August 15, 1945. Under a blazing midsummer sun, amid the stillness of a waking dream, Japan's citizens listen to the announcement of her unconditional surrender. 2.53 million war dead. 8.75 million wounded. 2.36 million homes destroyed. Only 540,000 telephones are undamaged, half of the country's total. Most telephones in the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area have been destroyed, including 87% of all phones in Tokyo.

---