The second atomic bomb and the threats of more bombs convinced the Japanese Emperor that there was no choice but to surrender. He ordered the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War to accept the terms laid out in Potsdam. The Emperor then gave a radio address to the Japanese people that Japan was going to surrender on August 15th. The only condition that the Japanese demanded was that the honor of the Emperor be maintained.

On August 28th Allied troops started to occupy Japan. On September 2nd a surrender ceremony was held on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor.