Sold For $275
*Includes Buyers Premium
World War II-dated TLS as president signed “Harry,” one page, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, July 3, 1945. Letter to Brown Harris, judge of the Circuit Court of Kansas City, written just three weeks before the Potsdam Declaration, in full: "Your letter of June twenty-eighth has been read with a great deal of interest. It is good of you to let me know of your approval and confidence. These assurances mean a great deal to me in these days of so many difficult tasks." Truman adds a brief handwritten postscript, "Sorry I didn't get to talk to you while I was at home." In fine condition, with staple holes to the upper left corner.
The Potsdam Declaration, formally titled the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender, called for the surrender of all Japanese armed forces during World War II. Issued on July 26, 1945, by U.S. President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Chinese President Chiang Kai-shek, the document outlined surrender terms agreed upon at the Potsdam Conference and warned that failure to comply would result in ‘prompt and utter destruction.’
Japanese Prime Minister Kantarō Suzuki described Japan’s response to the declaration as mokusatsu (‘killing with silence’), which the United States interpreted as a rejection, prompting the White House to carry out its threat. As a result, U.S. forces dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, devastating both cities, killing tens of thousands, and destroying infrastructure, military bases, and factories within a radius of over one mile. However, mokusatsu can also mean ‘withholding comment,’ leading to claims that mistranslation caused the bombings—an interpretation that remains disputed.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
