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Background (X - 6 July 1937)

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Main battles / campaigns 1

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Chinese Civil War N/A Asia 1927-08-011 Aug 1927 1936-12-2424 Dec 1936 Nationalist Party of China Communist Party of China
Invasion of Manchuria N/A Asia 1931-09-1919 Sep 1931 1932-02-1818 Feb 1932 China Japan
January 28 Incident N/A Asia 1932-01-2828 Jan 1932 1932-03-033 Mar 1932 China Japan
Operation Nekka N/A Asia 1933-01-011 Jan 1933 1933-05-3131 May 1933 China Japan
Second Italo-Abyssinian War N/A Europe 1935-10-033 Oct 1935 1936-03-077 May 1936 Ethiopia Italy
Spanish Civil War N/A Europe 1936-07-1717 Jul 1936 1939-04-011 Apr 1939 Nationalist Spain
supported by Soviet Union
Spanish Republic
supported by Germany and Italy

Political arrangements 1

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Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Mussolini comes to power 1922-10-2727 Oct 1922 National Fascist Party N/A
Treaty on the Creation of the USSR 1922-12-2929 Dec 1922 Soviet Union N/A
Hirohito becomes emporer 1926-12-2525 Dec 1926 Soviet Union N/A
Stalin takes full power 1928-01-011928 Soviet Union N/A
Tanggu Truce 1933-05-3131 May 1933 China, Japan N/A
Hitler comes to power 1934-08-022 Aug 1934 Germany N/A
Franco–Italian Agreement 1935-01-077 Jan 1935 France, Italy Ethiopia
Saar reunites with Germany 1935-01-1313 Jan 1935 Germany N/A
Hitler openly repudiates the Treaty of Versailles 1935-03-1616 Mar 1935 Germany N/A
Stresa Front 1935-04-1414 Apr 1935 United Kingdom, France, Italy Germany
Franco-Soviet Pact of Mutual Assistance 1935-05-022 May 1935 France, Soviet Union
Czechoslovak-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance 1935-05-1616 May 1935 Soviet Union, Czechoslavakia
Anglo-German Naval Agreement 1935-06-1818 Jun 1935 Germany N/A
Neutrality Acts 1936-03-0731 Aug 1935 United States N/A
Mussolini backs out of Stresa Front 1936-01-066 Jan 1936 Italy, Germany N/A
Remilitarization of the Rhineland 1936-03-077 Mar 1936 Germany N/A
Rome-Berlin Axis 1936-10-2525 Oct 1936 Germany, Italy N/A
Anti-Comintern Pact 1936-11-2525 Nov 1936 Germany, Japan Comintern
Second United Front (China) 1936-12-2424 Dec 1936 Nationalist and Communist parties of China Japan


War breaks out (7 July 1937 - 6 Oct 1939)

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Main battles / campaigns 2

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Spanish Civil War N/A Europe 1936-07-1717 Jul 1936 1939-04-011 Apr 1939 Nationalist Spain
supported by Soviet Union
Spanish Republic
supported by Germany and Italy
Japanese capture of eastern China Sino-Japanese War Asia 1937-07-077 Jul 1937 1938-06-0927 Oct 1938 China Japan
Battle of Lake Khasan N/A Asia 1938-07-2929 Jul 1938 1938-08-1111 Aug 1938 USSR Japan
Italian invasion of Albania N/A Europe 1939-04-077 Apr 1939 1939-04-1212 Apr 1939 Albania Italy
Battle of Khalkhin Gol N/A Asia 1939-05-1111 May 1939 1939-11-1616 Sep 1939 USSR Japan
German invasion of Poland N/A Europe 1939-09-011 Sep 1939 1939-10-066 Oct 1939 Poland Germany
Saar Offensive N/A Europe 1939-09-077 Sep 1939 1939-09-1212 Sep 1939 France Germany
Battle of Changsha (1939) Sino-Japanese War Asia 1939-09-1717 Sep 1939 1939-10-088 Oct 1939 China Japan
Soviet invasion of Poland N/A Europe 1939-09-1717 Sep 1939 1939-10-066 Oct 1939 Poland Soviet Union

Break down of Japanese conquest of eastern China

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Action Start date End date
Marco Polo Bridge Incident 1937-07-077 Jul 1937 1937-07-077 Jul 1937
Battle of Shanghai 1937-08-1313 Aug 1937 1937-11-2626 Nov 1937
Battle of Taiyuan 1937-09-011 Sep 1937 1937-11-099 Nov 1937
Battle of Xinkou 1937-10-0913 Sep 1937 1937-12-1311 Nov 1937
Battle of Nanjing 1937-10-099 Oct 1937 1937-12-1313 Dec 1937
Battle of Xuzhou 1938-06-09Dec 1937 1938-06-09May 1938
1938 Yellow River flood 1938-06-099 Jun 1938 1938-06-099 Jun 1938
Battle of Wuhan 1938-06-0911 Jun 1938 1938-06-0927 Oct 1938

