1940
Germany apologizes to Eire for Wexford bombing. Intense dogfights over London and Home Counties. Britain refuses German proposal to use 64 Red Cross ships to rescue airmen from the English Channel.
Vichy France agree to Japanese demands that they be allowed to station forces in northern Indochina.
First mass jump by US paratroopers, at Fort Benning, GA.
1941
Despite protests, Vichy parliament moves to holiday resort in the hills.
Germany and the Soviet Union suffer heavy casualties at Leningrad. Public opinion in the United States is summed up by Missouri senator Harry Truman, who says, “If we see that Germany is winning, we ought to help Russia, and if we see that Russia is winning, we ought to help Germany.”
Russians evacuate Karelian Isthmus to Leningrad. The Finnish troops capture Vyborg and are now only 30 miles North of Leningrad.
Cease-fire in Iran—USSR & Britain occupy.
1942
Japanese warships begin to evacuate Milne Bay.
The American Red Cross announces that Japan has refused to allow safe conduct for the passage of ships with supplies for American prisoners of war.
1943
Martial law is declared in Denmark and the Danish Royal Family are ‘isolated’ by the Germans.
1944
American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.
The British begin the ‘Race for Amiens’. U.S. troops liberate Soissons, 60 miles Northeast of Paris. Montelimar is taken by the French who also cross the Rhone in several places. The Canadians enter Rouen.
The Russians capture the Romanian oilfields at Ploiesti and enter Hungarian occupied Transylvania. An uprising begins in Slovakia against the pro-German government of Dr. Tiso.
1945
The lists of the first war criminals to be tried at Nuremberg are drawn up by a ‘Four Power’ Commission of Prosecutors in London. Goring, Hess, von Ribbentrop, Dr Ley, Rosenberg, Dr Frank, Streicher, Keitel, Dr Funk, von Shirach, Dr Schacht, Sauckel, Prof Speer, Bormann, von Papen, Jodl, Krupp, Raeder, Donitz, Baron von Neurath, Seyss-Inquart and Frische are all named.
The Russians announce the capture of 513,000 prisoners in the Manchurian campaign.
The Soviets shoot down a B29 dropping supplies to POWs in Korea.
U.S. airborne troops are landed in transport planes at Atsugi airfield, southwest of Tokyo, beginning the occupation of Japan.
First Allied POWs in Japan are liberated, from Camp Omori, by US Navy forces.
The United States ends military draft.