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Post by ChefEd on Feb 4, 2024 17:21:29 GMT
FEBRUARY 1942
1-29 FEB | | Britain continues its bombing campaign against Germany. Germany escalates its attacls on Malta, preventing Malta from interdicting German and Italian convoys tp North Africa. Germany's retaking of Cyrenaica prevents British aircraft from interdicting Axis convoys to North Africa. British advances in technology and tactics counter their current inabilirt to break the new German code, Triton. | 1 FEB | | US carrier Enterprise is damaged in attacks against Japanese held Marshall and Gilbert Islands. Quisling is appointed to head the new Norwegian Nazi puppet government. | 3 FEB | | The Japanese forces continue their advances in the East Indies, and also attack Port Moresby. British forces continue their withdraw across Libya back to Egypt. | 4 FEB | | Japanese forces repel Allied attempts to interdict their invasion forces in the East Indies. Britain rejects a Japanese demand for surrender of Singapore. | 6 FEB | | First meeting of the Allied Combined Joint Vhiefs in Washington. Japanese forces make more landings on Luzon, The Philippines. | 7 FEB | | Albert Speer is appointed Minister of Munitions, managing the German wartime economy. Rommel's forces stop their advance across Cyrenaica near Gazala. | 8 FEB | | Japanese forces land on Singapore. | 11 FEB | | Failed Allied counterattack on Singapore fails, and the troops pull back to their last defensive line. | 11-12 FEB | | German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, along with cruiser Prinz Eugen make the "Channel Dash". British attempts to to stop the 'dash' were ineffective, but the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau are damaged by mines. Gneisenau is later heavily damaged in dry dock. | 13 FEB | | Despite heavy German resistance, Societ troops make adavances. ""Operation Sealion"" is formally cancelled by the German High Command. | 14 FEB | | Bomber Command's new directove of 'area bombing' is issued. Attacks will not be made on residential areas in an effort to break German morale as well as damage the German work force.\Japanese forces invade Sumatra. | 15 FEB | | After 70 days of fighting, British forces in Malaya surrnder. The Japanese have lost 10,ooo men, while brtish forces have lost 138,000. | 16-19 FEB | | Japanese forces continue their advancesin Burma. | 19 FEB | | Four Japanese carriers, from the Pearl Harbor attack, launcha 150 plane attack on Darwin, Australia, damaging some harbor facilities and sinking four warships. | 22 FEB | | Air Marshall Harris is appointed to head Bomber Command. General MacArthus is cpmmanded to leave The Philippines, and set up headquarters in Australia. | 24 FEB | | US forces led by the USS Enterprise attack the Japanese garrison on Wake Island. | 26 FEB | | Soviet forces continue their advances in Russia. Japanese forces threaten to cut the Rangoon-Mandalay rail line. | 27-29 FEB | | Four Allied cruisers with eleven destroyers attempt to intercept a Japanese invasion force bound for Java. The Battle for the Java Sea sees almost the entire Allied force destroyed, with minor damage to the Japanese force of four cruisers and fourteen destroyers. | 28 FEB | | British commandos attack the RADAR station at Bruneval, France, taking away much of the equipment there, for study back in England. |
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Post by ChefEd on Feb 10, 2024 16:36:30 GMT
MARCH 19421-31 MAR | | 80 U-Boats are assigned to the Atlantic, sinking 95 ships, 35 of which sunk off the American coast. The first German Milchkuh departs Lorient, to supply German U-Boats at sea. A total of 273 Allied ships are sunk, for 834,200 tons Britain continues its night time area bombing of civilian targets. Large scale transportation of European Jews to extermination camps begins. Axis attacks continue against Malta, as does the attempted resupplying of the besieged island. The U.S. begins the relocation of 100,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps. Mud on the Eastern Front slows or stops both sides. | 1 MAR | | Soviet forces resume their push in the Crimea. German losses are estimated at 1,500,000, to date on the Eastern Front.. | 2 MAR | | Additional Japanese landings and attacks in the Philippines, Java, and the East Indies continues. | 3-6 MAR | | Japanese advances in South and South East Asia continue. Allied counterattacks have been unsuccessful. | 6 MAR | | The first Spitfires arrive in Malta, as well as seven Blenheim bombers. | 9 MAR | | 100,000 Allied troops will surrender to the Japanese on Java. | 11 MAR | | Gen MacArthur evacuates from Luzon, to Australia. British cruiser Naiad is sunk by U.565 in the Mediterranean. | 12 MAR | | U.S. Army troops land in New Caledonia to garrison the island. The contingent includes the first deployment of the Seabees. The Japanese consolidate their positions in the Solomons. | 14 MAR | | U.S. troops begin to land in Australia in large numbers. | 17 MAR | | General MacArthur arrives in Australia to take Supreme Command of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific. | 20-23 MAR | | British convoy for Malta is attacked by Italian naval forces. Only 5,000 tons reach Malta. | 24 MAR | | Japanese forces resume their attacks on Bataan and Corregidor. | 27 MAR | | British air units and the American Volunteer Group retreat from Burma to India. | 28 MAR | | British commandos attack, at a heavy cost, and damage the St Nazaire dry dock. It is the only drydock in Western France capable of handling the Tirpitz. | 30 MAR | | The Pacific is divided into two sections, the Pacific Ocean Zone is to be led by Admiral Nimitz and the Southwest Pacific to be led by General MacArthus. |
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Post by ChefEd on Feb 24, 2024 15:40:01 GMT
APRIL 1942