Political arrangements 2

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Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact 1937-08-2121 Aug 1937 Soviet Union, China N/A
Italy joins Anti-Comintern Pact 1937-10-066 Nov 1937 Italy, Germany, Japan Soviet Union
Anschluss 1938-03-1212 Mar 1938 Germany, Austria N/A
Munich Agreement 1938-09-2929 Sep 1938 Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia 1939-03-1515 Mar 1939 Germany Czechoslovakia
Franco-British guarantee to Poland of military assistance 1939-03-3030 Mar 1939 France, United Kingdom, Poland Germany
Franco-Polish Military Alliance 1939-05-1919 May 1939 France, Poland Germany
Pact of Steel 1939-05-2222 May 1939 Italy, Germany N/A
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact 1939-08-2424 Aug 1939 Soviet Union, Germany N/A
Polish-British Common Defence Pact 1939-08-2525 Aug 1939 United Kingdom, Poland Germany
Japanese-Soviet Armistice 1939-09-1616 Sep 1939 Soviet Union, Japan N/A
German-Soviet Boundary and Friendship Treaty 1939-09-2828 Sep 1939 Soviet Union, Germany N/A

Axis advance (6 October 1939 - 21 June 1941)

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Main battles / campaigns 3

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Phoney War Western Front (1939-1940) Europe 1939-09-033 Sep 1939 1940-05-1010 May 1940 Commonwealth
France
Germany
1939-40 Winter Offensive Sino-Japanese War Asia 1939-11-011 Nov 1939 1940-05-20March 1940 China Japan
Winter War N/A Europe 1939-11-3030 Nov 1939 1940-03-1313 Mar 1940 Finland Soviet Union
Battle of the River Plate Battle of the Atlantic Europe 1939-12-1313 Dec 1939 1939-12-1313 Dec 1939 Commonwealth Germany
Norwegian Campaign Western Front (1939-1940) Europe 1940-04-099 Apr 1940 1940-06-1010 Jun 1940 Commonwealth
France
Norway
Germany
Battle of France Western Front (1939-1940) Europe 1940-05-1010 May 1940 1940-06-2222 Jun 1940 Commonwealth
France
Germany
First Happy Time Battle of the Atlantic Europe 1940-06-2525 Jun 1940 1941-03-01Mar 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Attack on Mers-el-Kébir Battle of the Mediterranean Europe 1940-07-033 Jul 1940 1940-07-033 Jul 1940 Commonwealth France
Battle of Calabria Battle of the Mediterranean Europe 1940-07-099 Jul 1940 1940-07-099 Jul 1940 Commonwealth Italy
Battle of Britain Western Front (1939-1940) Europe 1940-07-1010 Jul 1940 1940-10-3131 Oct 1940 Commonwealth Germany
Italian conquest of British Somaliland Middle East Europe 1940-08-033 August 1940 1940-08-1717 August 1940 Commonwealth Italy
Hundred Regiments Offensive Sino-Japanese War Asia 1940-08-2020 Aug 1940 1940-12-055 Dec 1940 People's Liberation Army Japan
Italian invasion of Egypt Western Desert Campaign Europe 1940-09-1313 Sep 1940 1940-09-1717 Sep 1940 Commonwealth Italy
Invasion of French Indochina N/A Asia 1940-09-2222 Sep 1940 1940-09-2626 Sep 1940 Vichy France Japan
Battle of Dakar Africa Europe 1940-09-2323 Sep 1940 1940-09-2525 Sep 1940 Commonwealth
Free France
Vichy France
French-Thai War N/A Asia 1940-10-15Mid Oct 1940 1941-01-2828 Jan 1941 Vichy France Thailand
Greco-Italian War Balkans Campaign Europe 1940-10-2828 Oct 1940 1941-04-2323 Apr 1941 Greece Italy
Battle of Gabon Africa Europe 1940-11-088 Nov 1940 1940-11-1212 Nov 1940 Commonwealth
Free France
Vichy France
Battle of Taranto Battle of the Mediterranean Europe 1940-11-1212 Nov 1940 1940-11-1212 Nov 1940 Commonwealth Italy
Operation Compass Western Desert Campaign Europe 1940-12-088 Dec 1940 1941-02-099 Feb 1941 Commonwealth Italy
New Fourth Army Incident N/A Asia 1941-01-077 Jan 1941 1941-01-1313 Jan 1941 Kuomintang Communists
British capture of Italian East Africa Middle East Europe 1941-01-1818 Jan 1941 1941-05-1818 May 1941[1] Commonwealth Italy
Operation Lustre Mediterranean Europe 1941-03-066 Mar 1941 1941-04-022 Apr 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Rommel's first desert offensive Western Desert Campaign Europe 1941-03-2424 Mar 1941 1941-04-1515 Apr 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Battle of Cape Matapan Battle of the Mediterranean Europe 1941-03-2727 Mar 1941 1941-03-2929 Mar 1941 Commonwealth Italy
Invasion of Yugoslavia Balkans Campaign Europe 1941-04-066 Apr 1941 1941-04-1717 Apr 1941 Yugoslavia Germany
Italy
Battle of Greece Balkans Campaign Europe 1941-04-066 Apr 1941 1941-04-3030 Apr 1941 Commonwealth
Greece
Germany
Italy
Siege of Tobruk Western Desert Campaign Europe 1941-04-1010 Apr 1941 1941-11-2727 Nov 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Anglo-Iraqi War Middle East Europe 1941-04-1818 Apr 1941 1941-05-3030 May 1941 Commonwealth Iraq
Operation Brevity Western Desert Campaign Europe 1941-05-1515 May 1941 1941-05-2626 May 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Battle of Crete Balkans Campaign Europe 1941-05-2020 May 1941 1941-06-011 Jun 1941 Commonwealth
Greece
Germany
Italy
Sinking of Bismarck Battle of the Atlantic Europe 1941-05-2626 May 1941 1941-05-2727 May 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Syria-Lebanon Campaign Middle East Europe 1941-06-088 Jun 1941 1941-07-1414 Jul 1941 Commonwealth
Free France
Vichy France
Operation Battleaxe Western Desert Campaign Europe 1941-06-1515 Jun 1941 1941-06-1717 Jun 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Italy

