1940
Destroyer HMS Daring torpedoed, 157 are killed.
1941
Luftwaffe switches focus from attacking London to attacking shipping centers, such as Portsmouth, Plymouth, Bristol, and Cardiff.
US Coast Guard Auxiliary (non-military) and Reserve (military) is established.
1942
Under increasing threat of being outflanked by the advancing Japanese, the 17th Indian Division is finally given permission to withdraw across the river Sittang.
Largest Japanese air raid since Pearl Harbor occurs against Darwin, Australia as the Japanese attack twice in one day.
The Battle of Badung Strait results in a Japanese victory, as an American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA) naval squadron attempts to prevent the Japanese landing on Bali. The Allies lose 1 Dutch destroyer sunk and 2 Dutch cruisers and a US destroyer damaged.
Executive Order 9066 is signed by President Roosevelt, authorizing the transfer of more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans living in coastal Pacific areas to concentration camps invarious inland states (and including inland areas of California). The interned Japanese-Americans lose an estimated 400 million dollars in property, as their homes and possessions are taken from them.
Japanese invade Bali.
General Gamelin, Leon Blum and Paul Reynaud are put on trial at Riom by the Vichy government, charged with being responsible for the French defeat of 1940. The trial is never concluded. Blum defends himself so brilliantly that the trial is suspended. He remains a prisoner until 1945.
1943
The first Chindit action against Japanese occurs.
A two-day U-boat attack on Convoy ONl16 in the North Atlantic ends with 15 allied ships sunk.
1944
Danish saboteurs attack the rail lines round Aarhus.
The U.S. Eighth Air Force and Royal Air Force begin “Big Week,” a series of heavy bomber attacks against German aircraft production facilities.
The RAF saturates Leipzig, dropping 2,300 tons of bombs, but loses 78 of 823 bombers.
A Japanese convoy is smashed by allied aircraft in the Bismarck Archipelago.
1945
German forces re-establish communications between Königsberg and the port of Pillau, thus again enabling tens of thousands of German refugees to be evacuated to the west by ships of the Kriegsmarine. ‘Operation Sonnenwende’ is finally ended in the face of ever strengthening Red Army resistance. The operation was a complete military failure, although did show that the German Army could
still organize and mount limited counter-attacks.
After a heavy bombardment, 30,000 US Marines land on Iwo Jima, but suffer 2,420 casualties on the first day.
Take a look at these other WWII Posts:
Destroyer HMS Daring torpedoed, 157 are killed.1942
Under increasing threat of being outflanked by the advancing Japanese, the 17th Indian Division is finally given permission to withdraw across the river Sittang.In Australia, Darwin is attacked twice in one day by Japanese aircraft.The battle of Lumbok Strait results in a Japanese victory, as an Allied naval squadron attempts to prevent the Japanese landing on Bali. The Allies lose 1 Dutch destroyer sunk and 2 Dutch cruisers and a US destroyer damaged. Japanese Carrier based planes raid Darwin in northern Australia, inflicting severe damage to the port.Executive Order 9066 is signed by President Roosevelt, authorizing the transfer of more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans living in coastal Pacific areas to concentration camps invarious inland states (and including inland areas of California). The interned
Japanese-Americans lose an estimated 400 million dollars in property, as their homes and possessions are taken from them.1943
The first Chindit action against Japanese occurs.1944
Danish saboteurs attack the rail lines round Aarhus.The RAF saturates Leipzig, dropping 2,300 tons of bombs, but loses 78 of 823 bombers.A Japanese convoy is smashed by allied aircraft in the Bismarck Archipelago.1945
German forces re-establish communications between Königsberg and the port of Pillau, thus again enabling tens of thousands of German refugees to be evacuated to the west by ships of the Kriegsmarine. ‘Operation Sonnenwende’ is finally ended in the face of ever strengthening Red Army resistance. The operation was a complete military failure, although did show that the German Army could
still organize and mount limited counter-attacks.After a heavy bombardment, 30,000 US Marines land on Iwo Jima, but suffer 2,420 casualties on the first day.