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1944 WW2 Events Timeline
1944 proves the critical year for the war as a foothold is established in Europe and progress is made in the Pacific.
Total Events: 157
1944
Saturday
January 1st |
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A message to subordinates by US Army Air Force commanding general General H.H. Hap Arnold calls for the destruction of the German Luftwaffe before Allied landings can begin. |
1944
Tuesday
January 11th |
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French Expeditionary Corps assail the outer defences at Cassino, achieving modest gains. |
1944
Tuesday
January 11th |
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The first major Allied offensive to take Cassino is launched. |
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Soviet armies from the 2nd Baltic, Volkov and Leningrad fronts overtake German Army Group North in a massive two-week offensive. |
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The US IC Corps and the French Expeditionary Corps arrive at Rapido River. |
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The US is involved in their first major assault on Cassino. |
1944
Tuesday
January 18th - February 9th |
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US forces begin making headway through the Liri Valley, capturing ground at Monte Calvario. |
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In the afternoon hours, an Allied convoy of 243 ships sets sail from the Bay of Naples for the beaches at Anzio and nearby Nettuno. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
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By 12AM midnight, some 45,000 Allied troops and 3,000 vehicles are on the beaches. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
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American forces hold the line at Mussolini Canal. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
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British forces hold the line at River Moletta. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
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Operation Shingle, the amphibious landings at Anzio, is enacted by the Allied. In lead is the US VI Corps under Major-General John Lucas. |
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The German Luftwaffe begins heavy strafing attacks and bombardment of Allied forces. |
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German Colonel-General von Mackensen takes control of the new 14th Army headquartered 30 miles west of Rome. |
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The Anzio beachhead is consolidated into a concentrated pocket on the orders of Lucas. |
1944
Tuesday
January 25th |
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The Anzio beachhead continues to grow with Allied troops and equipment, making it a prime target for the regrouping Germans. |
1944
Thursday
January 27th |
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The siege of Leningrad is declared by Soviet leader Stalin as over. |
1944
Thursday
January 27th |
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The Moscow-Leningrad railway route is reopened in favor of the Soviets. |
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By this date, some 70,000 men, 27,000 tons of goods, 508 artillery guns and 237 tanks are ashore on the beachhead. |
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The US 1st Armored Division captures the town of Aprilia. |
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Von Mackensen moves six divisions to Anzio, some ten miles of the Allied beachhead. |
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The Germans are driven back at Cisterna. |
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Hitler delivers an ultimatum to supreme commander-in-chief over Italy operations, Field Marshall Kesselring, to fight to the death and drive the invading Allied forces into the sea. |
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German Army Group North is pushed away from the city of Leningrad. |
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The Allies suffer some 5,000 casualties in the Anzio action by this date. |
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Von Mackensen's forces now number some eight divisions in strength. |
1944
Thursday
February 10th |
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In a counter offensive, crack German paratroopers repel US forces and previous Allied gains are lost. |
1944
Friday
February 11th |
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US and Indian losses mount in the offensives against German positions in Calvario, the town of Cassino and Monte Cassino itself. |
1944
Friday
February 11th |
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The entire US 142nd Regiment is destroyed. |
1944
Friday
February 11th |
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The 4th Indian Division reports unacceptably high casualties when coming up against the stout German defenders. |
1944
Friday
February 11th |
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The 34th and 36th US Divisions both report a high number of casualties from the ensuing offensives. |
1944
Friday
February 11th |
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A blanket retreat is enacted by the Allies in an attempt to regroup and plan a new strategy to take Cassino. |
1944
Saturday
February 12th |
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Winston Churchill pens a critical letter to supreme commander-in-chief of Allied operations in Italy. In his writings he claims he expected to see "a wild cat roaring" and has seen nothing but a "whale wallowing on the beaches". |
1944
Monday
February 14th |
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The offensive is detailed further, taking the latest developments into account. |
1944
Monday
February 14th |
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American bombers strike the production facilities at Schweinfurt. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th - February 18th |
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The 2nd New Zealand Division is charged with taking the railway station at Cassino. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th |
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In an effort to destroy the believed German defensive positions atop Monte Cassino, Allied bombers numbering 229 strong, lay waste to the monestary. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th |
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Following the Allied aerial bombardment, the second major Allied offensive to take Cassino is launched. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th - February 18th |
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The 4th Indian Division assault is repelled and driven away, suffering high casualties. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th - February 18th |