Political arrangements 3

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Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Neutrality Act revised (cash-and-carry) 1939-11-044 Nov 1939 United States United Kingdom, France
Norway Debate 1940-05-077 May 1940 United Kingdom N/A
Two-Ocean Navy Act 1940-07-1919 Jul 1940 United States Germany, Japan
Destroyers for Bases Agreement 1940-09-022 Sep 1940 United Kingdom, United States N/A
Tripartite Pact 1940-09-2727 Sep 1940 Germany, Japan, Italy Western Allies
Lend-Lease Act 1941-03-1111 Mar 1941 United States, United Kingdom N/A
1941 Iraqi coup d'état 1941-04-033 Apr 1941 Iraq United Kingdom
Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact 1941-04-1313 Apr 1941 Soviet Union, Japan N/A

The war becomes global (22 June 1941 - May 2 1942)

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Main battles / campaigns 4

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Operation Barbarossa Soviet-German War Europe 1941-06-2222 Jun 1941 1941-12-022 Dec 1941 Soviet Union Germany
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran N/A Europe 1941-08-2525 Aug 1941 1941-09-0717 Sep 1941 Soviet Union, United Kingdom Iran
Battle of Changsha (1941) N/A Asia 1941-09-066 Sep 1941 1942-10-088 Oct 1941 China Japan
Battle of Moscow Soviet-German War Europe 1941-10-022 Oct 1941 1942-01-077 Jan 1942 Soviet Union Germany
Operation Crusader Western Desert Campaign Europe 1941-11-1818 Nov 1941 1941-12-3030 Dec 1941 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Soviet Winter Offensive Soviet-German War Europe 1941-12-066 Dec 1941 1942-05-077 May 1942 Soviet Union Germany
Japanese expansion (1941-1942) Pacific War Asia 1941-12-077 Dec 1941 1942-05-2626 May 1942 Commonwealth
United States
Dutch
Japan
Battle of Changsha (1942) N/A Asia 1941-12-2424 Dec 1941 1942-01-1515 Jan 1942 China Japan
Second Happy Time Battle of the Atlantic Europe 1942-01-1814 Jan 1942 1942-04-1414 Apr 1942 United States Germany
Rommel's advance to the Gazala line Western Desert Campaign Europe 1942-01-2121 Jan 1942 1942-02-066 Feb 1942 Commonwealth Germany
Italy


St. Nazaire Raid Western Front Europe 1942-03-2828 Mar 1942 1942-03-2828 Mar 1942 United Kingdom Germany

