Video: Jan. 23, 1943 (at 7:52)

(Saturday, January 23, 1943, 5 a.m. local time; part of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — The conquering British Eighth army wrested Tripoli from the Axis today and the conquest of Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini’s African empire, which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill pledged in 1940 would be torn “to shreds and tatters,” was all but complete. Continue reading Tripoli falls to British 8th Army as it pursues Rommel into Tunisia 70 years ago this hour (1943) →

Video: 'The World At War: Red Star The Soviet Union 4/5' (Jan. 12, 1942, at 0:20)

(Tuesday, January 12, 1943, 9:30 a.m. local time; part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — The Russians launched Operation Iskra today as the Soviet 67th Army began its final assault on the German occupation of Leningrad.

Video: 'AIR FORCE ONE: THE PLANES AND THE PRESIDENTS" (PART 1)' (Jan. 11, 1943, at 3:58)

(Monday, January 11, 1943, shortly after 6:00 a.m. local time; during World War II) — Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. president to fly while in office today as he left Miami today for a top-secret meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Morocco. Continue reading Franklin Roosevelt becomes first sitting U.S. president to fly in a plane 70 years ago this hour (1943) →

Video: Jan. 8, 1943 (at 42:33)

(Friday, January 8, 1943; during the Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front of World War II) — Gen. Konstantin Rokossovsky, commander of the Red Army on the Don front, called a cease fire today and offered German Gen. Friedrich Paulus terms of surrender. However, when Paulus asked Adolf Hitler, Führer of Germany, for permission to surrender, Hitler rejected this request almost out of hand and ordered him to hold Stalingrad to the last man.

Video: Dec. 25, 1942 (at 41:39)

(Friday, December 25, 1942, Christmas Day; during the Battle of Stalingrad during Eastern Front of World War II) — Radio Moscow broadcast to German soldiers in Stalingrad, reminding them that a German soldier dies in Russia every seven seconds and that Stalingrad is a mass grave. The message with a ticking clock sound went on all day.

Video: Dec. 24, 1942 (at 41:04)

(Thursday, December 24, 1942, Christmas Eve; during the Battle of Stalingrad during Eastern Front of World War II) — In Nazi Germany today, the radio broadcast a “live message” from Stalingrad, but it was a fake. Broadcasts from Stalingrad had stopped a week before. Continue reading German radio broadcasts fake ‘live message’ from Stalingrad 70 years ago today (1942) →

Video: Dec. 7, 1942 (at 4:52)

(Monday, December 7, 1942, midday, during World War II) — In Tokyo, the Japanese people today observed the first anniversary of their Imperial Navy’s destruction of the American fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Video: Churchill at 6:21 (Dec. 5, 1942)

(Saturday, December 5, 1942, during the Tunisia Campaign, part of the North African Campaign, part of the Mediterranean, Middle East and African Theatre of World War II) — British Prime Minister Winston Churchill told an audience in Bradford, England, today that “very hard fighting” faces the Allies before they will be able to kick the Axis out of the last 20 miles of Tunisia.