Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
Aug 2 After 3½ days suffering exhaustion, lack of water and shark attacks in the Philippine Sea, the surviving crew of USS Indianapolis are spotted by Wilbur “Chuck” Gwinn, a PV-1 Ventura pilot on a routine sector search. 316 had survived.
Potsdam Conference
Aug 2 Potsdam Conference between Joseph Stalin, Harry Truman and Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee after losing the 1945 general election) ends
Golf Tournament
Aug 4 American golfer Byron Nelson wins Canadian Open at Uplands & Thornhill CC for a record 11th consecutive PGA victory, on way to record season tally of 18
- Aug 4 Red Sox outfielder Tom McBride drives in MLB record tying 6 runs in an inning (4th) during 15-4 win v Washington
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
Aug 6 Atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima by the US B-29 Superfortress "Enola Gay"
United Nations Charter
Aug 8 President Harry Truman signs the United Nations Charter
Nuremberg Trials
Aug 8 US, USSR, Britain and France sign Treaty of London which sets down procedures for the Nuremberg war trials of Nazi leaders
Nuclear Bombing of Nagasaki
Aug 9 US drops second atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki, Japan, destroying part of the city
Victory over Japan
Aug 14 V-J Day, Japan surrenders unconditionally to end WW II (also August 15 depending on time zone)
Historic Event
Aug 14 Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh movement launch a coordinated uprising against French rule across Vietnam following the Japanese surrender
Potsdam Declaration
Aug 14 Japanese government notifies the Allies that it had accepted the Potsdam Declaration
- Aug 15 A riot ensues in San Francisco while the city is celebrating the end of WW II
- Aug 15 US wartime rationing of gasoline & fuel oil ends
- Aug 15 Chandler sells World Series radio rights for $150,000 to Gillette, Ford had been World Series sponsor since 1934, pay $100,000 annually
- Aug 15 World War II: Korean Liberation Day.
- Aug 15 Victory over Japan Day, the Japanese surrender and the end of WWII is announced in Japan (due to time zones 14th Aug in the Americas)
- Aug 16 Puyi, the last Chinese Emperor and ruler of Manchukuo is captured by Soviet troops
- Aug 17 Korea is divided into North and South Korea along the 38th parallel
- Aug 18 Scheduled demonstrations at Polo Grounds & Ebbets Field to end segregation in organized baseball are called off
- Aug 18 Sukarno elected 1st President of Indonesia by the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI)
Sports History
Aug 19 Phillies Jimmie Foxx, 37, pitches 1st 7 innings vs Reds & wins
- Aug 20 17-year-old Dodgers utility Tommy Brown becomes youngest player to hit a MLB home run in Brooklyn's 11-1 rout of Pittsburgh Pirates at Ebbets Field
- Aug 20 Soviet troops occupy Harbin & Mukden
- Aug 21 US President Harry Truman ends Lend-Lease program
- Aug 22 Bob Cristofani scores 110 for Aust Services at Old Trafford
Music History
Aug 22 Noël Coward's revue "Sigh no More" premieres in London
- Aug 22 Vietnam conflict begins as Ho Chi Minh leads a successful coup
- Aug 24 Cleveland ace Bob Feller returns from Navy & strike out 12
- Aug 25 Jewish immigrants are permitted to leave Mauritius for Palestine
- Aug 26 Japanese diplomats board USS Missouri to receive instructions on Japan's surrender at the end of WWII
- Aug 27 US troops land in Japan after Japanese surrender
- Aug 29 British liberate Hong Kong from Japan
- Aug 30 12th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Green Bay 19, All-Stars 7 (92,753)
Music History
Aug 30 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 9th Symphony
- Aug 30 General Douglas MacArthur lands in Japan
- Aug 30 Hong Kong liberated from Japanese control
Historic Event
Aug 31 The Liberal Party of Australia is founded by Robert Menzies