Break down of Japanese offensive

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Action Location Start date End date Opponent
Attack on Pearl Harbor Pacific Ocean 1941-12-077 Dec 1941 1941-12-077 Dec 1941 United States
Battle of Wake Island Pacific Ocean 1941-12-088 Dec 1941 1941-12-2323 Dec 1941 United States
Japanese Invasion of Thailand Southeast Asia 1941-12-088 Dec 1941 1941-12-2323 Dec 1941 United States
Battle of Hong Kong Southeast Asia 1941-12-088 Dec 1941 1941-12-2525 Dec 1941 Commonwealth
Battle of Malaya Southeast Asia 1941-12-088 Dec 1941 1942-01-3131 Jan 1942 Commonwealth
Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) Pacific Ocean 1941-12-088 Dec 1941 1942-05-088 May 1942 United States
Conquest of Dutch East Indies Southeast Asia 1942-01-1210 Jan 1941 1942-05-2626 May 1942 Commonwealth
Capture of Burma Southeast Asia 1942-01-1212 Jan 1941 1942-05-2626 May 1942 Commonwealth
Battle of Singapore Southeast Asia 1942-01-3131 Jan 1942 1942-02-1515 Feb 1942 Commonwealth
Bombing of Darwin Pacific Ocean 1942-02-1919 Feb 1942 1942-02-1919 Feb 1942 Australia
Battle of the Java Sea Pacific Ocean 1942-02-2727 Feb 1942 1942-02-2727 Feb 1942 United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia
Doolittle Raid Pacific Ocean 1942-04-1818 Apr 1942 1942-04-1818 Apr 1942 United States

Political arrangements 4

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Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Atlantic Charter 1941-08-1414 Aug 1941 United Kingdom, United States N/A
Declaration by United Nations 1942-01-011 Jan 1942 United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union, China N/A


The balance shifts (3 May 1942 - 14 May 1943)

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Main battles / campaigns 5

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Operation Mo Pacific Ocean Asia 1942-05-033 May 1942 1942-05-088 May 1942 United States Japan
Battle of the Coral Sea Pacific Ocean Asia 1942-05-044 May 1942 1942-05-088 May 1942 United States Japan
Battle of Madagascar N/A Europe 1942-05-055 May 1942 1942-11-066 Nov 1942 Commonwealth Vichy France
Battle of the Kerch Peninsula Soviet-German War Europe 1942-05-088 May 1942 1942-05-1818 May 1942 Soviet Union Germany
Second Battle of Kharkov Soviet-German War Europe 1942-05-1212 May 1942 1942-05-2828 May 1942 Soviet Union Germany
Battle of Gazala Western Desert Campaign Europe 1942-05-2626 May 1942 1942-06-2121 Jun 1942 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Battle of Midway Pacific Ocean Asia 1942-06-044 Jun 1942 1942-06-077 Jun 1942 United States Japan
Aleutian Islands Campaign Pacific Ocean Asia 1942-06-066 Jun 1942 1943-08-1515 Aug 1943 United States Japan
Case Blue Soviet-German War Europe 1942-06-2828 Jun 1942 1942-11-1818 Nov 1942 Soviet Union Germany
First Battle of El Alamein Western Desert Campaign Europe 1942-07-011 Jul 1942 1942-07-2727 Jul 1942 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Kokoda Track campaign South East Asia Asia 1942-08-0721 Jul 1942 1943-01-2222 Jan 1943 United States Japan
Guadalcanal Campaign South East Asia Asia 1942-08-077 Aug 1942 1943-02-077 Feb 1943 United States Japan
Dieppe Raid Western Front Europe 1942-08-1919 Aug 1942 1942-08-1919 Aug 1942 Commonwealth Germany
Battle of Stalingrad Soviet-German War Europe 1942-08-2121 Aug 1942 1943-02-022 Feb 1943 Soviet Union Germany
Battle of Alam el Halfa Western Desert Campaign Europe 1942-08-3030 Aug 1942 1942-09-055 Sep 1942 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Second Battle of El Alamein Western Desert Campaign Europe 1942-10-2323 Oct 1942 1942-11-055 Nov 1942 Commonwealth Germany
Italy
Operation Torch North African Campaign Europe 1942-11-088 Nov 1942 1942-11-088 Nov 1942 Western Allies Germany
Italy
Tunisia Campaign North African Campaign Europe 1942-11-1717 Nov 1942 1943-05-1313 May 1943 Western Allies Germany
Italy
Second Soviet Winter Offensive Soviet-German War Europe 1942-11-1818 Nov 1942 1943-03-01March 1943 Soviet Union Germany
First Arakan Campaign Burma Campaign Asia 1942-12-2121 Dec 1942 1943-05-066 May 1943 Commonwealth Japan
Operation Longcloth Burma Campaign Asia 1943-02-088 Feb 1942 1943-04-30Late April 1943 Commonwealth Japan
Third Battle of Kharkov Soviet-German War Europe 1943-02-1616 Feb 1943 1943-03-1515 Mar 1943 Soviet Union Germany

