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Aug. 15, 2008  Aug. 15 — Japan's longest day — still resonates
Staff writer  Aug. 15, 1945, a scorcher without a cloud in the
sky, is one of the most emotional dates for the Japanese people,
as it is considered the day the nation surrendered and ended
World War II.  To be historically accurate, the Allies were
notified of the capitulation the previous night, and the
official surrender came weeks later.  Here are some questions
and answers about Aug. 15, often dubbed "Japan's longest day."
What happened on Aug. 15, 1945, and why is it remembered as the
day of surrender?  At noon, a radio recording of Emperor
Hirohito (known posthumously as Showa) was aired nationwide
announcing the surrender. Prompted by an advance notice of an
important message from the Emperor, a vast number of people
listened closely to their radios. Many were shocked and started
to cry as the man worshipped as a liv