Video: Nov. 20, 1942 (at 7:45)

(Friday, November 20, 1942, part of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — Benghazi changed hands for the fifth and positively final time today as British forces occupied the Libyan city.

Video: Nov. 19, 1942 (at 33:04)

(Thursday, November 19, 1942, 7:20 a.m. Moscow time, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — The Red Army today launched Operation Uranus, a two-pronged attack targeting the weak Romanian and Hungarian forces protecting Germany forces in and around Stalingrad east of the Don River. Continue reading Russians launch offensive against Germans along the Don front 70 years ago today (1942) →

Video: Nov. 13, 1942 (at 7:36)

(Friday, November 13, 1942, 9:30 a.m. local time, part of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — Units of the British 1st and 7th Armored Divisions entered Tobruk, Libya, today following victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein. It was the second time and final time Tobruk fell into Allied hands.

Video: Hitler's speech (at 0:05)

(Tuesday, November 10, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — German Gen. Friedrich von Paulus, commander in chief of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, asked Adolf Hitler today to let him withdraw from Stalingrad. Hitler told him to keep attacking.

Video: Hitler's speech (Nov. 8, 1942)

(Sunday, November 8, 1942, evening, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — On the 19th anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, German dictator Adolf Hitler focused on the fighting in Stalingrad in an after dinner speech in Munich: Continue reading Hitler on Stalingrad: ‘We’ve got it really’ 70 years ago today (1942) →

Video: Nov. 6, 1942 (at 6:19)

(Friday, November 6, 1942, 5:30 p.m. during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — Two days after victory in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the British 7th Armored Division catches and destroys the remainder of Germany’s 21st Panzer Division, which is out of fuel.

The British pursuit, however, is slowed by fuel shortages, minefields and booby traps and a heavy rainfall late in the day that makes the coastal road the only viable route of advance.

Video: Oct. 25, 1942 (at 2:23)

(Sunday, October 25, 1942, during the Second Battle of El Alamein, part of Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who had fallen ill and was recovering in Germany for about a month, flew to Rome early today to press the Comando Supremo for more fuel and ammunition; and then on to North Africa to resume command of the Panzer Army Africa, which was renamed the “German-Italian Panzer Army” (Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee).

Video: Oct. 23, 1942 (at 0:00)

(Friday, October 23, 1942, 21:40 Egyptian Summer Time, part of Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — The Second Battle of El Alamein opened today as British Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery unleashed the British 8th Army against Axis forces at El Alamein in Egypt. Continue reading Second Battle of El Alamein begins in Egypt 70 years ago today (1942) →

Video: October 22, 1942 (at 4:07)

(Thursday, October 22, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Wilhelm Hoffman, a soldier in the 267th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division of the German 6th Army who chronicled the Battle of Stalingrad in his journal, wrote today:

“Who would have thought three months ago that instead of the joy of victory we would have to endure such sacrifice and torture, the end of which is nowhere in sight?…The soldiers are calling Stalingrad the mass grave of the Wehrmacht.”