Chronology

A chronological outline of the major events preceding World War II, the chief military and political occurrences in the various areas during the war, and peace treaties and other postwar developments are presented under the following headings: (1) prelude to war, (2) European and Mediterranean operations, (3) Pacific and eastern Asian operations, and (4) political and diplomatic developments of the war and postwar periods.

PRELUDE TO WAR

1931

Sept. 18--Japanese begin conquest of Manchuria.

1932

March 1--Manchuria becomes Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo.

1933

Jan. 30--Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany.
March 27--Japan leaves League of Nations.
Oct. 14--Germany leaves League of Nations.

1934

Jan. 26--Germany and Poland sign 10-year nonaggression pact.
June 30--Hitler carries out blood purge of Nazi Party.
July 25--Unsuccessful pro-Nazi revolt takes place in Austria; Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss is assassinated.

1935

March 16--Hitler reintroduces compulsory military service.
May 2--France and the USSR sign five-year mutual assistance treaty.
June 18--Anglo-German naval agreement is signed.
Oct. 3--Benito Mussolini invades Ethiopia.

1936

Jan. 15--Japan withdraws from London Naval Conference.
March 7--Hitler remilitarizes Rhineland.
May 5--Italians capture Addis Ababa, ending major operations in Ethiopia.
July 17-18--Spanish Civil War begins.
Oct. 25--Germany and Italy form Rome-Berlin Axis.
Nov. 25--Germany and Japan sign Anti-Comintern Pact.

1937

July 7--Marco Polo Bridge incident near Peiping sets off Sino-Japanese War.
Dec. 12--Japanese planes sink United States gunboat Panay in Yangtze River.
Dec. 13--Japanese sack Nanking.

1938

March 13--Hitler annexes Austria.
Sept. 29-30--Munich Conference approves German acquisition of the Sudetenland.

1939

March 15--Hitler occupies rest of Czechoslovakia.
March 28--Insurgent forces complete conquest of Spain.
April 7--Mussolini invades Albania.
Aug. 23--Germany and the USSR sign nonaggression pact.
EUROPEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS
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-el-Kebir.
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 west-southwest 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 Gazala-Bir 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 Barrani, 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 Halfa).
Sept. 7--Lt. Gen. Bernard Law Montgomery halts British counterattack at Alam el Halfa; 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 Army forces 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 Mohne 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--Royal 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 Ploesti, Romania.
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 Romania.
Aug. 23--Romania 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. 9The 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 Market-Garden.
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. 13British 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 25).
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 am
PACIFIC AND EASTERN ASIAN OPERATIONS

1941

Nov. 26--Pearl Harbor striking force sails from Kuril Islands.
Dec. 7--Japanese carrier aircraft attack United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and nearby Army air bases; Japanese destroyers bombard Midway Island.
Dec. 8--Japanese planes raid American air bases in Philippines; Japanese invade Thailand and Malaya; seize Shanghai International Settlement; attack mainland territories of Hong Kong; bombard Wake and Guam.
Dec. 9--Japanese invade Gilbert Islands.
Dec. 10--Japanese seize Guam and begin landings on Luzon; British warships Repulse and Prince of Wales are sunk off Malaya.
Dec. 11--Attempt by Japanese to seize Wake Island is repulsed; Japanese begin invasion of Burma.
Dec. 13--Japanese force British to withdraw from mainland to Hong Kong Island.
Dec. 16--Japanese invade British Borneo and Burma.
Dec. 18--Japanese invade Hong Kong Island.
Dec. 20--Japanese land near Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
Dec. 22--Japanese make major landing at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines; Chiang Kai-shek offers Chinese troops for defense of Burma; first American troops reach Australia.
Dec. 23--Japanese overrun Wake Island; Gen. Douglas MacArthur decides to withdraw into Bataan Peninsula, Luzon.
Dec. 25--Japanese complete conquest of Hong Kong.

