.
Ho Chi Minh declares Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi.
To see photos of my tour of the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor, please see “Remember Pearl Harbor—Tour, Day 3.”
What a great day this was for us. The war ended. Yeah.