|
World War 2:
Chronology
EUROPEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS
1939
Sept. 1-Germany invades Poland
Sept. 17-Soviet forces invade Poland.
Sept. 27-Warsaw capitulates.
Oct. 6-Last organized Polish resistance is broken at Kock.
Nov. 30-Soviet forces invade Finland.
1940
March 12-Finland capitulates, signing Treaty of Moscow.
April 9-Germans begin invasion of Norway and seize Denmark.
April 14-Anglo-French forces reach Norway.
May 2-Anglo-French forces are driven from central Norway.
May 10-Germans invade the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
May 14-Dutch Army surrenders.
May 20-Germans break through to English Channel at Abbeville.
May 28-Belgium surrenders unconditionally.
June 4-British complete evacuation of Dunkerque.
June 8-Allies leave Narvik.
June 9-Norwegian Army agrees to armistice.
June 14-Germans enter Paris.
June 22-German-French armistice is signed (fighting ends June 25 after
signature of Italo-French armistice June 24) .
July 3-British attack French Fleet at Oran and Mers-elKebir.
July 10-Battle of Britain begins.
Aug. 5-Italians invade British Somaliland (conquest is completed Aug.
19).
Sept. 13-Italians invade Egypt.
Sept. 23-British and Free French attempt unsuccessfully to take Dakar
(attack ends Sept. 25). Oct. 28-Mussolini invades Greece.
Oct. 31-Germans begin breaking off Battle of Britain.
Dec. 9-Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell launches British counteroffensive in
Egypt.
1941
Feb. 7-Trapped Italian army surrenders to British at
Bedafomm, Libya.
Feb. 12-Gen Erwin Rommel arrives in Tripoli to take over North African
campaign for Axis.
March 1-Italians finally check Greek counteroffensive.
March 5-British forces reach Greek mainland.
March 16-British land at Berbera, British Somaliland.
March 24-Axis forces launch offensive in North Africa (Tobruk is invested
by April 11).
April 6-Axis forces invade Yugoslavia and Greece; British occupy Addis
Ababa.
April 17-Yugoslav Army capitulates; British begin evacuating Greek mainland.
April 30-Organized resistance ends on Greek mainland.
May 2-British attack insurgents in Iraq ( campaign ends May 31 with
occupation of Baghdad).
May 20-Germans begin airborne attack on Crete.
May 31-Germans complete conquest of Crete.
June 8-British attack Vichy French forces in Syria, defeating them in
six days.
June 22-Hitler invades the USSR.
Aug. 21-Hitler turns German main effort southward toward Kiev.
Sept. 8-Leningrad's land connections with rest of the USSR are severed.
Sept. 19-Kiev is captured.
Nov. 18-British begin second invasion of Libya.
Nov. 20-Germans capture Rostov.
Nov. 27-Conquest of Italian East Africa is completed with surrender
of Gondar.
Nov. 28-Germans are forced to evacuate Rostov.
Dec. 5-German offensive stalls 25 miles from Moscow.
Dec. 6-Russians launch counteroffensive.
Dec. 7-Rommel begins withdrawal to El Agheila.
Dec. 10-British advance in Libya relieves Tobruk.
Dec. 24-British enter Benghazi.
1942
Jan. 2-British capture bypassed fortress of Bardia,
Libya.
Jan. 11-Rommel withdraws westward toward El Agheila.
Jan. 17-British reduce bypassed German garrison of Halfaya.
Jan. 20-Russians recapture Mozhaisk, 65 miles westsouthwest of Moscow.
Jan. 21-Rommel launches major counteroffensive.
Jan. 26-First United States troops arrive in Northern Ireland.
Jan. 28-British Eighth Army withdraws to El GazalaBir Hacheim Line.
Feb. 1-Soviet counteroffensive begins to bog down in German hedgehog
defense system.
Feb. 12-German warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen escape
from Brest and run up English Channel to German ports.
March 27-British carry out successful raid against St.Nazaire, France.
May 8-Germans begin minor operations to prepare for summer offensive
in the USSR.
May 12-Russians launch large-scale spoiling offensive against Kharkov.
May 17-Germans counterattack in Kharkov sector.
