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WW2 Events by Day of the Week
Putting the conflict into a realistic and relatable perspective.
Total Events: 129
for Monday
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The German battleship Graf Spee leaves Wilhelmshaven for the North Atlantic. She is commanded by Captain Hans Langsdorff. Her supply ship is the Altmark, which also leaves Wilhelmshaven. |
1939
Monday
September 18th |
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The Polish city of Vilnius falls to the Soviet army. |
1939
Monday
September 18th |
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The Polish government flees into Romania. |
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The last valiant gap of Polish resistance - numbering some 4,500 soldiers under the command of Admiral Unruh - north of Danzig on the Pubwysep Hela peninsula falls to the Germans. |
1939
Monday
November 20th |
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The Graf Spee begins her return to a pre-designated waiting area in the South Atlantic. British cruisers Ajax, Achilles, Exeter and Cumberland begin pursuit. |
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Only 21 operational ships make up the U-boat fleet at this time. |
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Sensing a catastrophic loss in the making, Winston Churchill orders preparation of vessels to evacuate the British Expeditionary Forces from northern France. |
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Compounding battlefield losses across France and the Low Countries force a change at the helm - General Maxime Weygand replaces General Maurice-Gustave Gamelin as supreme Allied commander. |
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The first attacks on RAF airfields and radar stations are conducted by German fighters and bombers. Germany intends on destroying RAF air supremacy before attempting its land invasion. |
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Underestimating overall RAF fighter strength, Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering changes offensive tactics and orders his fighters to tempt RAF fighters to duke it out in the skies as opposed to bombing them while still on the ground. |
1940
Monday
August 19th - August 24th |
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Poor weather and overcast skies limit any major German bombing efforts over Britain. |
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The first RAF attack on the German capital of Berlin takes place. Some 81 aircraft are part of the airborne raid. |
1940
Monday
September 16th |
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The German Luftwaffe redirects it sbombing campaign to now cover night-bombing of British cities. |
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Operation Judgement - the Allied attack on the Italian naval base at Taranto - is postponed due to mechanical issues aboard the carrier HMS Eagle and a fire aboard the carrier HMS Illustrious. |
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An Italian force of 200,000 soldiers invades Greece. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 10:00 PM, the first wave of Swordfish bombers is launched from HMS Illustrious, now stationed off of Cephalonia. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 10:58 PM, signal aircraft lead the first wave over Taranto, marking torpedo targets as they pass. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 11:14 PM, the Italian battleship Cavour is struck by a Royal Navy torpedo delivered via Swordfish L4A. L4A is later downed by anti-aircraft fire, though both crewmembers survive. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 11:15 PM, the Italian vessel Doria is struck twice by torpedoes in her forward section. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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The Italian ship Littorio is struck by a torpedo along her starboard side. Swordfish L4M follows with another strike to the same side. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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A Swordfish torpedo meant for the Vittorio Veneto fails to reach its mark, exploding harmlessly on the sea floor. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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The Libeccio is hit by a Royal Navy torpedo but the munition fails to explode. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 11:35 PM, the second wave of Royal Navy torpedo-laden aircraft moves into position. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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Once again, the bombing wave is led by signal aircraft marking targets with flares. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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Two signal aircraft attack the oil depot at Taranto but fail to produce much damage. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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The Italian battleship Caio Duilio is struck at her bow by a Royal Navy torpedo. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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A third Royal Navy Swordfish aircraft is lost to engine malfunction. A bad batch of gasoline is centered on as the source of the Swordfish issues. |
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The British 7th Tank Regiment, along with the 4th Indian Division, attack Italian positions at Tummar West and Nibeiwa. |
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Operation Compass is officially launched. |
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The British 7th Armored Division launches attacks on the Italian camps positioned near Sofafi and Rabia and makes its way toward the critical ocean-side road near Buqbug. |
1940
Monday
December 16th |
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RAF bombers strike on Mannheim as revenge for the German air raids over Coventry. |
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Rommel begins his attack near El Agheila. |
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The German Army destroys Yugoslavian forces at Monistar Gap, clearing a path into Greece. Greece units fighting in Albania are effectively cut off. |
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Allied codebreakers intercept word that Operation Mercury will commence the very next day. The Allies begin preparations. |
