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United States WW2 Events Timeline
Initially baby-stepping their way into war, the Americans were thrust headfirst to the conflict by the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
Total Events: 271
1939
Wednesday
September 27th |
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The German battleships Deutschland and Graf Spee are let loose on Allied shipping convoys in the North Atlantic. |
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The Graf Spee goes on to sink four more Allied merchant vessels during the month of October. |
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The first US combat action against Germany occurs - this being the USS Niblack destroyer firing on a marauding German U-boat violating the US security zone. |
1941
Wednesday
November 26th |
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The Japanese naval fleet leaves home port and heads to Hawaii. |
1941
Saturday
December 6th |
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American President sends a final peace appeal to the Empire of Japan to which there is no answer. |
1941
Saturday
December 6th |
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American codebreakers begin tracking down a multi-part message - made up of 14 total components. Only the first 13 are actually deciphered, each being passed on to the President and the Secretary of State. |
1941
Saturday
December 6th |
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An attack against American is now deemed imminent though the consensus being that it will occur against interests somehwere in Southeast Asia. |
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At 7:02AM, the Japanese attack wave is located on American radar by two US Army personnel who bring it to the attention of a junior officer. The officer, expecting a flight of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses to arrive that day, disregards the alert. |
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In conjunction with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Wake Island is assaulted by a Japanese invasion force all its own - this under the command of Rear-Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi. |
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At 2:30PM Eastern Time, the Japanese diplomats in Washington finally visit with US Secretary of State Cordell Hull. With them is the Japanese declaration of war. |
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The attack on Pearl Harbor is over at 9:45AM. Over 2,400 people are killed and a further 1,178 are wounded. More die in the ensuing days while 1,104 sailors eventually perish within the hull of the battleship USS Arizona, its magazine stores ignited by a single Japanese bomb. |
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The second wave of Japanese Navy aircraft swoops in attacking targets of opportunity including auxiliary ships in the harbor and the all-important harbor facilities. |
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At approximately 7:15AM, the second wave of 167 Japanese Navy planes takes off from their carriers towards Pearl. |
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At 6:00AM, the first wave of 183 Japanese Navy aircraft takes off from their carriers, just north of Oahu, to make the 230 mile trek. The target is the US Pacific Fleet. |
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The Imperial Japanese Navy attack commences with their assault. The force is made up of 423 aircraft and converges on the Hawaiian Islands. |
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It is discovered that communication lines from Washington to Hawaii are down for the moment, forcing the US War Department to use a commercial telegraph service to warn forces on the Hawaiian Islands. |
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At approximately 10AM, a follow-up message is intercepted - meant for the Japanese diplomats in Washington - to delay handling of the previous message to the Americans until 1PM. The Americans now understand that an attack is imminent and the target is the US Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor. |
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At 9AM, the final Japanese message is broken down. It essentially directs its Washington envoy to break off diplomatic relations with America. |
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At 7:53AM, complete surprise by the Japanese Navy and the first wave begins their initial strike. This force is made up of 50 medium bombers, 43 A6M Zero fighters and 40 Kate torpedo bombers. Targets are the battleships hunkered down in the harbor and airfields used by the USAAF. |
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The United States, along with Britain, formally declare war on the Empire of Japan. |
1941
Wednesday
December 10th |
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Along the north of Luzon - at Aparri, Gonzago and Vigan - two large Japanese Army forces land via amphibious assault. |
1941
Thursday
December 11th |
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As expected, Germany and Italy side with Japan and officially declare war on the United States |
1941
Friday
December 12th |
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The airfields at Laoang and Tuguegarao fall to the Japanese invaders. |
1941
Monday
December 22nd |
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The Japanese 48th Division lands at Lingayen Bay on Luzon. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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The American military detachment at Wake Island surrenders. During their stand, the Americans accounted for at least 1,000 Japanese casualties and 4 Japanese navy warships. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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Despite an out-numbered yet heroic resistance on the part of American forces, Wake Island falls to the Japanese. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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MacArthur's forces are cut-off from further retreat by a Japanese Army force advancing from the south. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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The order is given by American General Douglas MacArthur to retreat from Luzon and take up positions on the Bataan Peninsula. |
1941
Thursday
December 25th |
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The Japanese 48th Division makes substantial progress against American forces, working their way towards the capital city of Manila. |
1941
Saturday
December 27th |
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The Philippine capital city of Manila eventually falls to the invading Japanese Army. |
1942
Thursday
January 1st - March 1st |
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Off the east coast of the United States, some 216 vessels fall prey to the German U-boat scourge in this span. |
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The Japanese begin their offensive against the dug-in American forces on the Bataan Peninsula. |
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The American defensive lines finally break. |
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American forces fighting on the Bataan Peninsula finally surrender to the Japanese. |
