Category Archives: 1940s

American soldiers pinned down on Western Front prepare Christmas dinner 70 years ago this hour (Dec 25 1944)

Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 25, 1944, at 31:49)

(Monday, December 25, 1944, Christmas Day, noon local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — American soldiers, preparing their Christmas dinners, including heat up C-Rations (tin cans filled with a variety of meats and vegetables), were still pinned down one last full day in Bastogne. Continue reading American soldiers pinned down on Western Front prepare Christmas dinner 70 years ago this hour (Dec 25 1944)

Germans reach high water mark of advance 70 years ago this hour (Dec 24 1944)

Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 24, 1944, at 31:00)

(Sunday, December 24, 1944, Christmas Eve, 12:00 noon local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — Allied reconnaissance aircraft discovered the Germans had pressed ahead to within just five miles of the River Meuse, the high water mark of the German advance, but their fuel supply had run dry. Continue reading Germans reach high water mark of advance 70 years ago this hour (Dec 24 1944)

Skies clear for American planes over Bastogne 70 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1944)


Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 23, 1944, at 30:23)

(Saturday, December 23, 1944, 9:00 a.m. local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — The skies over Bastogne cleared today just in time for American planes to relieve and support the soldiers pinned down on the ground and and stalling the German offensive. Continue reading Skies clear for American planes over Bastogne 70 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1944)

84 American POWs murdered by Germans in Malmedy massacre 70 years ago this afternoon (Dec 17 1944)


Video: 'Massacre at Malmedy'

(Sunday, December 17, 1944, 1:00 p.m. local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — 84 American prisoners of war were murdered by their German captors this afternoon near Malmedy, Belgium, by members of Kampfgruppe Peiper (part of the 1st SS Panzer Division), a German combat unit.

The massacre, plus others committed by the same unit on the same day and following days, were the subject of the Malmedy massacre trial, part of the Dachau Trials of 1946.

133 sailors killed in Japanese kamikaze attack on Nashville 70 years ago today (Dec 13 1944)


Video: 'The Book: Humble Heroes, How The USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII'

(Wednesday, December 13, 1944; during World War II) — The light cruiser USS Nashville was badly damaged today in a Japanese kamikaze attack off Negros Island in the Philippines that claimed 133 lives.

German V-2 rocket falls on packed Woolworths store in London 70 years ago today (Nov 25 1944)

(Saturday, November 25, 1944, 12:26 p.m. BST; during World War II) — A German V-2 rocket fell on a packed Woolworths store today in New Cross Road, South London, killing 168 people (including 15 children), injuring 122 others and razing the building to the ground. The neighbouring London Co-operative Society store was also demolished in the attack.

Tokyo bombed by land-based planes for first time 70 years ago this hour (Nov 25 1944)

japan

(Friday, November 25, 1944, noon local time, Thursday, November 24, 1944, 11:00 p.m. EWT; during the Bombing of Tokyo, part of the Pacific Theatre of World War II) — U.S. bombers based on Saipan attacked Tokyo today in the first raid against the Japanese capital by land-based planes.

‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ premieres in St. Louis 70 years ago today (Nov 22 1944)


Video: 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (trailer)

(Wednesday, November 22, 1944)Meet Me in St. Louis, a musical film about an American family living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World’s Fair in 1904, premiered today in St. Louis (it would premiere in New York on Nov. 28, 1944).

Directed by Vincente Minnelli, the film starred Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake and Marjorie Main.

Volkssturm Nazi militia sworn-in 70 years ago this hour (Nov 12 1944)


Video: 'The World At War: Inside The Reich Germany 5/5' (Volkssturm sworn-in Nov. 12, 1944 at 8:05)

(Sunday, November 12, 1944, 4:00 p.m. local time; during World War II) — Large numbers of the Volkssturm Nazi militia, which conscripted males between the ages of 13 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard, were sworn-in today in Berlin and throughout Germany.