This article explores the various factors that contributed to Japan's eventual surrender at the end of World War II. These included a strong sense of nationalism and pride, strategic last resort tactics such as kamikaze attacks and gyokusai, atomic bombings, and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. The US then occupied much of mainland Japan until 1952 when they returned control back over to the newly formed government, overseeing sweeping reforms that laid down much of framework for modern day Japan we know today.