1939 – The First British Combat Death of the War
Near Metz, France, a tragic friendly fire incident claims the life of
Cpl. Thomas Priday, who becomes the first British soldier killed in World War II.
The early months of the conflict continue to reveal the dangers of confused and fluid front-line conditions.
1940 – Operation Compass Begins in North Africa
General Wavell’s Western Desert Force, 30,000 strong, launches
Operation Compass, the first major British offensive against Italian forces in Libya.
The 4th Indian Division overruns Italian camps at Nibeiwa, Tumar East, and Tumar West,
while the 7th Armoured Division maneuvers south of Sofafi and Rabia before cutting north toward Buq Buq.
A separate column advances from Mersa Matruh along the coast road toward Maktila as British warships bombard both Maktila and Sidi Barrani.
Italian troops at Nibeiwa are caught completely off guard during breakfast as British and Indian tanks smash through their encampment.
The Italian commander had ignored a scout plane’s earlier warning of approaching armor.
1941 – A Global War Expands
Roosevelt Prepares the Nation
President Franklin D. Roosevelt tells Americans to prepare for a long war,
signaling the immense global struggle that has now fully engulfed the United States.
Soviet Counteroffensive Continues
The Red Army recaptures Tikhivin. General Zhukov orders an end to frontal assaults,
stating that such attacks merely allow German units to withdraw in good order.
He directs commanders to focus on encirclement and flanking operations.
China Declares War on the Axis
China formally declares war on Japan, Germany, and Italy, aligning its position with the broader Allied coalition.
Japan Advances Through Thailand and Malaya
Japanese troops occupy Bangkok as they push toward the Burmese border.
More landings continue along the Kra Isthmus and at Kota Bharu in northeastern Malaya.
Air Raid on Alor Star – A Lone Victoria Cross
Japanese aircraft strike Alor Star airfield in Malaya.
Of the two squadrons of Blenheims stationed there, only one aircraft survives.
Its pilot, Flight Lieutenant A. S. K. Scarf, takes off alone and presses his attack against the heavily defended
Singora airfield. Mortally wounded, he returns to Alor Star where he later dies.
Five years afterward, the full story of his bravery emerges, and he is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
Japanese troops also land on Tarawa and Makin in the Gilbert Islands.
Air Raid Alerts in the United States
New England and New York City experience their first air raid alerts.
Schools and defense plants are evacuated as civilian defense systems are tested in wartime conditions.
1942 – Relief on Guadalcanal
Fresh U.S. troops arrive to relieve the exhausted 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal,
ending months of continuous combat and disease that had ravaged the Marines.
1943 – Resistance and Counteroffensives
Britain announces the establishment of the Council of Freedom in Denmark,
a signal of growing organized resistance to German occupation.
Meanwhile, Chinese forces retake Changteh in Hunan Province.
1944 – The Eastern Front and the Final Collapse of Axis Positions
The Red Army reaches the Danube River north of Budapest, tightening the noose around Axis forces in Hungary.
In the Formosa Strait, U.S. submarines Redfish and Sea Devil inflict
irreparable damage on the Japanese carrier Junyo.
Bulgarian and Yugoslav forces drive the last German troops out of Serbia and Macedonia,
further shrinking Germany’s grasp in the Balkans.
1945 – General Patton Injured
General George S. Patton is seriously injured in a car accident in Germany.
The fate of one of America’s most celebrated commanders hangs in the balance as the war nears its end.