Friday 21 August 2020

CHRONOLOGY OF WORLD WAR 2

1939
  • 1 September - Germany invades Poland
  • 3 September - Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany
  • 10 September - Canada declares war on Germany
  • 17 September - Soviet Union invades Eastern Poland
  • 27 September - Surrender of Warsaw
  • December - German warship Graf Spee was sunk. 
1940
  • 12 March - Findland signs peace treaty with Soviet Union
  • 9 April - Germany began occupation of Denmark and invades Norway.
  • 10 May - Germany invades Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. 
  • 10 May - British Prime Minister, Chamberlain resigns replaced by Sir Winston Churchill.
  • 15 May -  Holland surrender to Germany
  • 26 May - Evacuation of British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.
  • 27 May - Belgium surrender to Germany
  • 10 June - Capitulation of Norway
  • 10 June - Italy declares war on Britain and France
  • 14 June - German Army enters Paris
  • 18 June - Soviets invade Baltic states
  • 22 June - Germany begins occupation of Channel Islands. 
  • 10 July - Battle of Britain
  • 11 July - Petain becomes head of French Vichy Government
  • 3 August - Italy begins occupation of British Somaliland
  • 13 September - Italy invades Egypt
  • 27 September - Germany, Italy and Japan sign Tripartite Pact
  • 7 October - German army moves into Romania
  • 28 October - Italy invades Greece
  • 11 November - Night air attack by British carrier planes on the Italian base at Taranto. 
  • 14 November - Greek army repels Italians back into Albania.
  • 22 November - Italian 9th Army defeated by Greeks.
  • 11 December - British capture Sidi Barrani, Egypt from Italians.
  • 17 December - British recapture Sollum, Egypt.
1941
  • 5 January - Australians capture Bardia, Libya
  • 22 January - British and Australians capture Tobruk.
  • 6 February - British and Autralians capture Benghazi
  • 25 February - British capture Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland
  • March - half of Albania was under Greek control / Battle of Matapan : 3 Italian Heavy Cruisers were sunk while on retreat. 
  • 1 March - Bulgaria joins Axis
  • 25 March - Yugoslavia signs Tripartite Pact
  • 30 March - German Afrika Korps begins offensive in North Africa
  • 4 April - German capture Benghazi.
  • 6 April - Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece.
  • 10 April - Germany takes Zagreb.
  • 13 April - Soviets and Japanese sign neutrality pact.
  • 17 April - Yugoslav army surrender to Germany
  • 22 April - Germans capture Thessalonika.
  • 27 April - Germans capture Athens.
  • 28 April - Germans takes Sollum
  • 15 May - British re-capture Sollum and Halfaya.
  • 20 May - German airborne invasion of Crete.
  • 24 May - German warship Bismarck sank British warship HMS Hood. 
  • 31 May - British forces in Crete defeated.
  • 8 June - Allied forces invade Syria
  • 22 June - Operation Barbarossa - Germany invades Soviet Union. 
  • 22 June - Italy and Rumania declare war on Soviets.
  • 23 June - Hungary and Slovakia declare war on Soviets
  • 26 June - Finland declares war on Soviets
  • 28 June - German Army captures Minsk.
  • 15 July - Germans capture Smolensk
  • 16 August - Germans capture Novogrod
  • 5 September - German Army occupies Estonia
  • 15 September - Siege of Leningrad starts.
  • 19 September - Kiev captures by Germans.
  • 16 October - Soviet Union moves government to Kulbyshev.
  • 24 October - Kharkov falls to Germans.
  • November - British warship HMS Ark Royal was sunk by German U-Boat. 
  • 3 November - Germans capture Kursk
  • 25 November - Germans attack Moscow.
  • 7 December - Japanese attack on US Fleet at Pearl Harbour
  • 8 December - Malayan Campaign -Japanese troops landed at Kota Bharu, Kelantan (Malaya), beginning of Second world war at Southeast Asia and Pacific. Allies declares war on Japan. / Operation Krohcol - Allied forces to invade Thailand but was failed
  • 9 December - the airfields at Sungai Petani, Butterworth and Alor Setar were in Japanese hands. 
  • 10 December - the sinking of 2 British warships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse by the Japanese at the coast of Kuantan, Malaya
  • 11 December - Germany declares war on USA / The fall of Jitra, Kedah (Malaya) to the Japanese troops.
  • 16 December - Japanese troops evacuated Penang.  
  • 17 December - The falls of Penang (Malaya) to the Japanese troops. 
  • 25 December - Japan capture Hong Kong / British re-capture Benghazi.
  • 26 December - Ipoh (Malaya) captured by the Japanese
  • 30 December - Battle of Kampar (Malaya) - Japanese forces with British and Indian troops at Kampar, Perak, Malaya. 