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Forces of the Imperial Japanese Army land at Tulagi of the Solomons island group. Subsequent develop ensures a base of operations for Japanese logistics in the region. |
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An Imperial Japanese Navy carrier force sets sail on patrol around the Solomons looking for American carrier battle groups. |
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American intelligence intercepts various Japanese communications and is able to piece together the intention to invade Port Moresby, New Guinea. |
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USS Yorktown launched strike aircraft south of Guadalcanal. At 6:30AM, the American Navy aircraft spot and subsequently target Japanese land emplacements and sea vessels in the area. |
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The Japanese invasion force leaves Rabaul, New Britain, heading towards Port Moresby, New Guinea. |
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The Japanese enact an offensive to take Corregidor Island, a strategic point providing access to Manila Bay. |
1942
Wednesday
May 5th - May 6th |
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Foul weather limits detection of either carrier force across a two day span. |
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Corregidor Island falls to the Japanese, giving the invaders control over Manila Bay. |
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The Allies spot the Japanese Covering Group escorting the invasion force. |
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The USS Neosho and the USS Sims are sunk by Japanese aircraft. |
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The USS Lexington and the USS Yorktown launch their attack planes and sink the Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho in the process. |
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Allied Task Force 44, headed by Royal Navy Rear-Admiral Crace, moves in to intercept the Japanese invasion force. However, the force is prematurely spotted by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft resulting in a counter-assault of the Task Force by Japanese Navy warplanes. Crace and his force never make the intercept. |
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Some 27 Japanese aircraft are launched under the cover of darkness in the hopes of locating the Allied Task Force. They come up empty and only six aircraft return safely home. |
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Just past dawn, the Japanese and American carrier groups spot one another. |
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At 9:25AM, Japanese and American warplanes take to the skies. |
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At 11:40AM, US Navy warplanes manage to score devastating hits to the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku, severely damaging her. |
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At 2:47PM, the American carrier USS Lexington is hit by a Japanese torpedo, causing a major explosion in her generator room. |
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By 6:00PM that evening, nearly all of the USS Lexington's sailors have been rescued. |
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At 6:10PM, the USS Lexington is a complete loss. She is scuttled and sunk. |
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The Japanese aircraft do not locate the American fleet and any further actions are called off, effectively ending the Battle of Coral Sea. |
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The convoy system is formally adopted by the United States in an effort to protect its merchant shipping in the Atlantic. |
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The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division begins training for Operation Rutter on the Isle of Wight. |
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A large Imperial Japanese Naval force sails for Japan towards Midway Island. The force Is made up of four task forces. One is charged with the invasion of the Aleutian Islands off of Alaska while the other three are to take Midway Island itself and assail the responding USN fleet. One group contains the required four aircraft carriers. |
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The final Imperial Japanese Task Force leaves mainland Japan. |
1942
Monday
June 1st - June 30th |
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June of 1942 marks the single worst month of Allied shipping losses, totaling some 834,000 tons of goods at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. |
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The Northern Task Force begins its operation to take the Aleutian Island chain and divert USN forces to the region. |
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At 12:00PM, Imperial Japanese Navy bomber aircraft strike against the attacking USS Yorktown. |
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The three Japanese carriers - Kaga, Soryu and Akagi - are struck with bombs and ultimately sunk. |
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At 10:25AM, a follow-up strike made up of 37 Dauntless dive bombers finds the Japanese carriers - now stocked with armed and fueled aircraft on their decks. |
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The initial American assault on the Japanese carrier strike force is over by 10:00AM. |
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All incoming USN Devastator attackers are shot down by Japanese Zero fighters in the span of six minutes. |
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The first wave of USN carrier dive-bombers has difficulty in locating their Japanese targets. |
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At 9:18AM, Nagumo reacts to the American presence and changes the course of his Carrier Strike Force. |
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At 8:20AM, a surprised Nagumo receives his first report of American carriers in the area. |
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At 9:00AM, USS Yorktown launches her aircraft with Nagumo's carrier force as the prime target. |
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At 8:37AM, aircraft of the second Japanese strike force returns to their respective carriers for rearming and refueling. |
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By 2:30PM, the USS Yorktown is severely damaged bu does not sink. |
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By 3:00PM, the crew of the USS Yorktown has abandoned their carrier. The damaged vessel is towed by USN ships. |
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American fighter aircraft take heavy losses but force the Japanese Navy to launch a second attack. |
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Between 9:30AM and 10:00AM, Torpedo planes from the USS Enterprise and USS Hornet begin their attacks on the Japanese carriers. |
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At 4:30AM, the bombing of Midway Island begins with aircraft from Vice-Admiral Nagumo's First Carrier Strike Force. |
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At 5:00PM, the Imperial Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu is set ablaze after being struck by no fewer than five direct bomb hits from aircraft of the USS Enterprise. |
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At 7:52AM, USS Enterprise and USS Hornet launch their dive bombers and torpedo planes. |