May 27-Rommel launches major offensive against El Gazala-Bir Hacheim
line.
May 28-Germans complete defeat of Soviet Kharkov offensive.
May 30-Royal Air Force begins major air offensive
against Germany with heavy raid on Cologne.
June 10-Rommel forces evacuation of Bir Hacheim.
June 14-British withdraw toward Egypt.
June 20-Rommel breaks into Tobruk, completing its capture June 21.
June 24-Rommel reaches Sidi Barran, Egypt.
June 28-Germans launch main summer offensive in the USSR.
June 30-British are forced back on prepared positions at El Alamein.
July 1-Germans complete capture of Sevastopol.
July 2-British Eighth Army begins limited counterattacks against Axis
forces in Egypt.
July 4-American crews participate in Royal Air Force raid on airfields
in the Netherlands, in the first United States air operation in Europe.
July 6-Germans capture Voronezh, near Don River.
July 9-German offensive in the USSR divides, one army group advancing
through Rostov into the Caucasus oilfields and the other toward Stalingrad.
July 23-Germans capture Rostov.
Aug. 9-Germans penetrate northern foothills of the Caucasus.
Aug. 19-British and Canadians, accompanied by small detachment of United
States Rangers, make amphibious raid on Dieppe, France.
Aug. 31-Axis forces attack El Alamein position (Battle of Alam el Haifa).
Sept. 7-Lt. Gen. Bernard Law Montgomery halts British counterattack
at Alam el Haifa; begins elaborate preparations for major counteroffensive.
Sept. 16-Germans penetrate Stalingrad suburbs.
Oct. 23-British Eighth Army opens El Alamein offensive.
Nov. 1-Heavy fighting continues in Stalingrad and the Caucasus; Russians
are gradually wearing down German offensive.
Nov. 5-Axis troops withdraw from El Alamein area.
Nov. 8-British and Americans land in Morocco and Algeria.
Nov. 9-German troops begin occupying Tunisia.
Nov. 10-Adm. Jean Francois Darlan orders French forces
in North Africa to cease resistance to Allied invasion.
Nov. 11-Eighth Army's pursuit crosses Egyptian frontier into Libya,
taking Bardia; Axis troops move into unoccupied France.
Nov. 19-Russians begin offensive in Stalingrad area.
Nov. 22-Converging Soviet attacks cut off German Sixth Army around Stalingrad.
Nov. 27-French warships in Toulon harbor are scuttled to prevent seizure
by Germans.
Nov. 30-Determined German resistance halts Allied invasion of Tunisia.
Dec. 12-Germans counterattack to relieve Sixth Army at Stalingrad.
Dec. 16-Soviet offensive against Italian Eighth Army on middle Don River
forces abandonment of effort to relieve Stalingrad.
Dec. 24-Lt. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, commanding Allied forces in North
Africa, decides to postpone Tunisian offensive until end of rainy season.
1943
Jan. 2-German troops in Caucasus area begin withdrawing
northward through Rostov.
Jan. 10-Russians begin attack against Stalingrad pocket.
Jan. 12-Russians attempt to raise siege of Leningrad.
Jan. 16-Berlin is raided by Royal Air Force for the first time since
Nov. 7, 1941.
Jan. 18-Germans open limited offensive in Tunisia; Russians reopen land
communications with Leningrad.
Jan. 23-British Eighth Army occupies Tripoli; Germans break off Tunisian
offensive.
Jan. 27-United States Eighth Air Force bombs Wilhelmshaven in its first
attack on Germany.
Feb. 2-Last elements of German Sixth Army surrender at Stalingrad; Russian
spearheads push energetically toward Rostov, Kharkov, and Kursk.
Feb. 4-British Eighth Army crosses into Tunisia from Libya.
Feb. 8-Russians capture Kursk.
Feb. 14-Germans launch spoiling offensive against United States 2d Corps
in Tunisia; Russians capture Rostov.
Feb. 16-Russians capture Kharkov.
Feb. 20-Rommel breaks through Kasserine Pass in Tunisia.
Feb. 21-Germans launch counteroffensive toward Kharkov.
Feb. 22-Rommel begins to withdraw through Kasserine Pass.
