Sec. 1251. Sense of Congress recognizing the 70th anniversary of the end of Allied military engagement in the Pacific theater
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Congress makes the following findings September 2, 2015, marks the 70th anniversary of the end of Allied military engagement in the Pacific theater, also marking the end of the Second World War. The United States entered the Second World War in December 1941, following the Empire of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, and over the next four years Americans participated in what was arguably the greatest national endeavor in the Nation’s history. The casualty toll of Americans in the Pacific theater during the Second World War was approximately 92,904 killed, 208,333 wounded, and tens of thousands missing in action and prisoners of war, with civilians and military forces of the Allied Powers suffering equally devastating tolls.
American military forces displayed extraordinary courage and suffered significant casualties in battles across the Pacific theater, including in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Philippines Campaign, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa. Japanese military forces and the Japanese civilian population also suffered staggering losses. On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito of Japan announced the unconditional surrender of Japan’s military forces, made formal on September 2, 1945, aboard the U.S.S.
Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan, thus ending the most devastating war in human history. Japan is now a free and prosperous democracy; a valued ally with shared values and mutual interests based on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law, who serves as a cornerstone for peace and security in the region and for whom the United States seeks to further enhance security, economic, and diplomatic ties. The bravery and sacrifice of the members of the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of the Allied Powers who served valiantly to rescue the Pacific nations from tyranny and aggression should be always remembered.
Congress— recognizes the 70th anniversary of the end of Allied military engagement in the Pacific theater, and also marking the end of Second World War; joins with a grateful nation in expressing respect and appreciation to the members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Pacific theater during the Second World War; remembers and honors those Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for their country during the campaigns in the Pacific theater during the Second World War; and preserves and applies the lessons learned from the history of the Second World War in the Pacific theater and recognizes the close alliance between the United States and Japan, codified in the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, that continues to be enhanced to maintain peace and prosperity in the region.