1942

Jan. 7--American and Philippine forces complete withdrawal into Bataan Peninsula.
Jan. 11--Japanese begin invasion of Netherlands East Indies.
Jan. 20--Japanese begin major offensive in Burma.
Jan. 22--MacArthur orders withdrawal to final Bataan defensive position.
Jan. 23--Japanese make amphibious landings behind American-Philippine positions on Bataan, but are contained; seize Rabaul, New Britain; and land on New Ireland and Solomon Islands.
Jan. 24--United States destroyers raid Japanese shipping off Balikpapan, Borneo (Battle of Makassar Strait).
Jan. 26--Withdrawal to final Bataan defensive position is successfully completed.
Jan. 27--British forces in Malaya begin withdrawal to Singapore Island.
Jan. 31--British complete withdrawal to Singapore Island.
Feb. 1--United States Pacific Fleet attacks Japanese bases in Marshall and Gilbert Islands.
Feb. 2--Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell is appointed chief of staff to Chiang Kai-shek.
Feb. 4--Dutch-United States naval force is badly damaged by Japanese aircraft in Madoera Strait, Netherlands East Indies.
Feb. 8--Japanese forces break off Bataan attacks to reorganize for future decisive offensive; Japanese gain foothold on Singapore Island.
Feb. 14--Japanese paratroopers seize Palembang area, Sumatra.
Feb. 15--Singapore surrenders unconditionally.
Feb. 18--Japanese seize Bali, isolating Java.
Feb. 19--Darwin, Australia, is badly damaged by massive Japanese air attacks.
Feb. 22--President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders MacArthur to leave Philippines.
Feb. 23--British in Burma are forced back across Sittang River; Japanese submarine shells refinery near Santa Barbara, Calif.
Feb. 27--Allied naval forces are decisively defeated during attack on Japanese convoy (Battle of the Java Sea).
Feb. 28--Japanese invade Java.
March 7--British evacuate Rangoon, Burma.
March 7-8--Japanese land on New Guinea.
March 9--Dutch forces surrender to Japanese on Java.
March 11--MacArthur, family, and staff leave Bataan (reach Darwin March 17).
March 24--Japanese begin heavy air and artillery bombardment of Bataan and Corregidor.
April 3--Japanese launch major offensive against Bataan.
April 4--Japanese carrier task force begins large-scale raid into Indian Ocean, attacking Colombo and Trincomalee, Ceylon, during following week.
April 9--American-Philippine forces on Bataan surrender; Japanese concentrate planes and artillery against Corregidor.
April 18--MacArthur assumes command of Southwest Pacific area; Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle leads air raid on Tokyo.
April 29--Japanese seize Lashio, southern terminus of Burma Road.
May 3--Japanese occupy Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
May 4--United States carrier planes raid Tulagi.
May 5--British invade Madagascar; Japanese make assault landing on Corregidor.
May 6--Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright surrenders all forces in Philippines unconditionally.
May 7--Battle of the Coral Sea begins (ends May 8).
May 10--American-Philippine forces in Mindanao, Palawan, and Visayan Islands begin surrendering (process is completed June 9).
May 20--Japanese complete conquest of Burma.
June 3--American aircraft from Midway locate main Japanese fleet approaching that island.
June 4--Japanese are decisively defeated in Battle of Midway (pursuit continues into June 6).
June 6-7--Japanese land troops on Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska.
July 2--Joint Chiefs of Staff order recovery of New Britain-New Ireland-New Guinea area, beginning with occupation of lower Solomon Islands.
July 22--Japanese land at Gona and Buna, New Guinea, for overland advance against Port Moresby.
Aug. 7--United States Marines begin landing on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
Aug. 8-9--Japanese naval task force inflicts serious losses on Allied fleet off Guadalcanal (Battle of Savo Island); Allied naval forces retire from Guadalcanal area.
Aug. 21--First Japanese assault on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, is repulsed.
Aug. 24--United States carrier task force defeats Japanese in Battle of the Eastern Solomons.
Aug. 25--Japanese begin attack on Milne Bay, New Guinea.
Sept. 5--Japanese begin evacuating Milne Bay beachhead.
Sept. 9--Japanese plane (launched from submarine) starts small forest fire near Brookings, Oreg. (this was the only bombing attack on the continental United States during war).
Sept. 13-14--Japanese launch unsuccessful major offensive on Guadalcanal.
Sept. 16--Japanese advance against Port Moresby is halted.
Oct. 11-12--United States naval task force defeats Japanese off Guadalcanal (Battle of Cape Esperance).
Oct. 13--United States Army units land on Guadalcanal.
Oct. 14--Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, is temporarily rendered unusable by Japanese bombardment; Japanese mass for attack on American beachhead.
Oct. 23--Japanese launch major Guadalcanal counteroffensive.
Oct. 25-26--Japanese Guadalcanal attacks fail.
Oct. 26--Japanese are defeated in naval Battle of Santa Cruz.
Oct. 29--Alaska Highway is open for traffic; Japanese break contact with United States forces on Guadalcanal and withdraw northward.
Nov. 1--Americans begin Guadalcanal offensive.
Nov. 12--Series of naval engagements (Battle of Guadalcanal, ending Nov. 15) thwarts Japanese efforts to land reinforcements on Guadalcanal.
Nov. 16--Australians and Americans, having forced Japanese back into Buna-Gona beachhead during past month, attack that position.
Nov. 30--Japanese are thwarted in effort to reinforce Guadalcanal, but defeat United States cruiser task force (Battle of Tassafaronga).
Dec. 1--Australians capture Gona.
Dec. 16--British begin limited offensive in Arakan coastal area in Burma.
Dec. 18--Allies begin major offensive against Japanese positions around Buna.