March 6-Rommel is repulsed in attack on British Eighth Army near Medenine.
March 12-Russians capture Vyazma.
March 14-Germans complete recapture of Kharkov.
March 17-United States 2d Corps begins offensive in Tunisia.
March 20-British Eighth Army attacks Mareth Line.
March 27-Enveloping attack by British Eighth Armyforces Germans to evacuate
Mareth Line and retire northward.
April 23-British-United States staff is established in England under
Lt. Gen. Sir Frederick E. Morgan to plan invasion of northwestern Europe.
May 4-Final Allied offensive opens in Tunisia.
May 13-Last Axis forces surrender in Tunisia.
May 16-17-Royal Air Force raid breaches Mane and Eder dams, flooding
portions of the Ruhr.
May 18-Air offensive begins against Pantelleria Island to clear way
for invasion of Sicily.
June 11-Pantelleria surrenders unconditionally.
June 14-With occupation of Lampione in Pelagie Islands, Allies gain
control of all islands between Sicily and Tunisia.
June 20 loyal Air Force makes first shuttle-bombing raid between England
and North Africa.
June 22-United States Eighth Air Force makes its first large-scale daylight
raid on Ruhr area.
July 5-Germans launch offensive against Kursk salient.
July 9-Allied forces invade Sicily; German Kursk offensive is checked.
July 12-Russians open major offensive against Orel salient.
July 22-United States Seventh Army takes Palermo, Sicily; Soviet offensive
spreads across entire front.
July 24-United States Eighth Air Force makes its first raid on Norway.
Aug. 1-Mass, low-level American air raid is made on Ploelti, Rumania.
Aug. 5-Russians capture Orel and Belgorod.
Aug. 17-American and British forces converge at Messina, Sicily; United
States Eighth Air Force raids Schweinfurt and Regensburg; Royal Air
Force attacks German V-weapons experimental center at Peenemunde.
Aug. 23-Germans evacuate Kharkov; Russians attack heavily on Mius River
front.
Sept. 3-British Eighth Army forces, crossing from Sicily, land on Italian
coast; Italian government signs secret armistice (effective Sept. 8).
Sept. 8-Italian armistice is announced; Italian Fleet and aircraft surrender
to Allies.
Sept. 9-British amphibious assault seizes Taranto; Allied forces land
at Salerno.
Sept. 11-German counterattacks begin in Salerno area.
Sept. 13-German counterattacks seriously threaten Salerno beachhead.
Sept. 14-German Salerno attacks are contained.
Sept. 17-Germans begin fighting withdrawal from Salerno front; Russians
take Bryansk.
Sept. 18-19-Allies occupy Sardinia, following German evacuation.
Sept. 24-Germans evacuate Smolensk and Roslavl.
Oct. 1-Allied forces enter Naples.
Oct. 4-Germans seize Kos, site of only Allied air base in Aegean Sea;
Allied forces gain control of Corsica.
Oct. 6-United States Fifth Army reaches Volturno River in Italy.
Oct. 12-13-United States Fifth Army carries out assault crossing of
Volturno River.
Oct. 14-United States Eighth Air Force raids Schweinfurt ball-bearing
plants.
Nov. 1-Soviet offensive against the Crimea makes progress.
Nov. 5-United States Fifth Army begins assault against Winter Line in
Italy.
Nov. 6-Germans evacuate Kiev.
Nov. 12-Russians capture Zhitomir.
Nov. 14-Germans launch counterattack in Zhitomir area (recapture city
Nov. 19).
Nov. 15-Attack on Winter Line is halted for regrouping.
Nov. 20-British Eighth Army attacks on Sangro River front in Italy.
Nov. 26-Germans evacuate Gomel.
Dec. 1-United States Fifth Army attacks Winter Line in Liri Valley.
Dec. 2-Luftwaffe makes effective raid on Bari, Italy.
Dec. 14-Russians begin winter offensive.
Dec. 16-Germans evacuate San Pietro Infine, key point in Winter Line.
Dec. 24-United States Eighth Air Force makes major effort against German
secret weapon sites.
1944
Jan. 5-Final phase of Winter Line offensive begins in
Italy.
