Today in World War II History—Aug. 15, 1940 & 1945
The famous kiss at Times Square, New York City, 14 Aug 1945 (Photographer: Victor Jorgensen; US National Archives: 80-G-413998)
80 Years Ago—Aug. 15, 1940: Luftwaffe sends 520 bombers & 1270 fighters against Britain, the highest number of the Battle of Britain, for the first time sending bombers from bases in Norway.
Luftwaffe’s “Black Thursday”: Germany loses 76 aircraft, while the RAF loses 34, plus 75 destroyed on the ground.
Off Greece, Italian sub Delfino sinks WWI-era Greek cruiser Helli to try to provoke Greece into the war.
First edition of Belgian underground resistance newspaper La Libre Belgique, a bimonthly paper with a circulation of 70,000, which runs through September 1944.
Victory celebration, Waikiki, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii, 15 Aug 1945
75 Years Ago—Aug. 15, 1945: V-J Day (Victory over Japan) in US and Britain, V-P Day (Victory in the Pacific) in Australia.
US accepts Japanese surrender, and hostilities cease.
Emperor Hirohito announces the surrender to the Japanese people, the first time they have heard his voice.
US Navy Task Force 38 aircraft strike Tokyo airfields before the surrender is announced—US Navy pilots have downed 6800 Japanese aircraft since Pearl Harbor.