1943

Jan. 2--Organized Japanese resistance at Buna ends.
Jan. 22--Japanese positions around Sanananda, New Guinea, are overrun.
Feb. 1--Japanese begin evacuation of Guadalcanal (operation is completed Feb. 7).
Feb. 8--Brig. Orde C. Wingate's Chindits begin three-month raid against Mandalay-Myitkyina railroad.
Feb. 9--Organized Japanese resistance ends on Guadalcanal.
Feb. 21--Americans land on Russell Islands.
March 2--Battle of the Bismarck Sea begins (ends March 4 with destruction of entire Japanese convoy).
March 12--Japanese defeat British on Arakan front.
March 26--United States naval task force turns back effort by Japanese to reinforce their Aleutian garrisons.
April 18--Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto is killed when a Japanese plane is shot down over Solomon Islands.
May 11--American expeditionary force lands on Attu.
May 12--British withdraw to original positions in Arakan sector of Burma.
May 30--Japanese resistance collapses on Attu.
June 30--Operation Cartwheel begins with Allied landings in central Solomon Islands, Trobriand Islands, and Nassau Bay area of New Guinea.
July 5--United States naval forces partially block Japanese attempt to reinforce Kolombangara Island, central Solomons (Battle of Kula Gulf).
July 12--United States naval task force fails to prevent Japanese reinforcements from reaching Kolombangara (Battle of Kolombangara or Second Battle of Kula Gulf).
July 28--Japanese evacuate Kiska undetected by Allies.
Aug. 5--After 12 days of heavy fighting, Americans capture Munda Airfield, New Georgia, central Solomons.
Aug. 6--Japanese naval force is defeated off Kolombangara (Battle of Vella Gulf).
Aug. 15--Allied force begins landing on Kiska (by Aug. 22, concedes island is deserted).
Oct. 2--Japanese withdraw successfully from Kolombangara; Australians capture Finschhafen, New Guinea.
Oct. 6-7--Japanese destroyers fight off smaller force of American destroyers while evacuating Japanese troops from Vella Lavella (Battle of Vella Lavella).
Oct. 12--United States Army Air Forces begin heavy air attacks on Rabaul, New Britain.
Nov. 1--Americans land on Bougainville Island, northern Solomons; during following night, Japanese naval task force is defeated offshore (Battle of Empress Augusta Bay).
Nov. 21--Americans begin landing on Makin and Tarawa, Gilbert Islands (atolls are cleared in three days).
Nov. 25--Japanese destroyers are defeated off New Ireland (Battle of Cape St. George).
Dec. 24--Bougainville beachhead, containing new airfields, is secured.
Dec. 26--Americans land at Cape Gloucester, New Britain.
Dec. 29-30--Cape Gloucester airfields are secured.

