World War II Timeline: September 1945

A dated guide to 4 documented events in September 1945, with links to individual historical records.

Dated historical records

Entries below follow the dates recorded in the WWII CHRONOS archive. Each linked title opens the original historical entry, including its source reference.

1. 1945-09-02 — Formal Surrender of Japan — The surrender instrument is signed aboard USS Missouri, bringing the Second World War to a formal end.
2. 1945-09-05 — ZEEP Reactor Reaches Criticality for the First Time — The first nuclear reactor outside the United States to achieve a self-sustaining chain reaction.
3. 1945-09-20 — Rolls-Royce Trent Makes Its First Flight as an Early Turboprop Engine — A key early milestone in turboprop transport aviation.
4. 1945-09-25 — First Flight of the de Havilland Dove — A symbol of aircraft factories shifting toward post-war civil production.

For wider context, explore the interactive historical timeline and compare events across theaters.