President Truman approves plan to invade Japan 70 years ago this hour (June 18 1945)


Video: 'The World At War 1973(World War II Documentary)Episode 24-The Bomb(February–September 1945)' (June 18, 1945, at 19:27)

(Monday, June 18, 1945, 3:30 p.m. EWT; during World War II) — President Harry S. Truman met with military representatives today to discuss how the war against Japan should proceed. Truman decided to have the Joint Chiefs of Staff go ahead with plans to invade Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four major islands on Nov. 1, 1945 (click here to watch a clip from this on “American Experience: Truman” at 1:48:58).