Category Archives: 1940s

U.S. forces surrender on Corregidor Island, last Allied stronghold in the Philippines 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 6 1942)


Video: 'Fall of Corregidor - Last day of the Battle of Corregidor'

(Wednesday, May 6, 1942, at about 1:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time; during the Battle of Corregidor, part of the Pacific Theater of World War II) — Some 15,000 American and Filipino troops on Corregidor island surrendered to Japanese forces today as U.S. Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright sent two officers forward with a white flag to carry his surrender message to the Japanese. Continue reading U.S. forces surrender on Corregidor Island, last Allied stronghold in the Philippines 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 6 1942)

Battle of the Coral Sea, first naval clash fought entirely by planes, begins 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 4 1942)


Video: 'Why the Battle of the Coral Sea Was Unique in Naval History'

(Monday, May 4, 1942, 8:50 a.m. Solomon Islands Time; during the Battle of the Coral Sea, part of Operation Mo of South West Pacific theatre of World War II) — The Battle of Coral Sea, a five-day naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia, began today when Task Force Seventeen (TF 17), commanded by Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, attacked the Japanese Tulagi Invasion Force at Tulagi, Solomon Islands, where elements of the Japanese landing force had gone ashore to estabish defenses. Continue reading Battle of the Coral Sea, first naval clash fought entirely by planes, begins 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 4 1942)

Nazis order Dutch Jews to wear yellow Jewish star in occupied-Holland 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 29 1942)


Video: 'Anne Frank (The Whole Story)' (Jewish star introduced at 30:52)

(Wednesday, April 29, 1942, during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — Nazi officials in occupied Holland announced today that from Sunday, May 3, 1942, onwards, every Jew six years and older would be required to wear a yellow star of David, a six-pointed star often used as a symbol of the Jewish religion, with the word “Jew” written on it in black letters. Continue reading Nazis order Dutch Jews to wear yellow Jewish star in occupied-Holland 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 29 1942)

Doolittle leads surprise raid on Tokyo in response to Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 18 1942)


Video: 'The Doolitte Raid on Tokyo (1942): The US Strikes Back | Battle 360 | History'

(Saturday, April 18, 1942, about noon Japan Standard Time; during the Doolittle Raid, part of the Pacific War of World War II) — Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle led a squadron of B-25 bombers today in a surprise raid against the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu in response to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. It was the first air operation to strike the Japanese archipelago. Continue reading Doolittle leads surprise raid on Tokyo in response to Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 18 1942)

76,000 American, Filipino defenders at Bataan surrender to Japanese 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 9 1942)


Video: 'Surrender of the Philippines, 1942 (OFFICIAL FILM)' (April 9, 1942 at 31:11)

(Thursday, April 9, 1942, 12:30 p.m. PHST; during the Battle of Bataan, part of the Philippines campaign in World War II) — Some 76,000 weary, starving and emaciated American and Filipino defenders on the battle-swept Bataan Peninsula surrendered to Japanese troops today after several hours of negotiations between Major General Edward P. King and Major General Kameichiro Nagano. Continue reading 76,000 American, Filipino defenders at Bataan surrender to Japanese 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 9 1942)

Lübeck becomes first German city to be heavily bombed during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 28 1942)


Video: '136 - The Carpet Bombing of Germany begins - WW2 - April 3, 1942' (Mar. 28, 1942, at 1:07)

(Saturday, March 28, 1942, 11:18 p.m.-Palm Sunday, March 29, 1942, 2:58 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Bombing of Lübeck in World War II) — Lübeck became the first German city to be attacked in substantial numbers tonight when the Royal Air Force created a firestorm that caused severe damage to the historic centre, with bombs destroying three of the main churches and large parts of the built-up area. Continue reading Lübeck becomes first German city to be heavily bombed during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 28 1942)

British naval forces raid Nazi-occupied French port of St. Nazaire 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 28 1942)


Video: 'The Legendary Commando Raid At St. Nazaire | The Greatest Raid Of All Time | Timeline'

(Saturday, March 28, 1942, 1:22 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the St Nazaire Raid, part of North West Europe Campaign of World War II) — British naval forces staged a successful raid today on the heavily defended Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German-occupied France in Operation Chariot, destroying the only dry dock on the Atlantic coast capable of repairing the German battleship Tirpitz. Continue reading British naval forces raid Nazi-occupied French port of St. Nazaire 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 28 1942)

First mass transport of Jews to Auschwitz concentration camp departs Poprad railway station in northern Slovakia 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 25 #1942)


Video: '1942: Auschwitz'

(Wednesday, March 25, 1942, 8:20 p.m. Central European Summer Time; during the First mass transport of Jews to Auschwitz concentration camp, part of The Holocaust and World War II) — The first mass transport of Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp departed today from the Poprad railway station in the Slovak Republic, in the Slovak State, arriving at its destination the following afternoon, March 26, 1942. Continue reading First mass transport of Jews to Auschwitz concentration camp departs Poprad railway station in northern Slovakia 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 25 #1942)

First Japanese-Americans evacuated during World War II arrive at internment camp in Manzanar, California 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 23 1942)


Video: 'Japanese Internment during WW II'

(Monday, March 23, 1942, during the Internment of Japanese Americans) — The first Japanese-Americans evacuated by the U.S. Army during World War II arrived today at the internment camp in Manzanar, California; men and women who had volunteered to help build the camp. Continue reading First Japanese-Americans evacuated during World War II arrive at internment camp in Manzanar, California 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 23 1942)

Belzec extermination camp becomes operational in German-occupied Poland 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 17 1942)


Video: 'Belzec Memorial and Museum Dedication'

(Sunday, March 17, 1942; during The Holocaust, part of World War II)Belzec, a Nazi German extermination camp built by the SS for the purpose of implementing the secretive Operation Reinhard, the plan to murder all Polish Jews, a key part of the “Final Solution” which entailed the murder of some 6 million Jews in The Holocaust, became operational today. Continue reading Belzec extermination camp becomes operational in German-occupied Poland 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 17 1942)