Political arrangements 5

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Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Casablanca Conference 1943-01-1414 Jan 1943 United Kingdom, United States, Free French N/A


Allies gain momentum (15 May 1943 - 5 June 1944)

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Main battles / campaigns 6

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Operation Cartwheel Pacific Ocean Asia 43-06-2020 Jun 43 44-05-1818 May 44 United States Japan
Battle of Kursk Soviet-German War Europe 43-07-044 Jul 43 43-07-2020 Jul 43 Soviet Union Germany
Battle of Smolensk (1943) Soviet-German War Europe 43-08-077 Aug 43 43-10-022 Oct 43 Soviet Union Germany
Allied invasion of Sicily Italian Campaign Europe 43-07-099 Jul 43 43-08-1717 Aug 43 Western Allies Germany
Italy
Allied invasion of Italy Italian Campaign Europe 43-09-033 Sep 43 43-09-1616 Sep 43 Western Allies Germany
Italy
Dodecanese Campaign Italian Campaign Europe 43-09-088 Sep 43 43-11-2222 Nov 43 Western Allies Germany
Italy
Battle of the Dnieper Soviet-German War Europe 43-09-1515 Sep 43 43-12-2323 Dec 43 Soviet Union Germany
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign Pacific Ocean Asia 43-11-2020 Nov 43 44-02-2323 Feb 44 United States Japan
Battle of Monte Cassino Italian Campaign Europe 44-01-1717 Jan 44 44-05-1919 May 44 Western Allies Germany
Operation Shingle Italian Campaign Europe 44-01-2222 Jan 44 44-06-055 Jun 44 Western Allies Germany
Operation Hailstone Pacific Ocean Asia 44-02-1717 Feb 44 44-02-1818 Feb 44 United States Japan
Big Week N/A Europe 44-02-2020 Feb 44 44-02-2525 Feb 44 Western Allies Germany
Operation U-Go Burma Campaign Asia 44-03-088 Mar 44 44-07-044 Jul 44 Commonwealth Japan
Battle of Henan Operation Ichi-Go Asia 44-04-1717 Apr 44 44-05-2525 May 44 China Japan
Western New Guinea campaign Pacific Ocean Asia 44-04-2121 Apr 44 45-08-1515 Aug 45 United States Japan
Siege of Myitkyina Burma Campaign Asia 44-06-022 Jun 44 44-08-033 Aug 44 Commonwealth, China Japan

Breakdown of Cartwheel

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Action Start date End date
Battle of New Georgia 43-06-2020 Jun 43 44-03-2025 Aug 43
Salamaua-Lae campaign 43-06-2030 Jun 43 44-09-1515 Sep 43
New Britain Campaign 43-12-1515 Dec 43 45-08-2121 Aug 45
Admiralty Islands campaign 44-02-2929 Feb 44 44-04-1818 May 44
Breakdown of Japanese offensive in Burma
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Action Start date End date
Operation Ha-Go 44-02-055 Feb 44 44-02-2323 Feb 44
Battle of Imphal 44-03-088 Mar 44 44-07-033 Jul 44
Battle of Kohima 44-04-044 Apr 44 44-06-2222 Jun 44

Political arrangements 6

[edit]
Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Mussolini removed from office and arrested 1943-07-2323 Jul 1943 Italy N/A
Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces 1943-09-088 Sep 1943 Western Allies, Italy N/A
Operation Achse 1943-09-088 Sep 1943 Germany Italy
Gran Sasso raid 1943-09-1212 Sep 1943 Germany N/A
Establishment of the RSI 1943-09-2323 Sep 1943 Germany N/A
Cairo Conference 1943-11-2222 Nov 1943 United Kingdom, United States, China N/A
Tehran Conference 1943-11-2828 Nov 1943 United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union N/A
Capture of Rome 1944-06-044 Jun 1944 United Kingdom, United States N/A

Paragraphs 6

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Following the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Allies initiated several operations against Japan. In May, 1943, American forces were sent to eliminate Japanese forces from the Aleutians, and in June the Allies began a major operation to isolate Rabaul by capturing points in the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and other surrounding islands. By mid-August, the Japanese had withdrawn from the Aleutians and in November Allied forces began to attack the Japanese perimeter in the Gilbert and Marshall islands. By the end of March, 1944, the Allies had isolated Rabaul, neutralized another major Japanese base in the Caroline Islands, and completed their invasions of the Gilbert and Marshall islands. In April, the Allies then launched an operation to retake Western New Guinea.

