World War II effectively ended in 1945. In Europe, the war concluded with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945, which is celebrated as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The surrender followed a series of military defeats for Germany, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Allied forces.
In the Pacific theater, the war ended after the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). Japan formally surrendered on August 15, 1945, a day known as Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. The official signing of the surrender document took place on September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, marking the official end of World War II.