1944

Jan. 25--Chinese troops under General Stilwell begin counteroffensive in Burma.
Feb. 1--Americans land on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands (atoll is cleared by Feb. 8).
Feb. 18--United States naval task forces complete neutralization of Japanese base at Truk; Americans begin landing on Eniwetok, Marshall Islands (atoll is secured by Feb. 23).
Feb. 24--United States 5307th Composite Unit (Merrill's Marauders) begins raid aimed at Myitkyina airfield.
Feb. 29--Americans land on Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands.
March 8--Japanese attack perimeter around Bougainville airfields; launch drive from Burma on Imphal and Kohima, India.
March 24--Organized Japanese resistance is broken on Bougainville and Los Negros.
March 31--Japanese surround Imphal.
April 8--Japanese surround Kohima.
April 17--Japanese launch offensive in Honan, China, directed at United States B-29 bases.
April 22--Allied forces land in Hollandia area of New Guinea.
May 17--Allied operations are commenced against Wakde Islands off Netherlands New Guinea coast; Marauders capture Myitkyina airfield.
May 24--Japanese begin counterattack at Myitkyina.
May 27--In New Guinea area, Allied forces land on Biak Island.
June 5--Japanese are defeated in Imphal-Kohima area.
June 15--United States Marines invade Saipan, Mariana Islands.
June 19--Japanese Fleet is badly defeated by United States carrier aviation in Battle of the Philippine Sea ("Marianas Turkey Shoot; battle ends June 20).
June 22--Japanese begin retreat from Kohima-Imphal area.
July 9--Saipan is secured.
July 21--Americans land on Guam.
July 24--Americans land on Tinian, Mariana Islands.
July 28--Organized Japanese resistance ends on Biak.
July 30--Americans land on Vogelkop Peninsula, New Guinea.
Aug. 1--Tinian is secured.
Aug. 3--Myitkyina, Burma, is captured.
Aug. 10--Organized Japanese resistance is destroyed on Guam.
Aug. 20--Biak is secured.
Aug. 29--Japanese continue successful offensive against American Honan air bases.
Sept. 15--Americans land on Morotai Island and Palau Islands.
Sept. 17--Morotai is secured.
Oct. 10--United States Third Fleet carrier task force raids Okinawa.
Oct. 13--United States Third Fleet begins raids on Taiwan.
Oct. 15--Allies begin offensive to clear northern Burma.
Oct. 17--United States Ranger units occupy small islands at entrance to Leyte Gulf.
Oct. 18--General Stilwell is relieved.
Oct. 20--United States Sixth Army invades Leyte.
Oct. 21--Palau Islands are secured.
Oct. 23--Battle for Leyte Gulf begins between United States and Japanese fleets (ends Oct. 26 with Japanese defeat).
Nov. 24--B-29's make first raid on Tokyo from bases in Mariana Islands.
Dec. 10--Japanese forces in southern China link up with Japanese forces in French Indochina.
Dec. 12--British launch offensive in Arakan sector of Burma.
Dec. 15--Americans invade Mindoro, Philippines.

