NPC in History: V-J Day at 14th and F

For hours, civilians and military personnel had gathered in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House, sitting on the lawn, chatting quietly with one another. In the still, hot August weather, men wore ties and jackets, fedoras and Panama hats. Women were stylishly dressed. Women as well as men wore Army and Navy uniforms, and all of them appeared to be sharp and neatly pressed.

On this day 75 years ago, they knew the news was coming. Many of them were reading earlier editions of the city’s three daily newspapers, The Washington Post, the Evening Star and the Times-Herald. This is an example of one of the headlines they may have seen, referring to the Japanese emperor: "JAPS OFFER TO SURRENDER IF MIKADO CAN REMAIN."

WTOP Radio parked a truck with a mobile transmitter on Pennsylvania Avenue, waiting for the official announcement that would then be reported directly to CBS News in New York City.

The growing crowd waited, waited, watching one another, watching the traffic, watching the street cars, watching the White House front door.

You can see a video clip of the waiting crowd taken by a Navy camera crew here:

The celebration in Washington had been subdued after V-E Day, the surrender of Germany in May that ended the war in Europe. Everyone knew that the fighting had to shift to the Pacific. Japanese forces had fought viciously in trying to stop Allied troops from taking Iwo Jima and Okinawa, two islands in striking distance of mainland Japan.

President Harry S. Truman looked at estimates of 500,000 to a million U.S. casualties if Allied troops had to invade Japan. Then, dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the equation. The Japanese were ready to surrender.

At 7 p.m. ET. on that Aug. 14, President Truman stood before reporters in the Oval Office and announced Japan’s unconditional surrender. Responding to CBS Radio anchor Robert Trout in New York, Bill Henry, WTOP’s White House correspondent, read Truman’s words — less than three minutes long — to the nation from the mobile transmitter truck.

Truman spoke of the “unconditional surrender of Japan.” He appointed Gen. Douglas MacArthur to receive the Japanese surrender as soon as possible. “Meantime, the Allied armed forces have been ordered to suspend offensive action.”

You can hear Henry’s report here:

Minutes later, President Truman emerged from the White House front door as the quiet, waiting crowd quickly turned to celebration. WTOP reporter Chris Coffin described the “tremendous, wonderful, joyous crowd” to CBS Radio News listeners as Truman, his wife Bess, and several staff and Cabinet members walked across the White House lawn to the fence.

“The president was deeply moved. They’re cheering him and applauding him.”

You can listen to Coffin’s report here:

Instead of getting into the trolley cars, the celebrants – men and women alike – climbed on top as the drivers clanged their bells to try to part a path on the tracks. Radio listeners could hear clanging, cheers and police whistles.

Then, the celebration began to move from the front of the White House, past 15th Street to 14th and F as the throng walked, marched, drank and sang their way to F Street past the National Press Building, and through the commercial hub of the city.

As time passed, the crowds became even more raucous.

Here’s how a reporter described the scene in his account for Yank Magazine, the Army weekly:

“This capital city, over which the Japs boasted they would raise their flag within a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, relaxed its worn nerves and celebrated the winning of the war with a screaming, drinking, paper-tearing, free-kissing demonstration, which combined all of the features of New Year’s Eve and Mardi Gras.

“The number of bottles which were passed freely among strangers would have startled anyone who has ever paid $50 for a quart of the stuff in such far-off places as New Georgia (one of the Solomon Islands fought over in 1943). One officer, standing in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House, waved a fifth of rye at arm’s length, repeatedly invited passers-by to ‘have a drink on the European Theater of Operations.’

“A T/Sgt (Army Technical Sergeant) rounded off his night’s excitement by shinnying up a light pole in front of the White House and leading the crowd in song, beating time with a small American flag.”

But the article also focused on the sober side of the celebration, quoting a middle-aged, white-haired man with a Scottish burr who remarked sadly, “You know, soldier, it’s a nice celebration, but I lost two sons — two sons. It might be a joke to some, but …”  shaking his head and walking slowly away.

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

The Navy camera crew captured the celebration around 14th Street and F Streets. Outside the Press Building, confetti and streamers rained down as crowds walked up and down, hugging one another.

You can see a video clip here:

As convertibles crammed with sailors and young women glided past, newsboys did a quick business selling the newspaper extra editions with the latest news on Truman’s statement and Japanese surrender.

“TRUMAN ANNOUNCES ‘WAR IS OVER’” screamed one. “THE WAR IS OVER! JAPS SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY,” blared another. Celebrants on the street snapped up copies and waved the front pages in front of the movie camera.

In this era, a movie palace was part of the National Press Building. Even today, anyone entering the building on F Street is walking through the old theater entry. Much of the Navy crew’s video took place right outside that well-lit entrance. We can see the marquee advertising the movie, “Murder He Says,” a comedy starring Fred MacMurray. Below that is a promotion for an upcoming live show featuring rising comedy star Jackie Gleason, who went on to create the immortal television character Ralph Kramden in "The Honeymooners," and Fred Lowrey, who at the time was a sensational blind professional whistler.

On this hot August evening, the theater proudly announced that it was “COOL,” one of the few air-conditioned public spaces in town.

Writing in the Club’s 1948 history, “Dateline: Washington,” Lyle Wilson, United Press bureau manager, described the moment this way:

“Then, the Japanese quit on a hot August day, and the town exploded in a celebration which nearly put a hole in the sky. From the bar and main dining room windows of the Press Club, awed members watched a task force of young Marines and their girlfriends try to set fire to the Willard Hotel not once, but several times. Police protested, but did not arrest. There was celebration in the Club, too, and morning found many a head heavy.

“But the professional members found time to handle two flashes and accompanying reading matter as an opening chapter of the peace and who won or lost it. There were executive orders ending the rationing of gasoline and war manpower controls. Those were the beginning of the endless task of the members of the Washington Press to tell the story of after the war.”

NPC in History is a feature of the National Press Club’s History and Heritage Team chaired by Club historian Gil Klein. He is the author of “Tales from the National Press Club,” published in April by The History Press. Klein offers special recognition to the National Archives for providing the video, audio, photo and the Yank news story. Also, special thanks to Club web editor Ryan Howell and Broadcast Operations Center producer Scott Graham.