(Saturday, February 28, 1942, during World War II) — The heavy cruiser USS Houston and the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth came under attack today by Japanese forces during Battle of Sunda Strait in the Netherlands East Indies. Both were sunk shortly after midnight. The Houston lost 693 men while the Perth lost 353.

(Monday, January 24, 1972) — Japanese Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi was found today hiding in a Guam jungle, where he had been since the end of World War II.

Video: Rommel counterattacks (at 0:42)

(Wednesday, January 21, 1942) — In a dramatic and surprising move, German Colonel-General Erwin Rommel turned his Afrika Korps around and began an offensive in Libya today during the Battle of Gazala, an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign.

Three Axis columns, with powerful air cover, began advancing eastward along the coastal road. The British were ordered to pull back to Agedabia.

Video: Benghazi reoccupied (at 0:04)

(Wednesday, December 24, 1941) — Benghazi was reoccupied by the British today after the Germans were found to have abandoned the Cyrenaican city of eastern Libya during the North African Campaign of World War II.

Video: U-131 sunk (at)

(Wednesday, December 17, 1941) — The German submarine U-131 was sunk today north-east of Madeira, Portugal, by depth charges and gunfire while shadowing Convoy HG 76 as part of the wolfpack Seeräuber in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II.

Video: December 7, 1941, 5:00 a.m. (at 9:14)

(Sunday, December 7, 1941, 5:00 a.m. in Hawaii/10:30 a.m. EST) — On this perfect, peaceful Sunday, the massive warships of America’s Pacific fleet, including the Tennessee, West Virginia, Arizona and Nevada, were moored at Battleship Row just two hours and 55 minutes before a surprise attack by the Japanese. Continue reading All quiet along Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 70 years ago this hour (1941) →

Video: final order issued to attack Pearl Harbor (at 6:21)

(Tuesday, December 2, 1941, five days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) — A radio signal containing the code words “Niitaka yama nobore” (Climb Mount Niitaka) was received by Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo aboard his flagship Akagi today, ordering the Japanese aircraft carrier strike force to attack Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941 (December 8 in Tokyo). Continue reading Japanese strike force ordered to attack Pearl Harbor 70 years ago today (1941) →

Video: Kurusu arrives in San Francisco (@ 2:26)

(Friday, November 14, 1941, 23 days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) — Smilingly expressing the hope of “making a touchdown” in his negotiations with President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull, special Japanese envoy Saburo Kurusu arrived in San Francisco today after a flight from Tokyo. Continue reading Japanese envoy arrives in San Francisco 70 years ago today (1941) →

Video: Panic grips Mosocw (@ 7:38)

(Thursday, October 16, 1941, Eastern Front of World War II) — The Soviet Union government began moving eastward today to Kuibyshev (modern Samara), but Joseph Stalin remained in Moscow.

The citizens of Moscow frantically build tank traps and other fortifications for the coming siege by the Germans.

Video: First snow, Zhukov (@ 3:41)

(Friday, October 10, 1941) — As the first snows of winter fell before Moscow, Soviet General Georgy Zhukov was recalled from Leningrad today to take charge of the defense of Moscow on the Eastern Front of World War II.