1945

Jan. 1--Major offensive operations are completed on Leyte (mopping up continues until May 8).
Jan. 2--United States convoys begin moving toward Luzon, Philippines.
Jan. 3--British Arakan offensive recaptures Akyab.
Jan. 9--United States Sixth Army begins landing at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon.
Jan. 20--Converging attacks from China and Burma reopen Burma Road.
Feb. 3--United States 1st Cavalry Division enters Manila.
Feb. 16--Americans launch airborne-amphibious assault on Corregidor Island, Manila Bay (completed March 2); heavy preparatory naval-air bombardment of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, begins.
Feb. 19--United States Marines land on Iwo Jima.
Feb. 25--United States 21st Bomber Command makes first mass incendiary-bomb raid on Tokyo.
March 3--Last Japanese position in Manila is wiped out.
March 10--Americans land on Mindanao, Philippines.
March 16--Iwo Jima is declared secure.
March 18-19--United States carrier aircraft attack Japanese air and naval bases in preparation for coming invasion of Okinawa.
March 21--British complete recapture of Mandalay, Burma.
March 26--Americans land on Kerama-retto near Okinawa (islands are completely occupied March 28).
April 1--United States Tenth Army lands on Okinawa.
April 7--Japanese naval sortie toward Okinawa is routed (Battle of the East China Sea).
April 11--Japanese begin furious air offensive, using Kamikaze aircraft, against United States shipping off Okinawa.
May 3--British reoccupy Rangoon.
May 11--Chinese forces halt Japanese drive on Chihkiang (begun April 1944).
May 20--Japanese in China begin moving troops northward to reinforce their army in Manchuria.
June 21--Organized Japanese resistance on Okinawa ends.
June 30--Luzon is declared secure (mopping up continues until end of war).
July 1--Australians and Dutch begin operations in Balikpapan area of Borneo.
July 10--United States Navy and Army aircraft begin a major offensive against Japan in preparation for planned invasion.
July 16--United States tests successful atomic bomb at Alamogordo, N.Mex.
July 17--British Pacific Fleet joins United States Third Fleet in attacks on Japan.
Aug. 6--Atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima.
Aug. 8--The USSR declares war on Japan (effective Aug. 9).
Aug. 9--Atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki; Russians invade Manchuria.
Aug. 12--Soviet troops enter northern Korea.
Aug. 14--Japan surrenders.
POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC DEVELOPMENTS OF THE WAR AND POSTWAR PERIODS

1939

Sept. 3--Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.
Sept. 28--Germany and the USSR revise nonaggression pact.

1940

March 12--Finland capitulates, signing Treaty of Moscow.
May 10--Winston Churchill becomes prime minister of Great Britain.
June 10--Italy declares war on France and Great Britain (effective June 11).
June 15--The USSR begins seizure of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia (ends Aug. 6).
June 22--German-French armistice is signed (fighting ends June 25 after signature of Italo-French armistice June 24).
June 28--USSR seizes Bessarabia and northern Bucovina.
July 25--United States begins embargo on shipment of strategic materials to Japan.
Sept. 3--United States trades 50 destroyers for naval base sites in British possessions.
Sept. 16--President Roosevelt signs first American peacetime Selective Service Act.
Sept. 22--Japanese begin occupation of northern French Indochina.
Sept. 26--United States imposes total embargo on scrap shipments to Japan.
Sept. 27--Japan joins Axis (Tripartite Pact).
Nov. 20--Hungary joins Axis.
Nov. 22--Romania joins Axis.

1941

March 1--Bulgaria joins Axis.
March 11--Congress passes Lend-Lease Act.
March 25--Yugoslavia joins Axis.
March 26-27--Anti-Axis coup d'etat takes place in Yugoslavia.
April 13--Japan and the USSR sign neutrality pact.
May 27--Roosevelt proclaims unlimited national emergency.
June 14--German and Italian assets in the United States are frozen.
June 22--Germany, Italy, and Romania declare war on the USSR.
June 26--Finland declares war on the USSR.
June 27--Hungary declares war on the USSR.
July 23--Japan occupies southern Indochina.
July 25--Japanese assets in the United States are frozen.
Aug. 14--Roosevelt and Churchill issue Atlantic Charter.
Sept. 17--British and Soviet troops occupy Teheran, Iran.
Dec. 8--Japan declares war on the United States and Great Britain; the United States and Great Britain declare war on Japan.
Dec. 9--China declares war on Japan, Germany, and Italy.
Dec. 11--Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, which then declares war on them.
Dec. 24--British-American Arcadia conferences open in Washington (end Jan. 14, 1942).

1942

Jan. 1--Declaration by United Nations is signed by 26 countries.
April 8--Bolero Conference begins in London (ends April 14).
Oct. 22--To clear way for Operation Torch (Allied invasion of French North Africa), Maj. Gen. Mark W. Clark lands from submarine for secret meeting with pro-Allied French officers.
Dec. 24--Admiral Darlan is assassinated.

