Diary WW2

Diary for Wednesday, February 28, 1940: Finland Winter War: Finns storm entrenched camp of starving 34th Moscow Tank Brigade near Kitelae, capturing 105 tanks, 200 trucks and field cars. Home […]

Diary for Wednesday, February 28, 1945: Western Front US 1st Army crosses river Erth, 10 km from Cologne. Politics Allied-occupied Iran declares war on Japan. Saudi Arabia declares war on

Diary for Tuesday, February 27, 1940: Finland Winter War: Finns begin to withdraw to rear positions of Mannerheim Line.

Diary for Tuesday, February 27, 1945: Russian Front Rokossovsky drives into Pomerania. Politics French-occupied Lebanon declares war on Germany and Japan.

Diary for Monday, February 26, 1940: Finland Winter War: Finns announce evacuation of Koivisto coastal fortress, on right flank of Mannerheim Line. Sea War Atlantic: Liner Queen Elizabeth (83,700 tons)

Diary for Monday, February 26, 1945: Air War Germany: 8th USAAF carries out 3,000 t. raid with 1,112 bombers on Berlin; 1/2 Million incendiaries dropped. Main targets: 3 railway stations

Diary for Sunday, February 25, 1940: Air War First squadron of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) reaches Britain.

Diary for Sunday, February 25, 1945: Western Front 1st and 9th US Armies break German defenses at river Roer west of Cologne, capturing Düren and Jülich.

Diary for Saturday, February 24, 1940: Western Front MANSTEIN PLAN ADOPTED by German Army High Command. Hitler accepts proposal by General von Manstein – backed by Generals von Rundstedt and

Diary for Saturday, February 24, 1945: Philippines Americans crush desperate Japanese resistance in the Intramuros ­old walled quarter of Manila. Air War Germany: Colonel Ivan Kojedub, top­ scoring Russian (and

Diary for Friday, February 23, 1940: Home Fronts Britain: 700 officers and men of cruisers Ajax and Exeter march through cheering crowds to London’s Guildhall to celebrate River Plate Battle

Diary for Friday, February 23, 1945: Pacific Iwo Jima: Marines take Mt Suribachi. Hoisting of US flag captured in classic photograph by Joe Rosenthal. Russian Front Poland – Siege of

Diary for Thursday, February 22, 1940: Neutrals Tibet: six-year-old Dalai Lama, Jampel Ngawang Lobsang Yishey Tenzing Gyatso (‘Tender Glory, Mighty in Speech, Excellent Intellect, Absolute Wisdom, Holding to the Doctrine,

Diary for Thursday, February 22, 1945: Air War Europe – OPERATION CLARION: 9,000 Allied bombers and fighters from bases in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Italy attack rail and road

Diary for Wednesday, February 21, 1940: Secret War Britain: First successful test of cavity magneto at Birmingham University gives Britain unbeatable lead in development of short-wave radar. Finland Winter War:

Diary for Wednesday, February 21, 1945: Western Front US 3rd Army attacks Saar-Moselle ‘triangle’. Sea War Pacific: Escort carrier Bismarck Sea sunk by Kamikaze planes off Iwo Jima.

Diary for Tuesday, February 20, 1940: Finland Winter War: Finns repulse heavy attacks across frozen river Taipale.

Diary for Tuesday, February 20, 1945: Air War Germany: 900 B-17 Fortress blast passenger station and marshalling yards at Nuremburg. 700 escort fighters (23 lost) strafe locomotives, rolling stock, parked

Diary for Monday, February 19, 1940: Politics Sweden: King Gustav re-affirms his determination to remain neutral in Russo-Finnish conflict: ‘from the first hour I informed Finland that she unfortunately could

Diary for Monday, February 19, 1945: Sea War Pacific – AMERICANS LAND ON IWO JIMA (Operation Detachment): 4th and 5th Marine divisions employed. Sergeant John Basilone, first enlisted US marine