Jan. 15-Operations against Winter Line are successfully concluded; Russians
launch major surprise offensive on Leningrad front.
Jan. 16-Eisenhower assumes post as supreme commander of Allied Expeditionary
Force.
Jan. 22-Allies begin landing at Anzio, Italy; Germans halt Russians
around Vitebsk, though Russians continue gains elsewhere.
Jan. 23-Americans are repulsed in attempt to force Rapido River in Italy.
Feb. 3-German counteroffensive against Anzio beachhead begins during
night; Allies on main Italian battlefront stall in front of Cassino.
Feb. 6-Soviet offensive in the Ukraine makes great progress near Nikopol.
Feb. 18-Anzio beachhead is under extreme pressure.
Feb. 19-Allied counterattack checks German Anzio offensive.
March 4-German forces around Anzio beachhead go over to the defensive;
first American air raid is made on Berlin.
March 13-Soviet troops force Dnieper River and take Kherson.
March 15-Allies make third assault on Cassino; Russians
break through German defenses along Bug River.
March 30-Royal Air Force bombing raid on Nurnberg suffers extremely
heavy losses.
April 10-Russians recover Odessa.
April 15-Soviet offensive into Poland captures Tarnopol.
May 9-Russians recapture Sevastopol; United States Eighth Air Force
begins attacks on German airfields in northern France.
May 11-Allies launch major offensive against Gustav Line in drive for
Rome.
May 12-United States Eighth Air Force attacks oil plants in central
Germany.
May 13-French Expeditionary Corps penetrates Gustav Line.
May 18-Allies capture Cassino.
May 21-Allied fighter aircraft begin operations against enemy railroads
in France and Germany.
May 23-Allied forces in Anzio beachhead begin breakout offensive.
May 30-Loading of Allied assault forces for Operation Overlord is begun.
June 2-United States Fifteenth Air Force begins shuttle bombing between
Italian and Soviet bases.
June 3-Combat loading of troops for Operation Overlord is completed.
June 4-Allied forces enter Rome; D-day for Operation
Overlord is postponed from June 5 to June 6.
June 6-Operation Overlord begins; Allies land on coast of Normandy.
June 8-American and British beachheads establish contact.
June 9-Russians launch offensive against Finns on Karelian Isthmus.
June 12-Allies capture Carentan in Normandy.
June 17-French force lands on Elba.
June 27-Americans capture Cherbourg.
July 3-United States First Army attacks southward from beachhead (battle
of the hedgerows).
July 8-British enter Caen.
July 13-Russians capture Vilnyus.
July 18-United States First Army captures St.-Lo; Soviet offensive is
checked at Augustow, but still advances elsewhere.
July 19-United States Fifth Army captures Leghorn. July 21-Soviet offensive
crosses Bug River.
July 25-United States First Army launches major breakout offensive (Operation
Cobra).
Aug. 1-United States Twelfth Army Group becomes operational in France;
Polish underground forces revolt as Soviet advance nears Warsaw.
Aug. 4-Allied forces in Italy halt along Arno River to regroup for offensive
against Gothic Line.
Aug. 7-United States Third Army reaches Brest; Germans launch major
counterattack near Mortain; Soviet offensive is generally checked.
Aug. 10-Having halted German Mortain counteroffensive, United States
First Army resumes advance.
Aug. 13-Allied forces begin closing Falaise-Argentan pocket.
Aug. 15-United States Seventh Army lands in southern France (Operation
Dragoon).
Aug. 16-United States Third Army captures Orleans.
Aug. 19-French underground forces begin Paris uprising. Aug. 20-Falaise-Argentan
pocket is completely closed; United States Third Army crosses Seine
near Mantes Gassicourt; Russians open offensive against Rumania.
Aug. 23-Rumania surrenders unconditionally.
Aug. 25-Allied forces enter Paris; attack on Gothic Line begins in Italy.
Aug. 28-French complete capture of Toulon-Marseille area.
Sept. 1-Gasoline shortage halts United States Third Army; Germans begin
withdrawal from Greek mainland and adjacent islands.
Sept. 4-British enter Antwerp; truce is established between the USSR
and Finland.
Sept. 6-United States Third Army attacks Moselle River line.