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At 7:28AM, a Japanese reconniassance plane spots spots ten undetermined USN surface ships 200 miles northeast of the Japanese Midway invasion force. |
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The Japanese carrier Hiryu is scuttled. |
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The island of Kiska is taken by Japanese forces. |
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The USS Yorktown, now severely damaged an in tow of US Navy forces, is targeted and sunk by a Japanese submarine. |
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The island of Attu is taken by Japanese forces. |
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This date is set aside for Operation Rutter - the amphibious landing at the port city of Dieppe in occupied France. |
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Bad weather cancels this original date for Operation Rutter. Discussions begin on whether or not to nix the entire endeavor. It returns to the planning stages under a new name - Operation Jubilee. |
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German U-boats off the eastern coast of the US are relocated to better assault the merchant fleets streaming across the Atlantic. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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By 2:00 PM, all survivors of the Dieppe invasion have been rescued. Left behind are 3,367 casualties, wounded, prisoners of war or missing. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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This date is targeted for Operation Jubilee. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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Operation Jubilee is officially put into action. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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4,962 Canadian soldiers, along with 1,000 British troops and a 50-man contingent of American US Army Rangers set sail on no fewer than 237 boats towards Dieppe. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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At 3:48 AM, several Allied invasion vessels run into a German convoy, which actively engages the ships, ruining any chance the Allies held in the element of surprise. This event is a fore-telling of the day to follow. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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At 5:35 AM, Allied armor makes it to the beach. Over half of the tanks are lost in the action. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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By 11:00 AM, disaster has completely befallen the invaders. Many are trapped, forced back or dead to a prepared German defense. |
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Nazi-allied French leader Marshal Petain celebrates the German victory over the Allied invasion at Dieppe. |
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By this date, the Japanese have completed their takeovers of the Caroline Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Marianas Islands and a portion of the Solomon Islands. This is the farthest that the Japanese Empire would reach in the Pacific. |
1942
Tuesday
September 1st - September 30th |
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The month is spent ironing out plans for the Allied invasion of German-occupied North Africa. |
1942
Saturday
November 7th |
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Three Allied task forces - the US Western, Central and the British Eastern - approach the coast of North Africa. |
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The Allied invasion forces reach North African shores. |
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US forces tangle with a suprisingly stout French defense. It was believed that the two country's histories would have brought France to surrender rather than fight a former ally. |
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The first French cease-fires begin to ring out across Algeria and Morocco. |
1942
Sunday
November 15th |
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American paratroopers land at the airfield near Youks les Bains |
1942
Monday
November 16th |
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Allied forces begin their move into German-held Tunisia. |
1942
Tuesday
November 17th |
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The Allies capture Beja. |
1942
Wednesday
November 18th |
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The Allies take Sidi Nsir. |
1942
Friday
November 20th |
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The Allied assault on the strategic city of Medjez el Bab begins. |
1942
Thursday
November 26th |
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Medjez el Bab falls to the Allies. |
1942
Monday
November 30th |
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Despite the consistent progression throughout North Africa, the Allied invasion offensive grounds to a halt in the face of growing German resistance at key junctions. The total liberation of North Africa will have to wait. |
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A Presidential directive calls for some 250 American aircraft to begin offensive actions in the Atlantic. |
1943
Sunday
February 14th |
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At 4AM, elements of the 10th Panzer Division and 21st Panzer Division under General von Arnim, launch their attack at Allied forces near Sidi Bou Zid and Bir el Hafey. |
1943
Monday
February 15th |
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German General Erwin Rommel commences with his assault through Operation Morgenluft. His attack takes him towards Gafsa, Feriana and Thelepte. |
1943
Thursday
February 18th |
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General von Arnim and General Rommels forces finally meet at Kasserine. |
1943
Friday
February 19th |
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American armored forces hold up the German advanced at Kasserine Pass. |
1943
Saturday
February 20th |
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Allied units move from Le Kef for the counter-attack. |
1943
Saturday
February 20th |
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The British 6th Armored Brigade moves towards Thala and Sbiba. |
1943
Saturday
February 20th |
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US forces move in to stop the German advance around Tebessa. |
1943
Saturday
February 20th |
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The Americans fold under the immense German assault and Kasserine Pass falls to the invaders. |
1943
Sunday
February 21st |
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The German forces at Kasserine Pass under Rommel await the Allied counter-offensive that never materializes. |
1943
Monday
February 22nd |
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Allied forces hold the Germans in check at Sbiba, Tebessa and Thala, inflicting 2,000 German casualties and forcing Rommel to call for a retreat. |
1943
Thursday
February 25th |
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Kasserine is now firmly in Allied control, the Germans having retreated and Rommel's attention now elsewhere. |
1943
Saturday
May 1st - May 31st |
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By the end of May, 43 U-boats are sunk to just 34 merchant vessels. |
