31 Aug 1945
  • USS Cod departed Fremantle, Australia. ww2dbase [Cod | CPC]
  • Truman wrote Attlee, requesting the United Kingdom to accept the immigration of 100,000 European Jews into Palestine. ww2dbase [Harry Truman | CPC]
  • USS Segundo arrived at Sagami Wan, Japan at 0500 hours and was relieved of the duty of escorting the captured Japanese submarine I-401. ww2dbase [Segundo | CPC]
  • USS Cabrilla departed Fremantle, Australia for the United States. ww2dbase [Cabrilla | CPC]
Australia China
  • From Chongqing, China, Chiang Kaishek ordered General Zhang Fakui to begin moving his troops toward Hong Kong and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China for the occupation of the two regions. ww2dbase [Chiang Kaishek | Chongqing | CPC]
Guam
  • Vice Admiral George D. Murray, Commander Marianas Area, came aboard USS Portland at Apra Harbor, Guam, Marianas and made Portland his flagship for the coming operation. ww2dbase [Portland | DS]
Japan
  • Shokaku was removed from the Japanese Navy List. ww2dbase [Shokaku | CPC]
  • Battleship Yamato was removed from the Japanese Navy list. ww2dbase [Yamato | CPC]
  • At 0500 hours, Japanese submarine I-401 lowered its naval ensign while in Sagami Wan, Japan. Nobukiyo Nambu, the submarine's commanding officer, secretly ordered his signal officer to burn the flag to prevent US capture. The US naval ensign was soon hoisted. ww2dbase [I-401 | CPC]
  • Around 1,000 Allied prisoners of war from camps in the Tokyo, Japan area were transferred to hospital ships offshore. ww2dbase [Japan's Surrender | Tokyo | AC]
  • MacArthur established the Supreme Allied Command in Tokyo, Japan. ww2dbase [Douglas MacArthur | Tokyo | CPC]
  • I-14 entered the breakwater of Yokosuka Naval District, Kanwagawa Prefecture, Japan. ww2dbase [I-14 | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]
  • USS Archerfish entered Tokyo Bay, Japan. ww2dbase [Archerfish | Tokyo Bay | CPC]
Pacific Ocean
  • Tatsunosuke Ariizumi committed suicide aboard submarine I-401 by taking a pistol to his mouth at 0420 hours. He was buried at sea in a ceremony that somehow evaded the US boarding party. ww2dbase [Tatsunosuke Ariizumi | I-401 | CPC]
Thailand
  • Thai Prime Minister Khuang Aphaiwong resigned; he was succeeded by war time resistance movement leader Thawi Bunyaket. ww2dbase [Bangkok | CPC]
United States
  • 153 Soviets who had been captured by Americans among German ranks were deported from Fort Dix, New Jersey, United States for the Soviet Union, via Hof in southern Germany. ww2dbase [New Hanover, New Jersey | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 31 Aug 1945
Officers of submarine I-400, circa late Aug 1945US Navy PV-1 Ventura patrol aircraft over Mokapu Point, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii, 31 Aug 1945Douglas MacArthur embracing Jonathan Wainwright, Hotel New Grand, Yokohama, Japan, 31 Aug 1945Japanese pilot Lieutenant H. Nomura aboard USS West Virginia to help with the navigation of Tokyo Bay, Japan, 31 Aug 1945
See all photos dated 31 Aug 1945

31 Aug 1945 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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Famous WW2 Quote
"Since peace is now beyond hope, we can but fight to the end."

Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937


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