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The 4th Indian Division is charged with taking both Monte Calvario and Monastary Hill. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th - February 18th |
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The 2nd New Zealand Division assault is twarted and driven back, suffering high casualties. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th |
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German forces, having never held a defensive position in the monestary proper, move into the resulting debris from the surrounding mountain slopes and set up solid defensive positions within the rubble. |
1944
Wednesday
February 16th |
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Kesselring launches a large counterattack against the invading Allied forces. |
1944
Thursday
February 17th |
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The Allies lose some four miles of territory but stand fast outside of Anzio. |
1944
Saturday
February 19th - March 13th |
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The Italian winter makes its arrival and postpones any further Allied offensives for the next month. |
1944
Saturday
February 19th |
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Better weather finally arrives allowing the RAF to send up its first 823-strong heavy bomber force. The target is Leipzig and 78 bombers are lost to the German defense. |
1944
Sunday
February 20th |
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The German attack is more or less repelled, at the cost of 5,500 German casualties. |
1944
Sunday
February 20th |
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American bombers and fighters take to the skies in force in support of the new bombing campaign. They number over 1,000 bombers and 660 fighters in escort. Twelve industrial target locations across Germany are hit. 21 American aircraft are lost. |
1944
Sunday
February 20th |
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Some 598 RAF bombers are sent airborne. |
1944
Monday
February 21st |
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The Americans respond with another wave of 861 bombers with escorts. The target is the Luftwaffe production center in Brunswick. |
1944
Tuesday
February 22nd |
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Bad weather forces many-an-inflight accident for US bomber groups. Some 41 aircraft are lost. Nijmegen is accidentally bombed, causing over 200 civilian deaths. |
1944
Tuesday
February 22nd |
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The Allies replace the ineffective Major-General Lucas with Major-General Lucius Truscott. |
1944
Tuesday
February 22nd |
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American bomber groups begin medium bombing operations from bases within Italy. |
1944
Wednesday
February 23rd |
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Bad weather postpones any further bombing actions for the time being. The Allies take this time to recoup and repair. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
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The USAAF 1st Division launches another bombing raid on Schweinfurt through 238 bombers and long-range escort fighters. Eleven aircraft are lost. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
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A British bomber force made up of Handley Page Halifaxes and Avro Lancasters take part in a night-bombing raid on Schweinfurt, dropping some 2,000 tons of ordnance on the area. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
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733 RAF bombers strike at Schweinfurt in a night time raid. 33 aircraft are lost. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
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With weather clearing, operations of Big Week continue. 266 American bombers strike Schweinfurt. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
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Over 900 American bombers are sent airborne to bomb aircraft-producing factories including Schweinfurt. |
1944
Friday
February 25th |
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By the end of it all, 3,300 Allied sorties are launched in the offensive and 226 bombers are lost. 290 German fighters are destroyed and another further 90 are damaged. |
1944
Friday
February 25th |
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The final American air raid of Big Week is launched with 900 bombers against Regensburg, Augsburg and Forth. |
1944
Friday
February 25th |
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RAF bombers hit Augsburg with 594 aircraft in a night time raid. |
1944
Tuesday
February 29th |
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Von Mackensen cancels the German offensive amidst mounting casualties and little gain. |
1944
Wednesday
March 1st - May 22nd |
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The Anzio engagement is limited to minor activity for the time being, with the Allies dug in and the Germans trying to dislodge the invaders by limited means. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th |
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Artillery guns open up on Cassino while 600-plus Allied bombers attempt to shake the German defenders. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th |
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A third major Allied offensive is put into action. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
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The 2nd New Zealand Division captures German-held position with the help of Allied armor support. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
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The 78th British Division makes headway thanks to the support of Allied armor. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
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Against mounting casualties but with tank support, the 4th Indian Division gains ground. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
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Positions on Monte Cassino are officially in Allied hands. |
1944
Wednesday
March 22nd |
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With mounting losses in both manpower and tanks, further Allied thrusts are called off. |
1944
Thursday
March 23rd - May 10th |
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A lengthy six-week period allows the Allies to rebuild their forces - though this period allows the Germans to increase their defensive foothold. |
1944
Thursday
March 30th - March 31st |
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Some 100 Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax bombers mistakenly drop 400-tons of ordnance on Schweinfurt, thinking that it is their target of Nuremburg. |
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795 RAF bombers attack Nuremburg with 95 aircraft lost to action. This mission marks the biggest RAF loss to date. |
1944
Saturday
April 1st - June 5th |