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Allied aircraft are fitted with U-boat detecting radar systems. |
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Some 33 U-boats assail an Allied convoy. However, the streamlined Allied response nets zero ship losses and fatalities. The U-boats come up empty. |
1943
Tuesday
June 1st - June 30th |
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British and American authorities work together to formulate the Pointblank Directive - a combined air bombing campaign against the air production facilities of the German Luftwaffe. |
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The Allied D-Day landings in the North of France eventually render the French-German U-boat bases inoperable. |
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The Allied invasion fleets sail out to Sicily. |
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15th Army Group begins their initial assault to the south. |
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US 82nd Airborne Division and British 1st Airborne Division paratroopers land at strategic locations across Sicily prior to the invasion force's arrival. |
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Operation Husky begins. Target - German-held Sicily. Some 2,590 naval vessels take part in the invasion which encompasses two army groups of American and British forces invading at two different coasts of the island. |
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The Hermann Goring Panzer Division engages the US 1st Infantry Division at Gela. US forces are assited by offshore bombardment from Royal Navy ships and repel the German attack. |
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By this date, some 478,000 Allied troops have landed on Sicily. |
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Allied airborne elements parachute into Sicily and capture key bridges. However, a German counter-attack drives back any gains of the day. |
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German Paratroopers repel Allied forces from the Primasole bridge. |
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British and American forces finally meet at Comiso and Ragusa. |
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The Allies control key airfields across the island, allowing air support more resources from which to work with. |
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The Primsole bridge is recaptured from the Germans. |
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US General George C. Patton and his fabled 7th Army move along the west of the island at speed, claiming the Sicilian capital of Palermo in the process. |
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With Mussolini deposed back in Rome, Hitler has few options but to plan a retreat for his overwhelmed forces in Sicily. As such, he orders an official withdrawel. |
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In an attempt to cut off the retreating Germans, the US 7th Army conducts a flanking amphibious attack. |
1943
Wednesday
August 11th |
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The US 7th Army undertakes another amphibious jump to head off the German retreat. |
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One last amphibious assault by the 7th Army is conducted. The Germans now in full retreat to the northern tip of Sicily. |
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The Aleutian Islands Campaign comes to a close. The Japanese invasion is ultimately repelled. |
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At around 4:50PM, elements of the 4th Bomber Group begin landing at their pre-determined bases in North Africa. Twenty-four aircraft from the group are noted lost. |
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Aircraft of the 4th Bombardment Wing take-off at 6:20AM in an effort to reach its target in daylight. |
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At 11:18AM, the 1st Bombardment Wing finally takes off. |
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Some 250 German fighters, already alerted to the bomber group presence, are launched to repel subsequent air attacks. |
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Bad weather delays the original 5:30AM launch time of the operation. |
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At approximately 3:00PM, the 1st Bomber Group finally reaches its targets after incurring heavy losses from German fighters. Their bombing run ensues over Schweinfurt. |
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At approximately 6:00PM, elements of the 1st Bomber Group begin landing back at their UK bases. Some 36 aircraft are missing. |
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The US 3rd Division gives the official "all clear" from their position in Messina. Operation Husky is a success and Sicily is firmly in Allied hands. |
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Sometime between 11:46AM and 12:09M, the 4th Bomber Group makes their bombing run on targets at Regensburg. |
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German Luftwaffe defense fighters attack the 4th Bombardment Wing formations passing over Germany. |
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With only limited-range Allied fighter escorts, the first major air raid on Schweinfurt and Regensburg is launched. The air raid consists of 230 aircraft from the 1st Bombardment Wing and 146 aircraft of the 4th Bombardment Wing. |
1943
Thursday
October 14th |
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Some 291 USAAF bombers of the 13th Bombardment Wing are once-again launched against Schweinfurt. Though 30% of German ball-bearing production is knocked out, 60 American aircraft do not return to home bases in the UK. The high level of losses in these raids forces the USAAF to temporarily suspend long-range bombing attacks into Germany. |
1943
Tuesday
November 30th |
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The British and Americans devise Operation Argument to counter the Luftwaffe threat through a round-the-clock bombing offensive; bad weather postpones any action. |
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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The first major Allied offensive to take Cassino is launched. |
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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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British forces hold the line at River Moletta. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
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American forces hold the line at Mussolini Canal. |
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. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
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By 12AM midnight, some 45,000 Allied troops and 3,000 vehicles are on the beaches. |
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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 German Luftwaffe begins heavy strafing attacks and bombardment of Allied forces. |
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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. |
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The US 1st Armored Division captures the town of Aprilia. |
