WWII History Hub – Tides of War

This Day In History

1945: World War II: The Battle of Okinawa comes to an end with an American flag-raising ceremony.
1944: World War II: Opening day of the Soviet Union's Operation Bagration against the Army Group Centre.
1942: World War II: Erwin Rommel is promoted to Field Marshal after the Axis capture of Tobruk.
1941: World War II: Nazi Germany invades the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa.
1940: World War II: France is forced to sign the Second Compiègne armistice with Germany, in the same railroad car in which the Germans signed the Armistice in 1918.

Quote of the Day

We will accept nothing less than full victory!
— Dwight D. Eisenhower

Invasion of Poland

Germany invades Poland, marking the beginning of WWII.

Battle of the Atlantic

Longest continuous military campaign in WWII.

Winter War

Soviet Union invades Finland.

Battle of France

Germany invades France and the Low Countries.

Battle of Britain

Air campaign waged by the German Luftwaffe against the UK.

Operation Barbarossa

Germany invades the Soviet Union.

Siege of Leningrad

One of the longest and most destructive sieges.

Pearl Harbor Attack

Japan attacks the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor.

Battle of Midway

Turning point in the Pacific War.

Guadalcanal Campaign

First major Allied offensive in the Pacific.

Battle of Stalingrad

Major turning point in Europe as Soviets halt Germans.

Battle of El Alamein

Turning point in North Africa.

Battle of Kursk

Largest tank battle in history.

Allied Invasion of Sicily

Allies invade Italy via Sicily.

D-Day

Allied invasion of Normandy.

Warsaw Uprising

Polish resistance uprising against Germany.

Liberation of Paris

Allies liberate the French capital.

Battle of the Bulge

Germany's last major offensive in the west.

Battle of Iwo Jima

Critical Pacific battle between U.S. and Japan.

Battle of Okinawa

One of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific.

Battle of Berlin

Final major offensive in Europe.

Germany Surrenders

Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

Hiroshima Bombing

First use of atomic bomb in warfare.

Nagasaki Bombing

Second atomic bomb dropped by U.S.

Japan Surrenders

Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.