Sept. 7-United States Third Army begins attacks on Metz.
Sept. 9-The USSR grants Bulgaria an armistice.
Sept. 10-Decision is reached to postpone opening Antwerp's port until
effort (Operation Market-Garden) has been made to secure a Rhine crossing;
United States Third Army begins large-scale Moselle crossing; United
States First Army captures city of Luxembourg.
Sept. 11-Patrols from Overlord and Dragoon forces establish contact
near Dijon.
Sept. 12-German garrison of Le Havre surrenders;
United States First Army reaches West Wall.
Sept. 13-Shuttle bombing between Western and Soviet bases is discontinued.
Sept. 14-United States First Army reaches suburbs of Aachen; United.
States Third Army surrounds Nancy; Russians capture Warsaw suburb of
Praga, and begin offensive in Estonia and Latvia; United States Fifth
Army is repulsed in attacks on Gothic Line in Italy.
Sept. 15-United States First Army breaches West Wall.
Sept. 17-Operation Market-Garden is launched.
Sept. 18-Germans counterattack British airborne troops at Arnhem, Netherlands.
Sept. 19-United States Ninth Army completes mopping up in Brittany.
Sept. 20-British force Germans to withdraw from Rimini Line in Italy.
Sept. 23-Russians break through German lines to Gulf of Riga:
Sept. 25-United States Fifth Army completes penetration of Gothic Line
in Italy.
Sept. 26-Germans overrun last British units in Arnhem area, ending decisive
phase of Operation MarketGarden.
Sept. 30-Russians cross Danube in drive on Belgrade.
Oct. 2-Germans complete suppression of Warsaw revolt.
Oct. 3-British troops land in southern Greece.
Oct. 13-British airborne troops are dropped near Athens; Germans begin
V-1- attacks on Antwerp.
Oct. 14-British troops enter Athens; Russians and Yugoslavs encircle
Belgrade.
Oct. 15-United States First Army surrounds Aachen.
Oct. 18-Russians break into eastern Czechoslovakia.
Oct. 20-Belgrade is captured.
Oct. 21-Aachen garrison capitulates.
Oct. 22-Russians advance from Petsamo, Finland, to Norwegian frontier.
Oct. 24-British and Canadians begin clearing approaches to Antwerp port.
Oct. 25-Russians enter Kirkenes, Norway.
Nov. 4-Channel to Antwerp is opened for minesweeping.
Nov. 8-Approaches to Antwerp are completely cleared. United States Third
Army begins offensive toward the Saar.
Nov. 16-United States First and Ninth armies begin attempt to clear
area between Wurm and Roer rivers (Operation Queen).
Nov. 19-United States Third Army surrounds Metz.
Nov. 20-French First Army breaks into Belfort.
Nov. 23-French troops with United States Seventh Army take Strasbourg.
Nov. 28-Antwerp port is opened for shipping.
Dec. 5-Clashes occur between British troops and Greek factions in Athens.
Dec. 6-Russians intensify offensive toward Budapest, Hungary.
Dec. 13-Last bypassed Metz fort (Jeanne d'Arc) surrenders to United
States Third Army.
Dec. 16-Germans open major counteroffensive against United States Twelfth
Army Group in Ardennes area.
Dec. 19-United States 101st Airborne Division reaches Bastogne; elements
of United States Third Army prepare to move north; United States Seventh
Army goes on defensive in Alsace-Lorraine.
Dec. 21-Germans begin siege of Bastogne.
Dec. 23-Soviet forces close in on Budapest; heavy fighting takes place
in Lake Balaton area of Hungary.
Dec. 26-Tanks of 4th Armored Division of United States Third Army break
through to Bastogne.
Dec. 27-Roads into Bastogne from the south are opened for trucks and
ambulances; Russians complete encirclement of Budapest.
Dec. 30-Allied forces begin counterattacks in the Ardennes.
Dec. 31-Germans launch offensive against United States Seventh Army
in Alsace-Lorraine.
1945
Jan. 1-Last major German air raid is made against Allied
airfields.
Jan. 2-Germans counterattack to relieve Budapest.
Jan. 3-United States First Army begins counteroffensive against northern
flank of Ardennes salient.