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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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Von Mackensen moves six divisions to Anzio, some ten miles of the Allied beachhead. |
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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 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 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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American bombers strike the production facilities at Schweinfurt. |
1944
Monday
February 14th |
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The offensive is detailed further, taking the latest developments into account. |
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
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
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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The German attack is more or less repelled, at the cost of 5,500 German casualties. |
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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American bomber groups begin medium bombing operations from bases within Italy. |
1944
Tuesday
February 22nd |
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The Allies replace the ineffective Major-General Lucas with Major-General Lucius Truscott. |
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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Over 900 American bombers are sent airborne to bomb aircraft-producing factories including Schweinfurt. |
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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With weather clearing, operations of Big Week continue. 266 American bombers strike 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
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 - 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 15th - March 21st |
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The 78th British Division makes headway thanks to the support of Allied armor. |
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 |
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Artillery guns open up on Cassino while 600-plus Allied bombers attempt to shake the German defenders. |
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
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 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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This date became one of the two best weather options for the Allied invasion of France. |
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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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Monte Cassino falls to the Allies, costing some 50,000 casualties along both sides of the battlefield. |
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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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Allied naval warships open up with their guns on German defensive positions along the French coast. |
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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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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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American forces at Utah beach hold pockets of land totaling just over 6 miles. |
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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 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 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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Near the town of Pouppeville, the US 4th Infantry Division at Utah beach connects with the 101st Airborne Division paratroopers. |
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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 midnight, D-Day is more or less over. Not all objectives are captured but progress is made nonetheless. |
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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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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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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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8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are launched on Schweinfurt. |
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8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are once again launched on Schweinfurt. |
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In preparation for the amphibious assault landings on the island of Okinawa, US Naval elements begin bombardment of shoreline positions. |
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The US 77th Infantry Division lands at the Kerama Islands to secure a staging post for the eventual invasion of Okinawa. |
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Further landings of US forces on the Kerama Islands, complete its capture for the Allies. |
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The US Navy lobs some 30,000 explosive shells on the Okinawa coastline by this time, ending a week of bombardment. |
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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. |
1945
Sunday
April 1st - April 31st |
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The final raid, this by American medium bombers, is launched against Schweinfurt. |
1945
Sunday
April 1st - April 30th |
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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. |
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Allied forces find and locate the Japanese defenders along the southern portion of Okinawa. Heavy defenses are noted. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Task Force 38 launches some 380 aircraft against IJN Yamato. |
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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. |
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In the early morning hours, US Navy reconnaissance aircraft spot the IJN Yamato and relay her position. |
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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. |
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The American 27th Infantry Division lands at Tsugen. The island is just to the east of Okinawa proper. |
1945
Wednesday
April 11th |
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The conquest of Tsugen is completed by the 27th Infantry Division. |
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US Marines reach Hedo Point in the north of Okinawa. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Motobu Peninsula falls to the Americans as the Japanese defenders are either killed or captured. |
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The offensive to take Ie Shima is completed. |
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Elements of the 5th Guards Army reach the Elbe River at Torgau and celebrate with the arriving US 1st Army. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Naha is officially captured by American forces. The Orouku Peninsula to the south is now within reach. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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| All Events By Day of the Week |
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