In mainland Asia, the Japanese launched two major offensives in the spring of 1944: the first was against British positions in Assam, India, while the second was in China with the goal of linking Japanese-held territory in Indochina, Hong Kong and Manchuria. The Chinese had also gone on the offensive in the spring, invading northern Burma from Yunnan. By the start of June, Japanese forces were besieging Commonwealth positions at Imphal and Kohima, and were being besieged by the Chinese in Myitkyina; in China, the Japanese had conquered the province of Henan and begun a renewed attack against Changsha.

In the Mediterranean, Allied forces launched an invasion of Sicily in early July, 1943. The attack on Italian soil, compounded with previous failures, resulted in the ousting and arrest of Mussolini on July 23rd. The Allies soon followed up with an invasion of the Italian mainland in early September, prompting the Italians to agree to an armistice with the Allies. When this armistice was made public on September 8th, Germany responded by disarming Italian forces, seizing military control of Italian areas, and setting up a series of defensive lines. On September 12th, German special forces further rescued Mussolini who then soon established a new client state in German occupied Italy. The Allies fought through several lines until reaching the main German defensive line in mid-November. In January, the Allies launched a series of attacks against the line at Monte Cassino and attempted to outflank it with landings at Anzio. By late May both of these offensives had succeeded and, at the expense of allowing several German divisions to retreat, on June 4th Rome was captured.

In the Soviet Union, the Germans spent the spring and early summer of 1943 making preparations for a large offensive in the region of Kursk; the Soviet's anticipated such an action though and spent their time fortifying the area. On July 4th, the Germans launched their attack, though by July 17th, following the Western Allied invasion of Sicily, Hitler canceled the operation. The Soviet's were then able to mount a massive counter-offensive which, by June 1944, had largely expelled Axis forces from the Soviet Union, reclaimed Ukraine and pushed into Poland.

In November, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met with Chiang Kai-shek in Cairo and then with Joseph Stalin in Tehran. At the former conference, the post-war return of Japanese territory was determined and in the latter, it was agreed that the Western Allies would invade Europe in 1944 and that the Soviet Union would declare war on Japan within three months of Germany's defeat.

Allies close in (6 June 1944 - 15 December 1944)

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Main battles / campaigns 7

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Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Battle of Imphal Burma Campaign Asia 1944-03-088 Mar 1944 1944-07-033 Jul 1944 Commonwealth Japan
Battle of Kohima Burma Campaign Asia 1944-04-044 Apr 1944 1944-06-2222 Jun 1944 Commonwealth Japan
Battle of Hengyang-Changsha Operation Ichi-Go Asia 1944-05-2626 May 1944 1944-8-88 Aug 1944 China Japan
Siege of Myitkyina Burma Campaign Asia 1944-06-022 Jun 1944 1944-08-033 Aug 1944 Commonwealth, China Japan
Operation Overlord Western European Campaign Europe 1944-06-066 Jun 1944 1945-08-2525 Aug 1944 Western Allies Germany
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign Pacific Ocean Asia 1944-06-1515 Jun 1944 1944-11-2525 Nov 1944 United States Japan
Battle of the Philippine Sea Pacific Ocean Asia 1944-06-1919 Jun 1944 1944-06-2020 Jun 1944 United States Japan
Operation Bagration Soviet-German War Europe 1944-06-2222 Jun 1944 1944-08-1919 Aug 1944 Soviet Union Germany
Allies retake Burma Burma Campaign Asia 1944-07-044 Aug 1944 1945-08-1515 Aug 1945 Commonwealth Japan
Operation Dragoon Western European Campaign Europe 1944-08-1515 Aug 1944 1944-08-1515 Aug 1944 Western Allies Germany
Battle of Romania (1944) Soviet-German War Europe 1944-08-2020 Aug 1944 1944-09-77 Sep 1944 Soviet Union Romania, Germany
Operation Market Garden Western European Campaign Europe 1944-0-1517 Sep 1944 1944-08-1525 Sep 1944 Western Allies Germany
Battle of Aachen Western European Campaign Europe 1944-10-011 Oct 1944 1944-10-2222 Oct 1944 Western Allies Germany
Operation Hurricane (1944) Western European Campaign Europe 1944-10-1414 Oct 1944 1944-10-1414 Oct 1944 Western Allies Germany
Battle of Leyte Philippines campaign (1944–45) Asia 1944-10-2320 Oct 1944 1944-12-3131 Dec 1944 United States Japan
Battle of Leyte Gulf Philippines campaign (1944–45) Asia 1944-10-2323 Oct 1944 1944-10-2626 Oct 1944 United States Japan
Battle of Guangxi Operation Ichi-Go Asia 1944-11-011 Nov 1944 1944-12-1010 Dec 1944 China Japan