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In advance of the Crete invasion, RAF fighters are relocated to Egypt for safe-keeping. |
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The Royal Navy hunter-killer group receives some help with the arrival of the HMS Renown, HMS Sheffield and the HMS Ark Royal arriving from Gibraltar. |
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Between 8:47 and 9:25 PM, the Bismarck registers two direct torpedo hits. In a stroke of luck for the British, the second torpedo hits the stern section of the Bismarck, jamming her rudder to one side, forcing the vessel to go into an uncontrolled turn. |
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At 2:50 PM, an attack group from the HMS Ark Royal consisting of Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers begins their attack on the Bismarck. |
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Royal Navy ships open fire with their long range guns and close in on their prey. |
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A British Coastal Command PBY Catalina flying boat spots the KMS Bismarck 700 miles from Brest. |
1941
Monday
September 1st |
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German Army elements begin the shelling of Leningrad. |
1941
Monday
September 15th |
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The Germans now control the southern end of Leningrad, cutting its citizens off from the rest of the Soviet Union. |
1941
Monday
September 15th |
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Finnish forces, siding with the Germans, now control the Karelian isthmus, covering Leningrad from both sides. |
1941
Monday
September 15th |
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The Soviet fortress at Shlusselburg southeast of Leningrad falls to the Germans. |
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The United States, along with Britain, formally declare war on the Empire of Japan. |
1941
Monday
December 22nd |
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The Japanese 48th Division lands at Lingayen Bay on Luzon. |
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The Japanese Army makes short work of the light British defenses, covering some 230 miles in reaching Tavoy. |
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Adolph Hitler approves of the order for retreat for German forces Rostov. |
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The Imperial Japanese Navy unleashes a surprise attack, with some 120 aircraft, on British forces at Columbo Harbor, Ceylon. |
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Twenty-six Allied aircraft are destroyed. |
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The British Royal Navy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire are sunk by the Japanese air strike. |
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The British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Tenedos is sunk by the Japanese air strike. |
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The Japanese invasion force leaves Rabaul, New Britain, heading towards 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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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. |
1942
Monday
June 1st - June 3rd |
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A German pocket develops near Sidi Muftah. |
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Nearly 30% of German tanks have been lost in Rommel's offensive. |
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 German 6th Army moves on Stalingrad. |
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The Soviet city of Voronezh falls to the German Army. |
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The German 6th Army reaches the Don River. |
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General von Weichs takes control of Army Group B from Bock. |
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Adolph Hitler assigns General von Paulus and his 6th Army to take Stalingrad. |
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The US Navy claims a Japanese aircraft carrier. The carrier is attacked and sunk. |
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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
Monday
September 7th |
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US Marines enact a surprise amphibious landing against Japanese strongholds at Taivu. |
1942
Monday
September 14th |
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At the end of the Henderson Field offensive, the fanatical Japanese have lost at least 1,200 soldiers in the fighting. |
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After some 3,500 casualties are netted against the Japanese attackers, the offensive stalls and is ultimately called off. |
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The Caucasus town of Ordzhonikidse is captured by the Germans. |
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As more and more Allied armor crosses through the German perimeter, Rommel orders his battle-weary forces on an eastward retreat, keeping his forces within easy access to the North African coast. |
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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
Monday
November 16th |
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Allied forces begin their move into German-held Tunisia. |
1942
Monday
November 16th |
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British paratroopers land and capture the airfield at Soul el Arba. |
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. |
1942
Monday
November 30th |
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German General von Paulus and his 6th Army is contained by the fierce resisting Soviets in Stalingrad, putting Hitler's plans on hold. |
1942
Monday
December 21st |
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Soviet relief forces and supplies headed for Stalingrad are stopped at Myshkova. |
1942
Monday
December 28th |
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German Army Group A is given the official order to retreat from the Caucasus region. |
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German forces at Voronezh retreat. |
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German forces at Armavir retreat. |