1942
  • 2 January - Japanese captures Manila
  • Battle of Slim River - Allied forces defeated by the Japanese Troops on the west coast of Malaya. 
  • 7 January - 2 Indian Brigade (British Army) were overrun by the Japanese troops at Slim River, Perak (Malaya). 
  • 7 January - Battle of Bataan - battle fought by the U.S and Philippine against the Japanese at Luzon. 
  • 11 January - British re-capture Sollum
  • 11 January - Japanese takes Kuala Lumpur (Malaya)
  • 13 January - Soviets recapture Kiev.
  • 14 JanuaryBattle of Muar / Battle of Gemas - the last major battle of Malayan Campaign by the Japanese forces. 
  • 22 January - The first large massacre of Australian troops by Japanese at Parit Sulong, Johor (Malaya).
  • Battle of Endau - first notable naval engagement at Malaya after the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse on 10 December 1941.
  • 8 February - Battle of Singapore - Japanese invaded the British stronghold of Singapore. 
  • 14 February - Battle of Pasir Panjang Ridge at Singapore - Japanese troops advance to Opium Hill defended by the Royal Malay Regiment. / SS Vyner Brooke was sunk by the Japanese at Banka Island, Indonesia. 
  • 15 February - The falls of Singapore to the Japanese, General Percival signed the surrender. 
  • 18 February - The Sook Ching Massacre at Singapore, approximately 5,000 chinese were killed in the massacre by the Japanese soldiers. 
  • 27 February - Battle of the Java Sea - Allied forces (Dutch, British, Australian and U.S Navy) was defeated. 
  • 8 March - Japanese enter Rangoon / Japanese troops landed at Lae and Salamaua in New Guinea. 
  • 9 April - Bataan Death March - forcible transfer by the Imperial Japanese Army of 60,000 to 80,000 American and Filipino POW from Bataan to San Fernando, Philippine. 
  • 18 April - The Doolittle Raid  USS Hornet launched  16 Army Airforce B-25 Bombers commanded Col. James Doolittle on Japanese capital Tokyo. 
  • 4 May - Battle of the Coral Sea - major battle between Imperial Japanese Navy with naval and airforce of the Australian and U.S. 
  • 6 May - British captures Madagascar / Surrender of all US forces at Phillipines.
  • 8 May - U.S Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington exploded after being attack by Japanese air attack. 
  • 28 May - Germans defeat Soviets at Kharkov. 
  • 4 June - Battle of Midway - 4 Japanese carriers sunk 
  • 7 June - USS Yorktown was sunk by the Japanese. 
  • July - Gen. Horii Tamitaro South Sea Detachment began advanced toward Port Moresby. 
  • 3 July - Sevastopol falls to Germans
  • 7 August - Battle of Guadalcanal 1st U.S Marine Division landed at Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater
  • 17 August - The first air raid over western Europe by USAAF bomber force in Northern France. 
  • 22 August - Brazil declares war on Germany and Italy.
  • 24 August - Battle of Eastern Solomon - the third carrier battle of the Pacific campaign between the US Navy and the IJN. 
  • 12 September - German troops advanced toward Stalingrad.
  • 23 October - Battle of El-Alamein
  • 25 October - Battle of Santa Cruz the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific Campaign between the US Navy and the IJN. 
  • 8 November - Operation Torch - Allies invade NW Africa
  • 19 November - The Soviet attacked North of Stalingrad. 
1943
  • 14 January - Casablanca Conference begins - President Roosevelt demands "Unconditional Surrender".
  • 23 January - British 8th Army captures Tripoli.
  • 31 January - German surrender at Stalingrad
  • 8 February - Soviets re-capture Kursk.
  • 14 February - Soviets re-capture Rostov.
  • 16 February - Soviets re-capture Kharkov.
  • 15 March - German Army re-takes Kharkov
  • 12 May - Surrender of Axis forces in North Africa
  • 5 July - Operation Citadel German offensive operation against Soviet forces in the Kursk, Russia (Battle of the Kursk)
  • 10 July - Operation Husky - Allied landing in Sicily.
  • 25 July - Mussolini's Italian Fascist government overthrown
  • 26 July - Marshal Badoglio declares martial law in Italy.
  • 23 August - Soviest re-capture Kharkov
  • September - Operation Rimau - Allied operation succeeded in blowing up 7 Japanese ships in Singapore Harbour.
  • 3 September - Italy signs armistice
  • 10 September - Germans occupy Rome
  • 23 September - Mussolini declares Fascist government in Northern Italy.
  • 13 October - Official Italian Government declares war on Germany.
  • 6 November - Soviets re-capture Kiev.