Breakdown of Overlord

[edit]
Action Start date End date
Invasion of Normandy 1944-06-066 Jun 1944 1945-07-2424 Jul 1944
Breakout from Normandy 1944-07-2525 Jul 1944 1945-07-3125 Aug 1944
Liberation of Paris 1944-08-1919 Aug 1944 1944-08-2525 Aug 1944

Political arrangements 7

[edit]
Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Moscow Armistice 1944-09-1919 Sep 1944 Finland, USSR Germany

Paragraphs 7

[edit]

On June 6th, 1944, the Western Allies invaded northern France. In August several Allied divisions in Italy were re-assigned for a secondary invasion of southern France and by the 19th, the Allies had liberated Paris. During the autumn, the Western Allies continued to push back German forces in western Europe and ran into the last major defensive line in Italy.

On the Germans eastern front, they continued to be pressed back by Soviet forces. In early June the Soviets launched a large offensive against Finland and another major operation to retake Belorussia later that month. In July, Soviet forces invaded Ukraine and eastern Poland, prompting Polish resistance forces to initiate several uprisings in Poland, though the largest of these, in Warsaw, was conducted without Soviet assistance and put down by German forces. In mid-August the Soviets invaded eastern Romania, prompting the country to switch alliance from Germany to the Soviets in early September. In mid-September, Finland also signed an armistice with the Soviet Union, and entered conflict against Germany. In October, the Soviets initiated an operation to clear Hungary of German forces.

By the start of July, Commonwealth forces had repelled the Japanese sieges in Assam, pushing the Japanese back to the Chindwin River. In August, Chinese forces had taken Myitkyina. In China, the Japanese were having greater successes, having finally captured Changsha in mid-June and the remainder of the Hengyang province by early August. Soon after, they futher invaded the province of Guangxi, winning major engagements against Chinese forces at Guilin and Liuzhou by the end of November and successfully linking up their forces in China and Indochina by the middle of December.

In the Pacific, American forces continued to press back the Japanese perimeter. In the middle of June, 1944, they began their offensive against the Mariana and Palau islands, scoring a decisive victory against Japanese forces in the Philippine Sea within a few days. By the end of September, American forces had conquered the Mariana and Palau islands and in late October, invaded the Filipino island of Leyte; soon after, Allied naval forces scored another large victory against the Japanese in the Leyte Gulf.

Axis collapse, Allied victory (16 December 1944 - 15 August 1945)

[edit]

Main battles / campaigns 8

[edit]
Action Campaign Europe/Asia Start date End date Combatant 1 Combatant 2
Allies retake Burma Burma Campaign Asia 1944-07-044 Aug 1944 1945-08-1515 Aug 1945 Commonwealth Japan
Battle of Leyte Philippines campaign (1944–45) Asia 1944-10-2320 Oct 1944 1944-12-3131 Dec 1944 United States Japan
Battle of the Bulge Western European Campaign Europe 1944-12-1616 Dec 1944 1945-01-2525 Jan 1945 Western Allies Germany
Battle of Luzon Philippines campaign (1944–45) Asia 1945-01-099 Jan 1945 1945-05-2828 Jun 1945 United States Japan
Vistula-Oder Offensive Soviet-German War Europe 1945-01-1212 Jan 1945 1945-02-022 Feb 1945 Soviet Union Germany
Western Allied invasion of Germany Western European Campaign Europe 1945-01-2626 Jan 1945 1945-05-088 May 1945 Western Allies Germany
Battle of Iwo Jima Pacific Ocean Asia 1945-02-1919 Feb 1945 1945-03-2626 Mar 1945 United States Japan
Operation Frühlingserwachen Soviet-German War Europe 1945-03-066 March 1945 1945-03-1616 March 1945 Soviet Union Germany
Second French Indochina Campaign N/A Asia 1945-03-099 Mar 1945 1945-05-022 May 1945 Vichy France Japan
Battle of Mindanao Philippines campaign (1944–45) Asia 1945-03-1010 Mar 1945 1945-08-1515 Aug 1945 United States Japan
Battle of Okinawa Pacific Ocean Asia 1945-04-011 Apr 1945 1945-06-2121 Jun 1945 United States Japan
Chihchiang Campaign Sino-Japanese War Asia 1945-04-088 Apr 1945 1945-06-077 Jun 1945 China
United States
Japan
Battle of Berlin Soviet-German War Europe 1945-04-1616 Apr 1945 1945-05-022 May 1945 Soviet Union Germany
Prague Offensive Soviet-German War Europe 1945-05-055 May 1945 1945-05-1111 May 1945 Soviet Union Germany
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Pacific Ocean Asia 1945-08-066 Aug 1945 1945-08-099 Aug 1945 United States Japan
Operation August Storm N/A Asia 1945-08-088 Aug 1945 1945-09-022 Sep 1945 Soviet Union Japan

