On this day in military history

The Cairo Declaration, released on 1 December 1943, set out the Allied plan for East Asia as the Second World War moved in their favour. President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek met in Cairo to decide how Japan’s empire would be handled once the fighting ended.

By late 1943, Japan’s earlier tide of victories had been reversed. With the Allies steadily advancing, the three leaders wanted a firm, united statement explaining what Japan would face after defeat. The result was a short but decisive declaration that outlined the future of territories Japan had taken over several decades.

The central message was straightforward: Japan would lose every piece of land it had seized through expansion and war. The declaration specified that Manchuria, Taiwan (then known as Formosa), and the Pescadores Islands would be returned to China. It also made clear that all Pacific islands taken by Japan since the First World War would be removed from its control. This was based on a simple principle that conquest should not be rewarded.

The document also addressed Korea, which had been under Japanese rule since 1910. The Allies promised that Korea would become free and independent once the war was over, setting the stage for its liberation in 1945.

Another important point was the expectation that Japan would surrender unconditionally. The Allies were not prepared to negotiate limited terms or compromises. They wanted Japan to fully accept disarmament and give up all territories taken through aggression.

Although short, the Cairo Declaration shaped much of the postwar settlement in Asia. Its terms were repeated in the Potsdam Declaration of 1945, which Japan accepted when it finally surrendered. The Cairo statement influenced the return of Taiwan to Chinese administration, laid the groundwork for Korea’s independence, and signalled an emerging world order that rejected imperial expansion.