The surrender of Japanese forces on Wake Island to U.S. Marines in early September 1945 came after nearly four years of conflict and marked a pivotal moment in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Wake Island was initially occupied by Japanese forces in December 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, leading to fierce battles for control of the strategic island. The U.S. attempted to retake the island during the course of the war, and as the tide turned against Japan following their defeats in major battles such as Midway and Guadalcanal, Wake Island remained an important target for U.S. forces. By the summer of 1945, with Japan's overall military capability severely weakened, the opportunity arose to secure Wake and eliminate the Japanese garrison's influence in the region.

On September 7, 1945, the formal surrender ceremony took place on the island, exemplifying the culmination of efforts to reclaim territory occupied by Japan. Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets, who led the U.S. forces, received the surrender of Japanese Commanding Officer, Major Tameichi Hara, underlining the strategic victories the Allies had achieved as World War II came to a close. The surrender was also a symbolic end to decades of military conflict in the Pacific, reinforcing U.S. military presence and signaling the decline of Japanese imperial ambitions in the region.