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Allied bombers increase their sorties across Northern and Western France in preparations of the D-Day landings. Targets include the vital railways, railyards, bridges and roads dotting the French landscape. These facilities will prove crucial to the German response to the invasion. |
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The KMS Tirpitz is targeted once more and attack, this time by air elements of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. The battleship lives through the attack but suffers three more months of repairs as a result. |
1944
Monday
May 1st - May 31st |
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Plans begin for a major Soviet offensive against the German Army in the East. |
1944
Monday
May 1st - July 31st |
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The upcoming invasion at Normany puts a temporary halt on further convoy runs into Russia. |
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The fourth offensive to take Cassino is put into action. |
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Approximately 2,000 Allied artillery guns open up on Cassino. |
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A combined British, Polish and American assault converge on Cassino involving the British 13th Corps, the Polish II Corps and the US 5th Army. |
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German paratrooper forces defending Cassino being their evacuation. |
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Weather on May 17th cancels the D-Day operation. Leaving the next best weather window of opportunity to be June 5th. |
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June 5th is selected as the next official launch date for D-Day. |
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German paratrooper forces exit the Cassino region. |
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This date became one of the two best weather options for the Allied invasion of France. |
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Monte Cassino falls to the Allies, costing some 50,000 casualties along both sides of the battlefield. |
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The Poles take Monte Calvario. |
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The British take the town of Cassino. |
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The Soviet offensive is detailed under the codename of "Operation Bagration". |
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The launch date for Operation Bagration is set for June 22nd. |
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The US VI Corps breaks out of the Anzio perimeter and takes ground well into the Alban Hills. |
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The US VI Corps continues its gains and eventually combines with the arriving UU Corps. The road to Rome is now in the hands of the US Army and steps are taken for the final assault on the capital. |
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Official word comes down that the June 5th landings will be postponed due to inclement weather across the North Sea. |
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Some 6,000 naval vessels depart from the south of England towards France. |
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The US Army forces arriving at Omaha beach face a prepared, stout and veteran defense made possible by the German 352nd Division. After 2,400 casualties, the 1st US Infantry Division holds a beachhead. |
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By 8:00AM, most of the German defenders at or near Gold and Sword beaches have been cleared or are on the run. |
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The British 3rd Division arriving at Sword beach face a stouter German defense but are able to overwhelm the enemy and establish a foothold. |
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The British 50th Division pushed some 6 miles inland. |
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The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division makes its way towards Juno beach. The German defenses, heavy seas and underwater obstacles cause a loss of 30 percent of the landing craft. The onshore result is equally grim as the Canadians are assaulted by the prepared Germans. |
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At approximately 7:25AM, forces of the British and Canadian armies wade ashore at beaches codenamed Gold and Juno. |
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Near the town of Pouppeville, the US 4th Infantry Division at Utah beach connects with the 101st Airborne Division paratroopers. |
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US Army forces arriving at Utah beach find themselves some 2,000 yards away from where they should be. The result is the force finds little German opposition at Utah. Their original landing zone was to be centered around Les-Dunes-de-Varreville. Total casualties from the landing are 300 personnel. |
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At approximately 6:30AM, American Army forces begin landing at two key beaches, codenamed Utah and Omaha. |
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Allied naval warships open up with their guns on German defensive positions along the French coast. |
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The combined British and Canadian forces at Gold face little opposition and claim their objectives with little incident. |
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Despite the confusion on the part of the misdropped Allied paratroopers, the defending Germans are thrown into an equal level of confusion, noting Allied airdrops all around them. |
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The Canadians out of Juno beach take Bernieres at about 11:00AM. |
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No less than five key bridges over the Dives River are blown up by British paratroopers. |
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British and French special forces elements out of Sword beach connect with the British paratroopers holding the key bridges over the Orne River. |
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At 4:00PM, the mobilized German 21st Panzer Division launches a counter-attack. |
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The German counter-attack reaches the beachhead at Sword. |
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The German 21st Panzer Division is repelled by a combined Allied armor and air assault, saving further actions at Sword. |
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By 8:00PM, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division out of Juno beach connects with the British 50th Division out of Gold beach. This union becomes the largest Allied-held pocket in the north of France to this point. |
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By midnight, D-Day is more or less over. Not all objectives are captured but progress is made nonetheless. |