1943

Jan. 14--British-United States conference opens at Casablanca (ends Jan. 24).
May 12--Trident Conference opens in Washington (ends May 25).
July 25--King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy proclaims fall of Mussolini, replacing him with Marshal Pietro Badoglio.
Aug. 14--Quadrant Conference opens in Quebec, Canada (ends Aug. 24).
Sept. 3--Italian government signs armistice (effective Sept. 8).
Oct. 13--Italy declares war on Germany.
Nov. 22--Sextant Conference opens at Cairo, Egypt (recesses Nov. 26).
Nov. 28--Eureka Conference opens at Teheran, Iran (closes Dec. 1).
Dec. 1--Cairo Declaration is issued.
Dec. 3--Sextant Conference reopens at Cairo (closes Dec. 7).

1944

July 20--Attempt to assassinate Hitler fails.
Aug. 21--Dumbarton Oaks Conference opens (ends Oct. 7).
Aug. 23--Romania surrenders unconditionally.
Aug. 25--Romania declares war on Germany.
Aug. 26--Bulgaria opens negotiations for surrender with Allies.
Sept. 5--The USSR declares war on Bulgaria.
Sept. 8--Bulgaria declares war on Germany.
Sept. 9--The USSR grants Bulgaria an armistice.
Sept. 12--Romania signs armistice; Octagon Conference opens in Quebec (ends Sept. 16).
Sept. 19--Allied-Finnish armistice is signed.
Oct. 23--Great Britain, the USSR, and the United States grant de jure recognition to French provisional government headed by Gen. Charles de Gaulle.

1945

Jan. 30--Preliminary Anglo-American phase (Cricket) of Argonaut Conference begins at Malta (ends Feb. 2).
Feb. 4--Second phase (Magneto) of Argonaut Conference opens at Yalta (ends Feb. 11).
March 3--Finland declares war on Germany.
March 10--Japanese place French Indochina under direct military administration.
April 5--The USSR notifies Japan that it intends to denounce their 1941 neutrality pact.
April 12--President Roosevelt dies.
April 23--Heinrich Himmler 's offer to surrender German forces to Western Allies is rejected.
April 25--San Francisco Conference opens (adopts United Nations Charter June 26).
April 28--Mussolini is captured and killed by Italian partisans.
April 30--Hitler commits suicide.
May 7--German High Command surrenders all forces unconditionally at Reims.
July 17--Terminal Conference begins at Potsdam, Germany (ends Aug. 2).
July 26--Terminal Conference issues Potsdam Declaration, presenting surrender ultimatum to Japan.
July 28--Japanese announce that they will reject surrender ultimatum (rejected July 30).
Aug. 8--The USSR declares war on Japan (effective Aug. 9).
Aug. 10--Japan offers to surrender.
Aug. 14--Japan surrenders.
Sept. 2--Japanese representatives sign instrument of surrender aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Sept. 11--Big Four foreign ministers' meeting opens in London (ends Oct. 2).
Dec. 16--Foreign ministers' meeting opens in Moscow (ends Dec. 26).

1946

April 25--Foreign ministers' meeting opens in Paris (ends May 16).
June 15--Foreign ministers' meeting reconvenes in Paris, reaching substantial agreement on treaties for Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Finland (ends July 12).
July 16--Peace conference opens in Paris (ends Oct. 15).
Nov. 4--Foreign ministers meet in New York to complete treaties (meeting ends Dec. 12).
Feb. 10--Italian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Hungarian, and Finnish peace treaties are signed in Paris.
Sept. 15--Five peace treaties come into force.
June 25--Korean War begins.
Sept. 4--Conference meets in San Francisco to draw up Japanese Peace Treaty.
April 28--Japanese Peace Treaty comes into force.
July 27--Armistice ends Korean War.
Oct. 5--Free Territory of Trieste is divided between Italy and Yugoslavia.
May 15--Austrian State Treaty is signed in Vienna.
July 27--Austrian treaty comes into force.

John R. Elting, - Colonel, United States Army; Department of Military Art, United States Military Academy.