WWII History

On November 22 during World War II, German mines drifted into the Thames Estuary, Birmingham endured its heaviest Luftwaffe raid, and the battle for North Africa shifted in chaos around Sidi Rezegh. The Soviets completed their encirclement at Stalingrad, the RAF delivered a devastating blow to Berlin, and Allied leaders met in Cairo to plan the defeat of Japan. By 1944, Metz fell to the U.S. Third Army, and in 1945 Americans celebrated a peaceful Thanksgiving as the Hollywood Canteen closed after serving four million servicemen. A day marked by destruction, turning points, and the first glimpses of a world emerging from war.

1937Germany unveiled the first stretch of its new Autobahn, a modern highway system unlike anything Europe had seen. Though framed as a marvel of engineering and national progress, its true purpose was unmistakable: a fast, efficient network designed to move troops and supplies across the Reich. In time, more than 4,500 miles of these four-lane

1940 Hungarian Premier and Foreign Minister in Vienna agree to join Tripartite. 1941 The exiled Norwegian Government in London officially backs ‘Milorg’, the largest resistance organization in Norway. The British garrison is ordered to break out and link up with XXX Corps. However, Rommel, now realizing the threat sent the Afrika Korps to attack at Sidi Rezegh.

1940 Greek successes continue in northern Greece and Albania. The Italians are driven back across the Kalamas River. The Canadian government approves initiation of mass production of war bacteria. The Luftwaffe launches a major raid against Birmingham, inflicting heavy damage in places. 1941 The Times newspaper’s report on Occupied Europe estimates that 82,000 Poles have

1939 The Dutch ship Simon Bolivar hits an ‘un-notified’ mine in the North Sea, killing 80. Several other neutral ships also sunk by mines. IRA detonate four small bombs in Piccadilly, London. 1941 At 6am ‘Operation Crusader’, the British Eighth Army’s offensive to relieve Tobruk begins. Rommel, who arrives back from Rome that day, is

1939 The Supreme Allied War Council agrees on the co-ordination of British and French war production. It is also decided that if the Germans should invade Belgium, then both British and French troops will move forward in to Belgium to defend the Albert Canal, River Meuse and the River Dyle, which were strong positions from

1940 131 RAF Bomber Command aircraft make raids on four Hamburg targets. 1941 The German 11th Army takes Kerch in the eastern Crimea, although Sevastopol still holds out. 1942 U.S. and Australian forces join up for the assault on the last Japanese stronghold in Northern Papua, the Buna-Gona bridgehead. German submarine U-173 was depth charged and sunk

1939 The German pocket-battleship Admiral Graf Spee sinks the merchantman Africa Shell off Mozambique. 1940 67 RAF Wellington, Whitley, and Hampden bombers attack Hamburg, doing extensive damage to the city and shipyards, with no loss of aircraft. The prototype de Havilland Mosquito takes off for the first time; designed as a bomber fast enough to

1940 Coventry bombed.  The Luftwaffe launches 449 bombers in a heavy night attack against the major manufacturing city of Coventry, dropping around 400 tons of bombs causing severe damage to industrial and civilian installations. The city centre is badly damaged, with 21 factories being destroyed and the cathedral wrecked but for its spire. The raid

1939 HMS Blanche struck a mine and sank off the Thames Estuary. She was the first Royal Naval destroyer lost in the war. Two German supply ships are scuttled when cornered by the Royal Navy. German bombers attacked British territory for the first time, with a bombing raid on the Shetland Islands. No serious damage