| |
1945 WW2 Events Timeline
1945 proves no less bloody as the German Empire falls, followed later by the conquering of the Empire of Japan.
Total Events: 63
1945
Tuesday
February 13th |
|
|
805 RAF bombers level the German city of Dresden, killing up to 130,000 of its inhabitants. The attack is notable for Dresden held little to no military or strategic value for Germany. |
|
|
In preparation for the amphibious assault landings on the island of Okinawa, US Naval elements begin bombardment of shoreline positions. |
|
|
The US 77th Infantry Division lands at the Kerama Islands to secure a staging post for the eventual invasion of Okinawa. |
|
|
Further landings of US forces on the Kerama Islands, complete its capture for the Allies. |
|
|
The US Navy lobs some 30,000 explosive shells on the Okinawa coastline by this time, ending a week of bombardment. |
1945
Sunday
April 1st - April 30th |
|
|
The USN is credited with sinking four German U-boats in what turns out to be the last recorded combat actions in the Atlantic Theater of War. |
1945
Sunday
April 1st - April 31st |
|
|
The final raid, this by American medium bombers, is launched against Schweinfurt. |
|
|
Two US Army and USMC divisions land along the southwest coast of Okinawa near Hagushi, meeting little resistance. The US 10th Army is commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner. Some 550,000 personnel and 180,000 soldiers take part in the fray. |
|
|
Allied forces find and locate the Japanese defenders along the southern portion of Okinawa. Heavy defenses are noted. |
|
|
American forces are now amassed as two separate assault fronts. To the north are the 1st and 6th Marine divisions. To the mountainous south are the 7th and 96th Infantry divisions. |
|
|
The IJN Yamato, Japan's pride and joy and the largest battleship ever built, sails from the Inland Sea on a suicide mission at Okinawa. She is escorted by the light cruiser Yahagi and some eight destroyers on her final voyage. |
|
|
The deadly kamikaze air attack is unleashed on American Naval vessels in the Pacific. These aircraft appear as coordinated airstrikes and prove equally deadly to both sides. USN vessels off the coast of Okinawa itself are targeted. Some 34 US Navy ships fall victim. |
|
|
As American forces move further inland, the battle for Okinawa intensifies. Pockets of dug-in Japanese defenders become evermore concentrated the more inland the Allied forces go. |
|
|
With no air cover, the IJN Yamato is blasted to pieces by the American Navy warplanes. Her magazine stores explode in a fantastic display as she goes up in smoke. Most of her crew is lost with the ship in the afternoon hours. |
|
|
In the early morning hours, US Navy reconnaissance aircraft spot the IJN Yamato and relay her position. |
|
|
Task Force 38 launches some 380 aircraft against IJN Yamato. |
|
|
The IJN Yamato, having already been spotted by an American submarine, makes its way to the fighting at Okinawa. The crew understand that this is a suicide mission at this point in the war. |
|
|
The American 27th Infantry Division lands at Tsugen. The island is just to the east of Okinawa proper. |
1945
Wednesday
April 11th |
|
|
The conquest of Tsugen is completed by the 27th Infantry Division. |
|
|
US Marines reach Hedo Point in the north of Okinawa. |
|
|
The Soviet Army begins its Berlin campaign with spectacular display of artillery, exploding targets throughout Berlin and its surrounding areas. The bombardment signals the beginning of the offensive to take the German capital. |
|
|
A five-day offensive is undertaken involving the American 77th Infantry Division and the island of Ie Shima. Ie Shima represents the tip of the Motobu Peninsula. Motobu is a defensive Japanese stronghold located to the west of Okinawa proper. |
|
|
Japanese defenders are pushed back towards Naha by American forces. The Japanese defensive lines are reset as territory is lost. The Americans report 1,000 casualties in their assaults. |
|
|
Motobu Peninsula falls to the Americans as the Japanese defenders are either killed or captured. |
|
|
Soviet Army groups advance against German defenses at the Oder River. |
|
|
Adolph Hitler celebrates his final (56th) birthday, seemingly unaware of the fate to befall him and his Germany. |
|
|
