Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945 (The Pacific War Trilogy Book 3)

by Ian W. Toll

Sato was on time to the minute for his appointment at Molotov’s office in the Kremlin. As the Japanese ambassador commenced his formal greetings, Molotov cut him off and invited him to take a seat, adding that he had a formal statement he wished to read. Molotov took a page out of a folder on his desk and began reading the Soviet declaration of war against Japan, pausing at intervals for the translator. He stated that his government was acting in response to the request of the Allied governments of the United States, Great Britain, and China, which had invited the Soviets to join in the Potsdam Declaration. (That was false.) The USSR was acting to “bring peace nearer, free the people from further sacrifice and suffering and give the Japanese people the possibility of avoiding the dangers and destruction suffered by Germany after her refusal to capitulate unconditionally.”38 The Soviet Union would consider itself at war with Japan on the following day, August 9, 1945. Molotov did not offer any justification or rationale for abrogating the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact, which was scheduled to expire the following year. With genteel sarcasm, Sato thanked Molotov for his diligent labors in the cause of peace. The ambassador received a copy of the document and was shown the door.