Breakdown of Western invasion of Germany

[edit]
Action Start date End date
Operation Veritable 1945-02-088 Feb 1945 1945-03-1111 Mar 1945
Operation Grenade 1945-02-099 Feb 1945 1945-02-2323 Feb 1945
Bombing of Dresden 1945-02-1313 Feb 1945 1945-02-1515 Feb 1945
Operation Plunder 1945-03-2424 Mar 1945 1945-03-2525 Mar 1945
Ruhr Pocket 1945-04-011 Apr 1945 1945-04-2121 Apr 1945

Political arrangements 8

[edit]
Declaration Date Participants Directed against
Yalta Conference 1945-02-044 Feb 1945 United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union N/A
Death of Roosevelt, Truman becomes president 1945-04-1212 Apr 1945 United States N/A
RSI overthrown 1945-04-2525 Apr 1945 N/A N/A
Mussolini executed 1945-04-2828 Apr 1945 N/A N/A
Death of Adolf Hitler 1945-04-2830 Apr 1945 N/A N/A
Victory in Europe Day 1945-05-088 May 1945 Western Allies, Soviet Union N/A
Potsdam Declaration 1945-07-2626 July 1945 United Kingdom, United States, China Japan
Churchill replaced by Atlee 1945-07-2727 July 1945 United Kingdom N/A
Potsdam Agreement 1945-08-022 Aug 1945 United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union Germany
Surrender of Japan 1945-08-1515 Aug 1945 Japan, Western Allies N/A

Paragraphs 8

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On the 16th of December, the Germans launched a large offensive in the Ardennes. In mid-January, the Soviets launched a major offensive themselves. By the start of February, the Western Allies had defeated the German offensive and the Soviets had progressed up to the Oder river in Germany. On February 4th, the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom and Soviet Union met in Yalta and came to agreement regarding Soviet assistance against Japan and the partitioning of post-war Germany. In February, soon after the Yalta Conference, Western Allied forces crossed the Rur river. In early March, German forces initiated their last major offensive against Soviet forces, but it was defeated within ten days. In late March, the Western Allies then crossed the Rhine river and quickly encircled a large number of German divisions. By mid-April Soviet forces were able to attack Berlin itself and near the end of the month, Mussolini's remnant fascist government in Italy was overthrown.

During this period there were several changes in leadership. On April 12th, American President Roosevelt died, succeeded by Harry Truman. On the 28th, Mussolini, having been captured by Allied Italian partisans, was executed. Two days later, with the Soviets fast approaching, Hitler committed suicide.

On May 8th, the Allies accepted Germany's surrender, essentially ending the war in Europe. Sporadic fighting continued for a few days though, notably in Prague.

In mainland Asia, Commonwealth and Chinese forces continued to press back the Japanese in Burma, steadily retaking the country. In early March the Japanese overthrew the Vichy government in Indochina, creating the short lived Empire of Vietnam.

In the Pacific, American forces captured Leyte by the end of the year and invaded Luzon and Iwo Jima in January and February of 1945. In March, American forces continued their campaign in the Philippines, invading Mindanao. By the beginning of April, American forces had captured Iwo Jima and moved on to invade Okinawa, which they captured by late June.

In late July, Allied leaders met in Potsdam, Germany, and concluded agreements of Germany occupation and reconstruction as well as the terms of Japanese surrender; it was specifically stated in the latter that the alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction. During the conference, the United Kingdom held its general election and Churchill was replaced by Clement Attlee.

In early August, after Japan's refusal to the terms of Potsdam, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the short period between the bombings, the Soviets fulfilled their part of the agreements at Yalta and invaded Japanese-held Manchuria. By mid-August Japan surrendered, thus bringing the war to an end.

Notes

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  1. ^ Italian remnants continued to fight after the official surrender until 27 Nov 1941