General Zhukov and his 1st Belorussian army break into the Berlin suburbs. |
|
|
The offensive to take Ie Shima is completed. |
1945
Wednesday
April 22nd |
|
|
Soviet leader Stalin sends his final assault orders to generals Zhukov and Koniev. |
|
|
The Berlin suburbs gradually fall under Soviet control as fighting rages on everywhere. |
|
|
German General Wenck of the 12th Army launches a futile counter-offensive against the Soviet onslaught. |
|
|
The British Royal Air Force slow down the 12th Army offensive through intense bombing. |
|
|
Some 30,000 German soldiers ready themselves for the bloody business of the day. |
|
|
The 1st Belorussian Front meets up with the st Ukranian Front, formally encircling Berlin. |
|
|
Over 2 million Berlin civilians hunker down for the violent fighting ahead. |
|
|
Elements of the 5th Guards Army reach the Elbe River at Torgau and celebrate with the arriving US 1st Army. |
|
|
All access points west of the German capital are cutt off by Soviet forces. |
|
|
Soviet forces advance towards Unter den Linden. |
|
|
Twin Soviet offensives break the final defensive fronts of the Germans. |
|
|
Soviet forces advance across the Spree River. |
|
|
The Soviet Army remains just 15 miles from the center of Berlin. |
|
|
General Wenck's 12th Army is halted by the Soviet Army. |
|
|
German soldiers set up defensive areas across a small 10 mile long front for their ultimate "last stand". |
|
|
The Soviets capture the Reichstag. |
|
|
German leader Adolph Hitler weds his mistress, Eva Braun, in his underground bunker under Berlin. After giving a final speech to his remaining supporters, he poisons his dog, then Braun and ultimately takes his own life. In his will, he leaves his authority to Admiral Doenitz. |
|
|
The bodies of Adolph Hitler and Eva Braun are taken to the Chancellery Gardens and incinerated under previous orders from Hitler, this to avoid capture and ultimate humiliation at the hands of the progressing Soviet Army. |
|
|
German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels murders his wife and six children before taking his own life. |
1945
Tuesday
May 1st - May 31st |
|
|
The last Artic Convoy voyage - with the designation of JW67 - between Britian and Russia is completed. |
|
|
By May of 1945, the U-boat scourge in the Atlantic is over, completing one of the more important battles in all of World War 2. |
|
|
Berlin formally and unconditionally surrenders to the Soviet legions and Western Allies. General Jodl signs for the defeated Germans and Generals Bedell Smith and Suslaparov for the Allies. |
|
|
German Generaloberst Hans Krebs approaches Chuikov with the formal German surrender. |
|
|
Soviet artillery opens up once again, this time in a massive barrage against the Chancellery and surrounding areas. |
|
|
General Chuikov makes his way into the center of Berlin. |
|
|
The way in Europe officially comes to a close. |
|
|
German forces across Berlin begin surrendering. |
|
|
The Fall of Berlin is complete - Soviet forces occupy all major sections of the German capital. |
|
|
The Japanese enact a major offensive in the south of Okinawa. A coast-to-coast defensive front is established from Naha to Yonabaru. Regardless, the line is targeted by prolonged American firepower and infantry. |
|
|
This day is formally announced as "VE Day" and celebrations break out across the world, though fighting in the Pacific against the Japanese Empire is ongoing. |
|
|
Naha is officially captured by American forces. The Orouku Peninsula to the south is now within reach. |
|
|
By this time, the Japanese defenders have been seperated into three major fighting groups. The more raw recruits find it somewhat easy to surrender than fight to the death. |
|
|
The Battle of Okinawa officially draws to a close and now represents the all-important staging area for the Allied invasion of the Japanese mainland. |
|
|
Understanding that defeat is iminent, Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushjima commits ritual suicide with his staff after reporting the loss of Okinawa to his superiors. |
|
|
The fighting on Okinawa comes to a close as American forces overwhelm the islands determined Japanese defenders. Those that are not taken prisoner or die in the fighting, subject themselves to ritual suicides. |
|
|
| All Events By Day of the Week |
|
|
