Category Archives: World War II

Remainder of Nazi forces from Battle of Stalingrad surrender in major victory for Soviets in World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 2 1943)


Video: '180 - Guadalcanal, A New Offensive - WW2 - February 5, 1943' (Feb. 2, 1943 at 5:15)

(Tuesday, February 2, 1943, 9:20 a.m. STAT; during the Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front of World War II) — The remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad — what is now known as the city of Volgograd, Russia — surrendered this morning in a major victory for the Soviets in World War II. Continue reading Remainder of Nazi forces from Battle of Stalingrad surrender in major victory for Soviets in World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 2 1943)

Germany’s top military commander at Stalingrad surrenders to Soviet forces 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 31 1943)


Video: '179B - Stalingrad: Endgame - WW2 - January 31, 1943'

(Sunday, January 31, 1943, 7:35 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during the Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front of World War II)Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Paulus surrendered today after Soviet forces closed in on his headquarters in the ruined GUM department store. Continue reading Germany’s top military commander at Stalingrad surrenders to Soviet forces 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 31 1943)

FDR, Churchill demand unconditional surrender of Axis powers at wartime conference in Casablanca 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 24 1943)


Video: '179 - Time to Fire Rommel? - WW2 - January 29, 1943' (Jan. 24, 1943, at 6:04)

(Sunday, January 24, 1943, 1:05 p.m. Western European Summer Time; during the Casablanca Conference, part of World War II) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill concluded a wartime conference today in Casablanca, Morocco, announcing to the few correspondents permitted to go along on the secret trip that the Allies would accept nothing less than the unconditional surrender of the Axis Powers. Continue reading FDR, Churchill demand unconditional surrender of Axis powers at wartime conference in Casablanca 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 24 1943)

Soviets announce they’ve broken through long Nazi siege of Leningrad 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 18 1943)


Video: 'That Shock Army that Broke the Most Brutal Siege of WW2'

(Monday, January 18, 1943, 9:30 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during Operation Iskra, part of the Siege of Leningrad on the Eastern Front of World War II) — The Red Army of the Soviet Union today broke the German Wehrmacht’s 515-day siege of Leningrad a prolonged military blockade undertaken by the Axis powers against the Soviet city of Leningrad (present-day Saint Petersburg) on the Eastern Front of World War II. Continue reading Soviets announce they’ve broken through long Nazi siege of Leningrad 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 18 1943)

Jewish insurgents in Warsaw Ghetto launch initial armed resistance 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 18 1943)


Video: 'Total War Coming to Germany - WAH 51 - January 1943, Pt. 2' (Warsaw ghetto 16:49)

(Monday, January 18, 1943, 7:00 a.m. Central European Time; part of The Holocaust during World War II) — The first Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began today as Nazi soldiers began their second deportation from Warsaw’s Jewish ghetto in German-occupied Poland. Continue reading Jewish insurgents in Warsaw Ghetto launch initial armed resistance 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 18 1943)

The Pentagon, headquarters building for U.S. Department of War, completed 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 15 1943)


Video: 'The Pentagon - Decades TV Network'

(Friday, January 15, 1943; during World War II)The Pentagon, headquarters building of the United States Department of War (now Defense), was completed today only 16 months after ground was broken in Arlington County, Virginia. Continue reading The Pentagon, headquarters building for U.S. Department of War, completed 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 15 1943)

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrives in Casablanca, Morocco for wartime conference with UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 14 1943)


Video: 'Churchill - Roosevelt Casablanca Conference Aka Churchill - Roosevelt Casablanca Meeting (1943)'

(Thursday, January 14, 1943, FDR’s plane landed at Medouina Airport, Casablanca, Morocco, at 6:20 p.m. Western European Summer Time; during the Casablanca Conference) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived in Morocco tonight to join British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for a 10-day conference in Casablanca that would map the course the Allies would pursue in fighting World War II, including the “unconditional surrender” demand of their enemies. Continue reading U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrives in Casablanca, Morocco for wartime conference with UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 14 1943)

Red Army launches final assault on Germans trapped at Stalingrad 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 10 1943)


Video: '177- Food for Leningrad, Breaking the Siege! - WW2 - January 15th, 1943' (Operation Koltso at 0:57)

(Sunday, January 10, 1943, 8:05 a.m. local time; during the Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front in the European theatre of World War II) — The Red Army today launched Operation Koltso under the command of General Konstantin Rokossovsky, the final annihilation of the tattered remnants of Germany’s Sixth Army, which was surrounded at Stalingrad and refused surrender terms on Jan. 8, 1943, by its commander, Friedrich “José” Paulus. Continue reading Red Army launches final assault on Germans trapped at Stalingrad 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 10 1943)

Scientists demonstrate first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at at the University of Chicago 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 2 1942)


Video: '1942: UChicago’s race to the first nuclear reaction'

(Wednesday, December 2, 1942, 3:25 p.m. CST, part of the Manhattan Project, during World War II) — The Atomic Age was born today when scientists at the Metallurgical Laboratory demonstrated the first artificially created, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at a laboratory inside an enormous tent on a squash court under the stands of the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field. Continue reading Scientists demonstrate first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at at the University of Chicago 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 2 1942)

Alaska Highway dedicated at Soldier’s Summit in Yukon Territory 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 20 1942)


Video: 'Alaskan Highway documentary' (Nov. 20, 1942, at 33:45)

(Friday, November 20, 1942) — The Alaska Highway constructed during World War II to connect the contiguous United States to Alaska across Canada, was dedicated today at Soldier’s Summit in the Yukon Territory. Continue reading Alaska Highway dedicated at Soldier’s Summit in Yukon Territory 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 20 1942)