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The British and Canadian forces out of Gold and Juno beaches enjoy the largest footholds in France, encompassing land holdings some 9 miles wide and 6.2 miles inland. |
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The Allied elements at Sword beach hold onto a 6-by-6 mile piece of land though they are still cut off from the Allies at Juno. |
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Omaha statistics are grim and the group holds the least amount of real estate at just 4.3 miles across and 1.2 miles inland. However, they do hold positions in Vierville sur Mer, Colleville and St-Laurent sur Mer. |
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The first town in France - Ste Mere Eglise - is liberated by the Allies, this honor falling to the American forces from Utah beach and paratroopers from the previous day's drops. |
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American forces at Utah beach hold pockets of land totaling just over 6 miles. |
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At approximately 10:00AM, British forces out of Gold beach take La Riviere. |
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British paratroopers destroy the coastal fortifications at Merville. |
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The British paratroopers take the bridges over the Caen Canal and the Orne River. |
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British paratroopers of the 6th British Airborne Brigade land near Benouville. |
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Elements of the US 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions land across the Cotentin Peninsula. Despite all the planning, their dropzones are widely scattered. |
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In preparation for the arrival of the regular armies by way of amphibious landing, British and American airborne paratroopers arrive in France just after midnight. |
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Soviet partisan groups spring into action along the German rear guard and wreak havoc for days. Targets include supply and communication lines. Tens of thousands of explosive acts of sabotage are noted. |
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Totaling over 1.2 million troops, the 1st Baltic Front - along with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts - are put into action along four fronts. Vitebsk is quickly taken and controlled. The 3rd Panzer Army suffers heavy losses. |
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Operation Bagration is put into action with General Zhukov in command. |
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The 1st and 3rd Belorussian Fronts advanced to northeast of Minsk, surrounding the German 4th Army. |
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By this date, the partisan actions along the German rear dwindle in preparation for the upcoming offensive. |
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With the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts closing, Hitler okays the order for the 9th Army to retreat to more favorable ground. |
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Hitler replaces Field Marshal Busch with General Model to help stem his losses. |
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The Soviets take Bobruysk. |
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The 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts close in and around the city of Minsk, attempting to join forces of the 3rd Belorussian Front. |
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By this date, the German Army has recorded some 200,000 casualties from the aggressive Soviet offensive. |
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German losses total 400,000 personnel. |
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By this date, the 160,000-strong German 4th Army alone reports losses of 130,000 troops. |
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Minsk falls to the Soviet offensive. |
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Encircled, remnants of the German 4th Army are captured or killed trying to flee. |
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The German 9th Army is obliterated under the might of the Red Army. |
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Vilnius, Lithuania is captured by Soviet ground troops. |
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A new Soviet land offensive is launched with elements of the Soviet 1st and 4th Ukranian Fronts. Their target is Germany Army Group North in the Ukraine on their way to southern Poland. |
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Some 57,000 German captives are paraded through the streets of Moscow. |
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White Russia is cleansed of all German invaders, leading celebrations in the Soviet capital of Moscow. |
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German Army Group Center is completely annihilated from the German ranks. |
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8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are launched on Schweinfurt. |
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Lvov is clamed by the Ukranian Fronts. |
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Soviet forces lay claim to Brest-Litovsk. |
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The move westward continues. |
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Stretched and strained supply lines bring the Soviet war machine to a halt. |
1944
Tuesday
August 15th - August 29th |
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During another running battle, convoy JW59 and her surface warships inflict damage on the KMS Tirpitz. |
1944
Wednesday
August 30th |
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The massive Soviet offensive ends with much of the German-held territories now in Russian hands. The Soviet Army has made it as far as the outskirts of Warsaw in Poland with a front running from Lithuania in the north, through Belorussia in the center and Poland/Ukraine in the south. |
1944
Monday
September 23rd |
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141 RAF bombers take on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. Some of these bombers make use of the massive "Tallboy" 12,000lb bomb. |
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8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are once again launched on Schweinfurt. |
1944
Wednesday
November 1st - November 30th |
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As the German defensive circle shrinks througout Europe, the Artic Convoys enjoy their best month, seeing not one vessel lost to enemy action. |
1944
Sunday
November 12th |
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The KMS Tirpitz is finally destroyed at Troms by forces of the RAF. |
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| All Events By Day of the Week |
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