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A Soviet offensive splits the German 6th Army at Stalingrad. |
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A Presidential directive calls for some 250 American aircraft to begin offensive actions in the Atlantic. |
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A massive evacuation effort sees some 11,000 Japanese personnel moved fom Tenaro, Gaudalcanal. |
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
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
Monday
March 1st - July 31st |
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Any further British convoy runs to Russia are postponed as supplies are funneled to other areas of the Atlantic. |
1943
Monday
March 1st - March 31st |
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The German battleship KMS Scharnhorst makes its way to Norway, building up the already potent German Navy force that includes the KMS Tirpitz and KMS Lutzow. |
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Due to dwindling results, German Admiral Karl Donitz calls back his U-boats from operations in the Atlantic. |
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The Germans enact Operation Citadel - the assault on the Kursk salient. The operation begins at 4:30am but major elements are delayed until 5:00am thanks to intense artillery attacks by the prepared Russians. |
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The Soviets commit more tanks against Hoth and his 4th Panzer Army. |
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A huge battle involving more than 1,000 tanks of the German and Soviet armies duke it out near Pokrovka. |
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Soviet General Sokolosky moves against German Army Group Center and the 9th Army in a counter-offensive. |
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Kharkov is retaken by the Soviet Army. |
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German Army Group Center is in full retreat. |
1943
Monday
November 1st - November 30th |
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In this month, Allies convoys in the Artic resume their activities. |
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The US is involved in their first major assault on Cassino. |
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Von Mackensen's forces now number some eight divisions in strength. |
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
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. |
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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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Some 6,000 naval vessels depart from the south of England towards France. |
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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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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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Some 57,000 German captives are paraded through the streets of Moscow. |
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German Army Group Center is completely annihilated from the German ranks. |
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White Russia is cleansed of all German invaders, leading celebrations in the Soviet capital of Moscow. |
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American forces enact Operation Cobra, this stemming from control of the Contentin peninsula. The goal is to smash through the German defenses and create a road through the Avranches, exposing inland France to future Allied assaults. |
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The 1st Canadian Army supports Allied elements just south of Caen, making their way towards Falaise. |
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A determined German counter-attack takes Mortain and heads towards Avranches before being stopped. Allied airstrikes and artillery stall the German advance. |
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Elements of Patton's 3rd Army are sent from Falaise to the east towards Chartres and in the direction of Paris proper. |
1944
Monday
September 18th |
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The British XXX Corps fights its way through a dedicated German resistance up the main artery road leading to Eindhoven. They finally unite with the 101st Airborne forces having landed at Eindhoven and Veghel. |
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. |
1944
Monday
September 25th |
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At Arnhem, some 6,000 Allied soldiers are taken prison by the Germans. A further 1,000 lay dead from the fighting. |
1944
Monday
September 25th |
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Remaining elements of the British 1st Airborne Division out of Arnhem make their way across the Neder Rijn River in retreat. They intend on meeting up with XXX Corps still making their way to the area. |
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8th Air Force B-17 and B-24 bombers are once again launched on Schweinfurt. |
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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. |
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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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Soviet Army groups advance against German defenses at the Oder River. |
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Adolph Hitler celebrates his final (56th) birthday, seemingly unaware of the fate to befall him and his Germany. |
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The Soviet Army remains just 15 miles from the center of Berlin. |
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German soldiers set up defensive areas across a small 10 mile long front for their ultimate "last stand". |
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General Wenck's 12th Army is halted by the Soviet Army. |
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The Soviets capture the Reichstag. |
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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. |
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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. |
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| All Events By Day of the Week |
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