Expert Available: 80th Anniversary of V-J Day
September 2, 1945, marks the formal surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay鈥攌nown as V-J Day鈥攁 pivotal moment that not only ended WWII but also shaped America鈥檚 role in the Pacific for generations to come.
Retired Vice Admiral , professor of practice at Syracuse University鈥檚 Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law, is available to provide context on how the war鈥檚 legacy connects directly to today鈥檚 U.S. alliances and responsibilities in East Asia.

He shared the following comment: 鈥淭he 80th anniversary of VJ Day reminds us of the progress that we have made in the Pacific, and at the same time the continued responsibility that we have to engage in East Asia. 聽The sacrifices that so many of our countrymen made between 1941 and 1945 – including close family members of many of us – provided the basis for the thriving, prosperous region that we witness today. 聽Moreover, our treaty obligations and long list of allied nations that we have in the region are a direct result of effective presence and diplomacy over the ensuing decades – and we should never take our stalwart allies in the Pacific for granted. 聽We have an obligation to continue what has been for the most part a well thought out, strategic approach in Asia for the sake of future generations – home and away.鈥
If you’d like to schedule an interview with Professor Murrett, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.