What was the role of the Potsdam Declaration?

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The Potsdam Declaration was issued by the Allied powers (United States, Great Britain, and China) in July 1945 and demanded that Japan surrender unconditionally or face "prompt and utter destruction." This was a veiled threat of the use of atomic bombs on Japanese cities, which occurred a few weeks later in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Potsdam Declaration did not accept the Japanese surrender, present Japan's terms for surrender, or allow the emperor to remain on the throne. It also was not the formal name for the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan, though the Soviet Union did enter the war against Japan shortly after the Potsdam Declaration was issued.

What Was the Role of the Potsdam Declaration