Category Archives: World War II

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)

Imperial Japanese Navy decisively wins Battle of the Java Sea 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 27 1942)


Video: 'Last Stand in the East Indies - Battle of the Java Sea 1942 Animated'

(Friday, February 27, 1942, 4:16 p.m. Western Indonesian Time; during the Pacific campaign of World War II) — Allied navies suffered a disastrous defeat at the hand of the Imperial Japanese Navy today in the Battle of the Java Sea, the largest naval battle since the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Continue reading Imperial Japanese Navy decisively wins Battle of the Java Sea 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 27 1942)

Nearly 800 Jewish refugees killed when Soviet sub torpedoes MV Struma in Black Sea 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 24 1942)


Video: 'The Struma- A Never Ending Sadness'

(Tuesday, February 24, 1942, morning Eastern European Time; during the Struma disaster, part of The Holocaust and World War II) — The MV Struma, a charter ship attempting to carry nearly 800 Jewish refugees from Axis-allied Romania to Mandatory Palestine, was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine today in the Black Sea; all but one of the refugees perished. Continue reading Nearly 800 Jewish refugees killed when Soviet sub torpedoes MV Struma in Black Sea 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 24 1942)

Japanese sub fires on California oil refinery in first shelling of U.S. mainland during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 23 1942)


Video: 'California Attacked: The Shelling of Ellwood Beach - Decades TV Network'

(Monday, February 23, 1942, approximately 7:15 p.m. PWT; during the Bombardment of Ellwood in the American Theater of World War II) — The first shelling of the U.S. mainland during World War II occurred today as Japanese submarine I-17 surfaced off the coast of California and fired 25 shells at an oil refinery near Santa Barbara. Continue reading Japanese sub fires on California oil refinery in first shelling of U.S. mainland during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 23 1942)