1940 — America Counts Its Population and Britain Prepares for Long War
The 1940 United States Census
The 1940 United States Census records a national population of approximately 131,669,000 people, representing a 7.2% increase since 1930.
The census provides an important snapshot of America on the eve of its entry into World War II, documenting a nation still recovering from the Great Depression while rapidly preparing for industrial mobilization.
“Dig for Victory” Campaign Begins
Britain’s Ministry of Food launches the famous “Dig for Victory” campaign, encouraging civilians to grow vegetables and raise food at home.
Public parks, gardens, sports fields, and vacant lots are converted into farmland as Britain seeks to reduce dependence on imported food threatened by German U-boats in the Atlantic.
1941 — Allied Advances and Political Upheaval
Asmara Captured in Eritrea
General William Platt and his British-led “Northern Force” capture Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, from Italian forces.
The victory marks another major Allied success in the East African Campaign and further weakens Italy’s colonial empire in the region.
Pro-Axis Coup in Iraq
A pro-Axis coup led by Rashid Ali al-Gaylani seizes power in Iraq, threatening British strategic interests and oil supplies in the Middle East.
The coup soon leads to direct military confrontation between British and Iraqi forces.
Japanese Advance in Burma
Japanese forces drive Chinese troops from Toungoo, north of Rangoon, continuing their rapid offensive through Burma and threatening Allied supply routes to China.
Landings in Dutch New Guinea
Japanese troops begin landing in Dutch New Guinea, expanding their control across the Southwest Pacific and placing additional pressure on Allied defensive positions.
1942 — The “Bucket Brigade” Convoy System
Following devastating shipping losses caused by German U-boats along the American East Coast, U.S. authorities introduce a partial convoy system known as the “Bucket Brigade.”
Under the system, merchant ships travel in escorted convoys close to shore during daylight hours before anchoring in protected harbors at night.
Due to a shortage of escort vessels, continuous convoy protection remains impossible, and the system does not yet extend to the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico, where U-boats continue to operate with deadly effectiveness.
1943 — Wartime Controls on the American Home Front
Roosevelt Freezes Wages and Prices
In an effort to control wartime inflation, President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders a freeze on wages, salaries, and prices across the United States.
The measures are designed to stabilize the wartime economy while balancing military production and civilian consumption.
Food Rationing Expands
The United States expands rationing to include meat, fats, canned goods, and cheese. Americans use ration books and stamps to purchase controlled items as supplies are prioritized for the military.
1944 — Accidental Bombing of Switzerland
USAAF Bombs Schaffhausen
USAAF Bombs SchaffhausenAmerican bombers from the U.S. Army Air Forces accidentally bomb the Swiss city of Schaffhausen, causing civilian casualties and destruction.
The neutral Swiss government protests strongly, and the United States later agrees to pay reparations for the mistake.
The incident highlights the navigational difficulties and hazards of large-scale strategic bombing operations over Europe.
1945 — Allied Victory Nears
Ruhr Pocket Formed
The U.S. First Army and U.S. Ninth Army link up near Lippstadt, trapping approximately 300,000 German troops inside the massive Ruhr Pocket.
The encirclement cuts off one of Germany’s most important industrial regions and marks a decisive blow against the remaining German Army in the west.
American Advance into Germany
The U.S. First Army captures the city of Hamm, northeast of Essen, as Allied forces continue their rapid advance across western Germany.
Soviets Push Toward Vienna
Marshal Tolbukhin’s 3rd Ukrainian Front captures Sopron in Hungary and advances toward Wiener Neustadt in Austria.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting continues around the surrounded German city of Breslau.
The Invasion of Okinawa Begins
The U.S. Tenth Army, supported by an enormous fleet of approximately 1,457 ships, launches the invasion of Okinawa, only 325 miles from mainland Japan.
Nearly 60,000 American troops land largely unopposed on the opening day and establish an eight-mile-wide beachhead.
The Battle of Okinawa will become one of the bloodiest campaigns of the Pacific War and a preview of what an invasion of Japan itself might have looked like.