Category Archives: 1940s

Japanese balloon bomb kills pregnant woman, five children in Oregon in only fatal WWII attack on U.S. mainland 80 years ago today (May 5 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'The Balloon Bombs That Floated Across The Pacific'

(Saturday, May 5, 1945, approximately 10:30 a.m. PWT; part of the American Theater of World War II) — A pregnant woman and five children were killed today when a Japanese balloon bomb exploded in the remote woods of southern Oregon, marking what officials believe to be the only fatal attack on the U.S. mainland during World War II. Continue reading Japanese balloon bomb kills pregnant woman, five children in Oregon in only fatal WWII attack on U.S. mainland 80 years ago today (May 5 1945) →

Nazi concentration camp Mauthausen-Gusen liberated 80 years ago this hour (May 5 1945)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'Nazi concentration camp in Mauthausen, Austria. HD Stock Footage'

(Saturday, May 5, 1945, approximately 5:00 p.m. Central European Summer Time; part of The Holocaust during World War II) — The Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, a large group of German concentration camps that were built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the city of Linz, was liberated today by American forces. Continue reading Nazi concentration camp Mauthausen-Gusen liberated 80 years ago this hour (May 5 1945) →

German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany, and Denmark surrender 80 years ago this hour (May 4 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Germans Surrender to Montgomery (1945)'

(Friday, May 4, 1945, 6:30 p.m. CEST; on the Western Front of World War II) — German forces in northwestern Europe laid down their arms today following the formal surrender to British Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery at his headquarters on Lüneburg Heath. Continue reading German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany, and Denmark surrender 80 years ago this hour (May 4 1945) →

Nazi concentration camp Neuengamme liberated 80 years ago today (May 4 1945)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'KZ Neuengamme Concentration Camp (Short Film)'

(Friday, May 4, 1945; part of The Holocaust during World War II) — The Neuengamme concentration camp, a subcamp of Sachsenhausen concentration camp located near the village of Neuengamme in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany, was liberated today by British forces. Continue reading Nazi concentration camp Neuengamme liberated 80 years ago today (May 4 1945) →

Allied forces recapture Rangoon from the Japanese 80 years ago this hour (May 3 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Manila And Rangoon - Japanese Surrender (1945)' (Rangoon surrender at 0:51)

(Sunday, May 3, 1945, 4:00 p.m. Burma Standard Time; part of the Pacific Theatre of World War II) — Allied forces recaptured Rangoon (Yangon) in Burma from the Japanese today.

Fascist extermination camp Jasenovac fully liberated 80 years ago around this date (May 2 1945)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'The Concentration Camp That Scared Even The Nazis: Jasenovac Concentration Camp'

(early May 1945; part of The Holocaust during World War II) — The main camp of the extermination camp Jasenovac, established in Slavonia by the authorities of the German puppet Independent State of Croatia (NDH), was fully liberated today by Yugoslav Partisans. Continue reading Fascist extermination camp Jasenovac fully liberated 80 years ago around this date (May 2 1945) →

Nazi concentration camp Wöbbelin liberated 80 years ago this hour (May 2 1945)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'The Liberation of The Wöbbelin Concentration Camp - May 2, 1945'

(Wednesday, May 2, 1945, approximately 1:00-2:00 p.m. Central European Summer Time; part of The Holocaust during World War II) — The Wöbbelin concentration camp, a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp near the city of Ludwigslust, Germany, was liberated today by American forces. Continue reading Nazi concentration camp Wöbbelin liberated 80 years ago this hour (May 2 1945) →

Germans surrender Berlin to Soviet forces 80 years ago this hour (May 2 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Downfall: The Battle of Berlin 1945 (Documentary)' (May 2, 1945, at 19:53)

(Wednesday, May 2, 1945, 6:00 a.m. CEST; during the Battle of Berlin on the Eastern Front during World War II) — Berlin, greatest city of the European Continent, fell today to the Russians as German General Helmuth Weidling finally surrendered with his staff and 70,000 German troops laid down their arms. Continue reading Germans surrender Berlin to Soviet forces 80 years ago this hour (May 2 1945) →

Germans announce Adolf Hitler is dead 80 years ago this hour (May 1 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'WWII Triumph and Despair' (May 1, 1945, at 24:36)

(Tuesday, May 1, 1945, 9:43 p.m. CEST; during the Battle of Berlin on the Eastern Front during World War II) — The radio station Reichssender Hamburg interrupted their normal program tonight to announce that an important broadcast would soon be made. Continue reading Germans announce Adolf Hitler is dead 80 years ago this hour (May 1 1945) →

‘Queen for a Day’ debuts on Mutual Radio Network 80 years ago this hour (Apr 30 1945)

1940s


Video: 'Queen For a Day Radio Show Jan 23 1951'

(Monday, April 30, 1945, 2:30 p.m. EWT; during World War II) — Queen for Today (later Queen for a Day), a radio game show that helped to usher in American listeners’ and viewers’ fascination with big-prize giveaway shows, premiered today on the Mutual Radio Network in New York City.