  • 20 November - Battle of Tarawa - U.S. invasion of the Gilbert Island
1944
  • 6 January - Soviets advance into Poland
  • 22 January - Allied landing in Anzio
  • 27 January - End of siege of Leningrad
  • 31 Januari - U.S.troops began landings on Kwajalein, Roi-Nmur and Majuro. 
  • 19 March - Hungary occupied by German Army
  • 10 April - Soviets capture Odessa
  • May - US warship USS England achieved the unmatched feat of sinking 6 Japanese submarines within a period of 12 days. 
  • 9 May - Sevastopol falls to Soviets
  • 4 June - Rome captured by Allies
  • 6 June - Operation Overload - Allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day)
  • 15 June - Battle of Saipan - U.S Marines defeated the Imperial Japanese Army at Saipan Island. 
  • 19 June - Battle of the Philippine Sea US and Japanese fleet
  • 27 June - US Army captures Cherbourg
  • 3 July - Soviets re-capture Minsk
  • 7 July - Japanese defeat on Saipan
  • 9 July - Allies capture Caen
  • 20 July - German assassination attempt on Hitler fails.
  • 21 July - US landing on Guam
  • 25 July - Operation Cobra - Allied breakout from Normandy
  • 28 July - Soviets take Brest-Litovsk.
  • 4 August - Allies liberate Florence
  • 15 August - Operation Anvil - Allied landings in South of France.
  • 25 August - Allies liberate Paris
  • 28 August - Liberation of Marseilles / Toulon
  • 30 August - Germans abandon Bulgaria
  • 31 August - Soviets caputre Bucharest.
  • 2 September - Pisa liberated
  • 3 September - Antwerp / Brussels liberated
  • 5 September - Soviest declares war on Bulgaria
  • 12 September - Le Havre liberated
  • 17 September - Operation Market Garden - failed airborne assault in Holland
  • 22 September - Boulogne liberated
  • 26 September - Estonia occupied by Soviets
  • 28 September - Liberation of Calais
  • 1 October - Soviets enter Yugoslavia
  • 4 October - Allies land in Greece
  • 14 October - Athens liberated
  • 20 October - Liberation of Belgrade
  • 21 October - Allies capture Aachen / the first Kamikaze attack off Leyte, Philippines, Australian cruiser HMAS Australia was badly damaged. 
  • 23 October - Soviets enter East Prussia
  • 23 October - Battle of Leyte Gulf - largest Naval battle near the Philippine island of Leyte.
  • 4 November - Surrender of Axis forces in Greece.
  • 24 November - French capture Strasbourg
  • 16 December - Battle of Bulge - the last major German offensive campaign on the Western front. 
  • 26 December - US troops hold Bastogne
1945
  • 1 January - German withdraw from Ardennes
  • 9 January - Gen. Douglas MacArthur send US 6th Army ashore in Lingayen Gulf. 
  • 17 January - Soviets capture Warsaw
  • 26 January - Japanese retreat to Chinese coast
  • 26 January - Soviets liberate Auschwitz
  • 28 January - 470 Allied prisoners marched from Sandakan to Ranau in Borneo, only 313 arrived at Ranau (Sandakan Death March)
  • 4 February - Manila falls to Allies
  • 19 February - Japanese evacuate Mandalay / US Marine Corps landing at Iwo Jima
  • 1 April - US invades Okinawa
  • 11 April - Soviets and Yugoslavia sign treaty
  • 12 April - US President Roosevelt dies - Harry S.Truman becomes President.
  • 13 April - Soviets capture Vienna
  • 15 April - Allies capture Arnhem
  • 23 April - Soviets enter Berlin
  • 20 April - Nuremburg falls to Allies
  • 28 April - Mussolini captured by Partisans and executed.
  • 30 April - Hilter commits suicide
  • 2 May - German forces in Italy surrender
  • 4 May - German forces in Holland, Denmark and N W Germany surrender.
  • 7 May - German unconditional surrender
  • 8 May - VE Day declared
  • 9 May - Soviets occupy Prague
  • 29 May - the Second Sandakan Death March with 536 prisoners (Borneo)
  • 9 June - the Final Sandakan Death March with 75 prisoners (Borneo)
  • 10 June - Australians invades Borneo
  • 22 June - US Forces capture Okinawa
  • 7 July - 7 members of the Operation Rimau was beheaded by the Japanese at Kranji, Singapore. 
  • 6 August - Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima
  • 8 August - Soviets declare war on Japan
  • 9 August - Atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki
  • 14 August - Japan surrender
  • 15 August - VJ Day declared
  • 3 September - British forces landed at Penang
  • 5 September - British forces land in Singapore
  • 7 September - Japanese surrender at Shanghai
  • 12 September - Admiral Lord Louis Mounbatten accepted the Japanese surrender at Singapore. 
  • 13 September - Japanese surrender at Burma
  • 16 September - Japanese surrender at Hong Kong

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