(August 10, 1945 - where even a rumor got the presses rolling)
[gordon-donate]
(still pitching)
With the second Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki the day before, all ears were turned in the direction of Japan for any word regarding a surrender.
On August 10th, listening posts picked up broadcasts from the NHK (the Japanese Broadcasting service) reporting that the Emperor (Hirohito) had agreed to a surrender proposal first made in Potsdam on the 26th of July.
The stipulation was the Emperor had to stay in place.
Well . . no, that wasn't the deal and there was no official confirmation of either the report or the Allies agreement to those terms.
But that didn't stop people from assuming the war was over as of August 10th, as this breathless set of bulletins from the Mutual Network (via WOR in New York) attested to. Needless to say, the White House quickly issued a statement that no such agreement was made and by the end of the day, the war was still on.
So August 10th 1945 was a bit manic.