Jan. 5-Allied forces in Italy begin regrouping for spring offensive.
Jan. 12-Russians launch large-scale winter offensive in Poland (extend
it to East Prussia Jan. 14).
Jan. 17-Russians capture Warsaw.
Jan. 20-French First Army begins offensive in Alsace Lorraine against
Colmar pocket.
Jan. 25-German Alsace-Lorraine offensive ends with unsuccessful attack
near Haguenau.
Jan. 28-Russians complete conquest of Lithuania and envelopment of Konigsberg.
Feb. 2-United States First Army begins advance to seize Roer River dams.
-
Feb. 4-Allied forces in Italy begin limited operations in preparation
for spring offensive.
Feb. 8-Canadian First Army begins Operation Veritable to clear area
between Maas and Rhine rivers (with subsidiary Operation Blockbuster,
successfully completed March 10).
Feb. 9-French First Army completes reduction of Colmar pocket.
Feb. 10-United States First Army seizes main Roer dam but finds that
Germans have destroyed outlet controls.
Feb. 12-Varkiza agreement ends civil war in Greece.
Feb. 13-Russians overrun last German position in Budapest.
Feb. 16-Russians surround Breslau.
Feb. 23-United States Ninth Army attacks across Roer River (Operation
Grenade) toward Rhine.
March 6-Operation Grenade is successfully completed.
March 7-United States First Army completes capture of Cologne; its 9th
Armored Division seizes Rhine bridge at Remagen intact.
March 15-United States Third and Seventh armies launch coordinated offensive
(Operation Undertone) to clear Saar-Palatinate triangle (successfully
completed March
March 16-Russians begin offensive against Vienna.
March 22-United States Third Army makes assault crossing of Rhine at
Oppenheim.
March 23-British Second Army crosses Rhine (Operation Plunder) in Rees-Wesel
area.
March 24-United States Ninth Army attacks across Rhine in Dinslaken
area; United States Third Army begins similar attack (completed March
25) at Boppard.
March 26- United States Seventh Army crosses Rhine near Worms.
March 31-French First Army crosses Rhine near Speyer and Germersheim.
April 1-United States Ninth and First armies establish contact at Lippstadt,
isolating Ruhr area.
April 7-Russians enter Vienna.
April 9-Russians storm bypassed Konigsberg fortress;.
British Eighth Army opens major offensive in Italy.
April 12-United States Ninth Army establishes bridgehead on east bank
of Elbe.
April 13-United States Ninth Army seizes second Elbe bridgehead; Russians
secure Vienna.
April 14-Americans lose one Elbe bridgehead; United States Fifth Army
joins in Italian offensive.
April 16-Russians begin heavy offensive against Berlin.
April 17-United States Seventh Army attacks Nurnberg.
April 18-Organized German resistance in Ruhr collapses; United States
Third Army patrols enter Czechoslovakia.
April 20-United States Seventh Army completes capture of Nurnberg.
April 21-Organized German resistance ends in Harz Mountains.
April 23-Russians fight way into Berlin; United States Fifth Army begins
assault crossing of Po River.
April 25-United States First Army patrol makes contact with Russians
near Torgau.
April 26-British complete capture of Bremen.
April 29-British Second Army begins advance from Elbe River to Baltic;
United States Fifth Army enters Milan; German Southwest Army Group in
Italy surrenders unconditionally.
April 30-United States Seventh Army occupies Munich.
May 2-British Second Army reaches Baltic, capturing Lubeck and Wismar;
Russians mop up Berlin; fighting ends in Italy; New Zealand troops occupy
Trieste.
May 4-Germans surrender forces in the Netherlands, northwestern Germany,
and Denmark (effective May 5); patrols of United States Fifth and Seventh
armies meet near Brenner Pass.
May 5-United States Third Army begins offensive into Czechoslovakia;
German Army Group G surrenders in Bavaria to United States Sixth Army
Group.
May 6-United States Third Army takes Plzen, Czechoslovakia.
May 7-German High Command surrenders all forces unconditionally at Reims;
Russians finally capture Breslau.
May 9-European hostilities end officially at 12:01 A.M.
|
|
