A day marked by brutal repression, desperate fighting, strategic turning points, and the widening reach of a global war.
1939 – The First Women Arrive at Ravensbrück
In Germany, the Nazi regime deepened its campaign of terror. The first transport of Polish women arrived at the
Ravensbrück concentration camp—soon to become the largest camp for women in the Third Reich. Many of these early prisoners were
teachers, students, activists, and community leaders targeted for their perceived ability to inspire resistance. Their arrival
marked the beginning of years of horrific medical experiments, forced labor, and systemic abuse.
1942 – Stalingrad, the Caucasus, and Global Shockwaves
Stalingrad’s Bitter Streets
In Stalingrad, the fighting had devolved into savage, yard-by-yard combat. Both sides were exhausted, bloodied, and struggling to
gain even a few meters of ground. Entire blocks changed hands multiple times per day as Soviet defenders clung to any remaining
rubble, while German infantry found themselves trapped in a battle they could no longer control.
The Caucasus Advance Collapses
Far to the south, General Kleist’s final push into the Caucasus came to a halt. The 13th Panzer Division, advancing with
exhausted troops and stretched supply lines, reached the outskirts of Ordshonikidze—today the southeasternmost point the
Wehrmacht would ever reach within the Soviet Union. The dream of capturing the oil fields of Baku had slipped away forever.
Operation Supercharge Begins
In North Africa, the Allied breakout from El Alamein—Operation Supercharge—officially began.
Rommel’s once-formidable Afrika Korps had been reduced to just 32 operational tanks. With British armor driving forward
and air superiority firmly in Allied hands, the Axis line was cracking.
Eisenhower Arrives for Operation Torch
At Gibraltar, Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived to establish the American command post for the impending
Allied invasion of North Africa—Operation Torch. Within days, U.S. forces would enter ground combat against the Axis for the
first time in the European theater.
Raiders Advance in New Guinea
In the Pacific, Australian forces reoccupied Kokoda and its airfield, securing a critical milestone in the
Papua Campaign. The hard-fought Kokoda Track—a grueling trail through mountains and jungle—was now firmly back in Allied hands
as troops pushed toward Buna.
U-Boat Attack on North American Soil
At Bell Island, Newfoundland, the German U-boat U-518 fired a torpedo that struck the dockyard—marking the only direct attack
on North American soil by German forces during the entire war. Two Allied ships were sunk in the harbor, a shocking reminder of
how close the war could reach.
1943 – Victory at Empress Augusta Bay
In the waters off Bougainville, the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay ended in a decisive U.S. Navy victory. American cruisers
and destroyers beat back a Japanese task force attempting to strike newly established Allied beachheads. The victory secured the
Allied foothold in the Northern Solomons and further isolated the Japanese stronghold at Rabaul.
1944 – Final Battles in the West and the Balkans
Canada Liberates Zeebrugge
In Belgium, Canadian forces captured Zeebrugge, seizing the last German-held corner of the Belgian coastline. Meanwhile,
the 2nd Canadian Division was forced to withdraw from a precarious bridgehead on Walcheren Island as brutal fighting continued in
the Scheldt Estuary.
The Volksturm Mobilizes
Inside Germany, desperation grew. The Nazi regime ordered all eligible German men—including teenagers and elderly veterans—to
enroll in the Volksturm militia, under threat of court-martial. This people’s army, poorly trained and poorly armed, was
a final attempt to slow the Allied advance.
The Hurtgen Forest Consumes the 28th Division
In one of the war’s most brutal and ill-fated battles, the U.S. 28th Infantry Division was ordered to clear German forces
from the Hürtgen Forest. The division suffered catastrophic losses in the dense, mine-laden woods—nearly being destroyed in the
attempt. The Hürtgen campaign would become one of the costliest battles fought by American forces in Europe.
Stiff German Resistance in the Balkans
In Eastern Europe, German forces checked the Soviet advance at Kraisevo, allowing the Second Panzer Army to form a more
defensible line west of Belgrade. But their hold was temporary; pressure from the Red Army continued to mount.
The Red Army Enters Budapest
At the same time, Soviet troops entered the southeastern suburbs of Budapest, setting the stage for one of the war’s most
bitter urban battles. The fight for the Hungarian capital would rage through the winter months, becoming a pivotal moment in the
collapse of Axis influence in Eastern Europe.
Remembering November 2
From the first prisoners at Ravensbrück to the brutal streets of Stalingrad, from the deserts of North Africa to the jungles of
New Guinea, and from the waters off Bougainville to the forests of western Germany, November 2 offers a powerful snapshot of a
world at total war. Each front—each struggle—shaped the path toward liberation.
Lest we forget.