Victory in the Pacific – 80th anniversary
Eighty years after Victory in the Pacific – the official end of WWII – we honour all who bravely served to secure our peace.
Their courage, our peace
Victory in the Pacific Day (15 August) commemorates Japan’s unconditional surrender on that date in 1945, which officially ended World War II (WWII).
Almost one million Australians served in the armed forces during WWII. Many were engaged in the Pacific War (1941-1945) between the Allies and Japan.
Tragically, more than 39,000 Australians died as a result of their service (approx. 17,000 during the Pacific War), some 66,000 were wounded and 30,000 were taken prisoner – around two-thirds of them by Japanese forces. Of those, an estimated 8,000 died in captivity.
On the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific, join us in honouring all who bravely contributed to Australia’s war effort.
Lest we forget.
Sources: Australian War Memorial, State Library of Queensland
Learn more about Victory in the Pacific
How Queenslanders celebrated VP Day
When World War II ended, there was singing and dancing in the streets for days. “They were all going mad. All the excitement – they couldn't get over it.”
A road trip through wartime Queensland
From Cape York to Brisbane, our state is rich in sites of military significance.
Jitterbugging and kissing competitions
The first VP Day was celebrated with jubilation as crowds filled the streets across Australia.
VP a reflection in photos
From a devastated Darwin to Australia’s iconic ‘Dancing Man’, these images capture the lead-up to victory in the Pacific and the events that followed.
Battle in Balikpapan: Townsville WWII veteran shares his story
Eager to join the Australian Defence Force, then-17-year-old Leslie Sinclair raced to the Army recruitment depot in Townsville after not hearing back from the Navy.
World War II veteran shares his story ahead of 80th Victory in the Pacific Day
Night had fallen over the jungles of northern Papua New Guinea in 1945. Victorian-born Dawson Reimers was on guard duty when he was informed that Japan had formally surrendered to the Allies.
