Video: 'The World at War: The Desert: North Africa - 1940-1943 (8 of 26)' (Nov. 4, 1942, at 49:41)

(Wednesday, November 4, 1942, 5:30 p.m. Eastern European Time; during the Second Battle of El Alamein, part of Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel disobeyed Adolf Hitler’s orders today and began a retreat from El Alamein in North Africa. Continue reading Rommel disobeys Hitler’s orders and retreats from El Alamein in North Africa 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 4 1942) →

Video: 'The Laconia Incident'

(Saturday, September 12, 1942, 10:07 p.m. Central European Time; during the Laconia incident, part of the Atlantic Campaign of World War II) — The RMS Laconia, a British troop ship which was carrying Italian prisoners of war, British soldiers and civilians, was torpedoed by U-156, a German submarine, tonight off the West Africa coast, killing more than 1,600 people. Continue reading British troop ship RMS Laconia torpedoed by German U-boat off West African coast 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 12 1942) →

Video: 'Almanac: The day Japan bombed Oregon'

(Wednesday, September 9, 1942, lookout reported a plume of smoke at 12:20 p.m. PWT; during the Lookout Air Raids, part of the American theater and Pacific theater of World War II) — In the first air attack on the U.S. mainland during World War II, a Japanese floatplane dropped incendiary bombs today in the Siskiyou National Forest, some ten miles east of Brookings, on the southern Oregon coast. Continue reading Japanese floatplane drops incendiary bombs on Oregon forest in first air attack on U.S. mainland during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 9 1942) →

Video: 'Operation Pastorius - Hitler's Dream to See New York in Flames'

(Saturday, August 8, 1942, executions started at about noon EDT; the result of Operation Pastorius, part of the American Theater of World War II) — Six of the eight Nazi saboteurs who were captured after landing on U.S. soil two months ago were executed in the electric chair today at the District of Columbia Jail, while the two others were sentenced to serve hard labor for life and for thirty years, respectively. Continue reading Six Nazi saboteurs who recently landed on U.S. shores are executed in Washington, D.C. 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 8 1942) →

Video: '154 - Guadalcanal - Allies Take the Initiative - WW2 - August 7, 1942' (Americans land at Guadalcanal at 6:19)

(Friday, August 7, 1942, 8:00 a.m. Solomon Islands Time, launching the Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo and the Guadalcanal Campaign, part of the Solomon Islands campaign of the Pacific Theater of World War II) — Allied forces, predominantly United States Marines, landed this morning on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands, with the objective of using Guadalcanal and Tulagi as bases in supporting a campaign to eventually capture or neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. Continue reading U.S. Marines land at southern Solomon Islands, launching Guadalcanal Campaign against Japan 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 7 1942) →

Video: '153 - Not a Step Back! - Wehrmacht Closes in on Stalingrad - WW2 - July 31, 1942' (First Battle of El Alamein at 13:50)

(Monday, July 27, 1942, part of Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — The First Battle of El Alamein, fought in Egypt between Axis and Allied forces, ended in stalemate today, when attacks by the British Army’s XXX Corps failed to gain ground in Operation Manhood. Continue reading First Battle of El Alamein in British-occupied Egypt ends in stalemate 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 27 1942) →