Category Archives: World War II

Truman, Stalin, and Attlee conclude Potsdam conference with landmark tripartite communiqué 80 years ago this hour (Aug 2 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'WWII: Potsdam Conference Ends - 1945 | Today In History | 2 Aug 18'

(Thursday, August 2, 1945, 12:30 a.m. Central European Midsummer Time; during Potsdam Conference of World War II) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin and Britain’s new Prime Minister Clement Attlee concluded the Potsdam Conference early today, reaching unanimous agreement on a final tripartite communiqué. Continue reading Truman, Stalin, and Attlee conclude Potsdam conference with landmark tripartite communiqué 80 years ago this hour (Aug 2 1945) →

Assembly of ‘Little Boy’ atomic bomb completed 80 years ago today (July 31 1945)

1940s, World War II

(Tuesday, July 31, 1945; during Potsdam Conference of World War II) — The atomic bomb, codenamed “Little Boy,” was successfully assembled today on Tinian Island and is now ready for deployment against Japan. Continue reading Assembly of ‘Little Boy’ atomic bomb completed 80 years ago today (July 31 1945) →

USS Indianapolis torpedoed by Japanese 80 years ago this hour (July 30 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'The Story of the Deadliest Shark Attack in US History'

(Monday, July 30, 1945, approximately 12:14 a.m. local time; during World War II) — The U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis was torpedoed and sunk early this morning by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea with only 317 out of nearly 1,200 men aboard surviving. Continue reading USS Indianapolis torpedoed by Japanese 80 years ago this hour (July 30 1945) →

U.S. Senate ratifies Charter of the United Nations 80 years ago this hour (July 28 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Shaping The Future - U.N. Charter Becomes Reality Aka San Francisco Conference (1945)'

(Saturday, July 28, 1945, 5:02 p.m. EWT; during World War II) — The United States Senate today ratified 89-2 the Charter of the United Nations, successor to the League of Nations Covenant which it rejected 26 years ago.

B-25 bomber slams into Empire State Building — 14 dead in fiery crash 80 years ago this hour (July 28 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Empire State Building Plane Crash - 1945'

(Saturday, July 28, 1945, 9:49 a.m. EWT; during World War II) — A twin-engine B-25 U.S. Army bomber, lost in a blinding fog, crashed into the 79th floor of New York’s Empire State Building this morning, killing 14 people including the three occupants of the plane and 11 persons in the building. Continue reading B-25 bomber slams into Empire State Building — 14 dead in fiery crash 80 years ago this hour (July 28 1945) →

Tokyo ignores Allies’ surrender ultimatum 80 years ago this hour (July 28 1945)

1940s, World War II

Video: 'The World at War: The Bomb: February-September 1945 (24 of 26)' (July 28, 1945, at 33:43)

(Saturday, July 28, 1945, 3:00 p.m. JST; during the Potsdam Conference of World War II) — Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki announced this afternoon that Japan would ignore the Potsdam Declaration, issued two days ago by the Allies meeting at the Potsdam Conference calling on Japan to surrender or face “prompt and utter destruction” Continue reading Tokyo ignores Allies’ surrender ultimatum 80 years ago this hour (July 28 1945) →

Japan warned to surrender or face ‘prompt and utter destruction’ 80 years ago this hour (July 26 1945)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: '26th July 1945: The Potsdam Declaration demand the unconditional surrender of Japan'

(Thursday, July 26, 1945, 9:30 p.m. CEST; during Potsdam Conference of World War II) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek today issued the Potsdam Declaration, which called upon Imperial Japan to unconditionally surrender, or face “prompt and utter destruction.’ Continue reading Japan warned to surrender or face ‘prompt and utter destruction’ 80 years ago this hour (July 26 1945) →

British PM Churchill resigns after Labour landslide 80 years ago this hour (July 26 1945)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'Labour's Landslide Election Win (1945)'

(Thursday, July 26, 1945, Churchill left 10 Downing St. for Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to King George VI at 7:00 p.m. and returned as “former Prime Minister” at 7:30 p.m. British Summer Time; during World War II) — Winston Churchill, who led Britain during World War II and currently represents his nation at the Potsdam Conference with U.S. President Harry S. Truman and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, resigned as Britain’s prime minister tonight after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party; Clement Attlee succeeded him.

President Truman orders atomic bombs be dropped on Japan 80 years ago this hour (July 25 1945)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'Peter Jennings - Hiroshima: Why the Bomb was Dropped (1995)' (July 25, 1945, at 54:18)

(Wednesday, July 25, 1945, 5:15-7:30 p.m. CEST; during World War II) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman today gave control of the atomic bombs to the military, which ordered that they be used as soon as the Potsdam Conference was over (click here for a clip of this event from “American Experience: Truman” at 2:06:32). Continue reading President Truman orders atomic bombs be dropped on Japan 80 years ago this hour (July 25 1945) →

Truman drops hint to Stalin about atomic bomb 80 years ago this hour (July 24 1945)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'Peter Jennings - Hiroshima: Why the Bomb was Dropped (1995)' (July 24, 1945, at 52:15)

(Tuesday, July 24, 1945, 5:15-7:30 p.m. CEST; during World War II) — At some point during a session of the Potsdam Conference tonight, U.S. President Harry S. Truman rose from his chair and walked slowly around the table to have a private word with Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, casually mentioning that “we had a new weapon of unusual destructive force,” Truman later wrote. Continue reading Truman drops hint to Stalin about atomic bomb 80 years ago this hour (July 24 1945) →