1-30 APR | | Operation Drumbeat, the second 'Happy Times', is proving successful along the east cast of the United States. Many important tankers have been sunk. 51 divisions have been added to the German order of battle on the East Front, through the addition of forces from Italy, Rumania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Spain. RAF Bomber Command stepped up its attacks on port and manufacturing facilities from the Baltic to the west coast of France. Malta continues to be pounded by Axis forces, while successful deliveries of supplies to Rommel are increasing. | 1 APR | | Japanese forces resume heavy attacks against Bataan. US and Filipino forces have 24,000 men ill due to short rations and tropical diseases. British forces continue their retreat through Burma. | 4 APR | | A large Japanese force with battleships and carriers enters the Indian Ocean. British navy forces are dispersed and unable to to confront this large enemy force. Merchant shipping is dispersed from Colombo. | 5 APR | | Japanese air units attack Colombo. British cruisers Dorsetshire and Cornwall are discovered and sunk. The main units of the British naval forces are still undetected. Japanese forces make major pushes on Bataan. US naval forces in Iceland are bolstered by the arrival of the USS Wasp and USS Washington. | 8 APR | | American resistance on Bataan collapses. | 9 APR | | US forces surrender on Bataan. 75,000 prisoners are taken, including 12,000 Americans. The 100 mile Bataan Death March will soon begin. British forces in the Indian Ocean lose a carrier, two cruisers, and four destroyers, as well as 112,000 tons of shipping to Japanese attacks. | 11 PAR | | Japanese offensive in Burma resumes. | 13 APR | | Rear Admiral Lord Mountbatten has takes over as Chief of Combined Operations, with a seat on the British Chiefs of Staff Committee. | 14 APR | | The USS Roper sinks U.85, the first German submarine sunk by a US warship. | 18 APR | | Chinese 55th Division, in Burma, is effectively destroyed by advancing Japanese forces. US bombers, flying from the USS Hornet attack targets in Japan, including Tokyo. | 20 APR | | The USS Wasp and escort HMS Renown with two cruisers and six destroyers deliver fighters to Malta. Most are destroyed after landing. | 21 APR | | The German pocket at Demyansk is finally relieved. | 23 APR | | British and Chinese forces continue their retreat through Burma. | 24 APR | | German bombes attack Exeter, as the first of the Baedecker raids. Historical targets are chosen from the Baedecker Guide, in retaliation for the bombing of Lubeck. | 25 APR | | Bath is bombed. Norwich, York, Hull, and Exeter will be bombed in the next few days. | 26-30 APR | | Filipino forces continue to resist on Mindanao. Japanese forces continue to bombard Corregidor. Some US and Filipino forces refused to surrender, and slipped into the jungles and to the mountains to wage guerilla warfare on the invading Japanese. | 30 APR | | Japanese carriers Shokaku, Zuikaku, and Shoho sail for the Coral Sea, from Truk. |
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Post by ChefEd on Feb 24, 2024 16:58:22 GMT
MAY 19421-31 MAY | | Operation Drumbeat continues its success along the eastern coast of the US. The use of 'milk cows' means 18 to 18 German submarines are always prowling the coast. Axis submarines sink 125 ships, for 607,200 tons, out of 705,000 total tons sunk. Attacks against Malta continue, but aer not as effective as they had been. British attacks on Axis airfields in Sicily see moderate success in reducing attacks against Malta. | 1 MAY | | Japan lands more forces on Mindanao. The bombardment of Corregidor continues. Mandalay, Burma falls to the Japanese. | 2 MAY | | The Australian garrison at Tulagi, the Solomons, evacuate. The buildup for the Battle of the Coral Sea begins. US codebreakers allow the the Allies to prepare against the Japanese move into the Solomons. | 3 MAY | | Japanese forces land on Tulagi. | 4 MAY | | US forces attack the Japanese forces on and around Tulagi, opening the Battle of the Coral Sea. | 5 MAY | | Japanese carriers enter the Coral Sea. British forces land on Madagascar, to deny its use by the Axis, especially the Japanese. Japanese forces land on Corregidor. General Stilwell decides to redirect British withdrawal from Burma toward India instead of China. Japan begins planning for the attack on Midway Island. | 6 MAY | | US and Filipino forces on Corregidor surrender. The Japanese capture 15,000 defenders. | 7 MAY | | Admiral Fletcher sends an attack against the Japanese forces heading for Port Moresby. The Japanese respond, sinking the oiler Neosho and the destroyer Sims. The Americans in turn sink the Japanese small carrier Neosho. General Wainwright announces the surrender of the US forces on Corregidor, and invites the remaining US forces in the Philippines to also cease combat. | 8 MAY | | US and Japanese naval forces in the Coral Sea sight each other simultaneously. The {i]Lexington is damaged, abandoned, and eventually sunk by a US destroyer. The Yorktown is also damaged. The Japanese carrier Shokaku is badly damaged. The most telling blow is the loss of many Japanese aircraft and their highly experienced crews. Though a tactical victory for the Japanese it is a strategic victory for the US. | 9 MAY | | More fighters are delivered to Malta, this time successfully. Fighting on Mindanao effectively ends. | 11 MAY | | Canada passes full conscription. | 12 MAY | | Soviets renew their attacks near Kharkov. | 13 MAY | | German attacks force the Soviets to abandon Kerch. 80,000 Soviet troops manage to escape. | 14 MAY | | American codebreakers decipher their first evidence of a pending Japanese attack on Midway. | 15 MAY | | British forces enter India from Burma. Of a 45,000 man force, mostly Burmese, only 15,000 effectives reach India. Chinese losses are estimated are heavy, with only one division viable out of an original force of 95,000 men. The Japanese lose only 8,000 men in the Burma campaign. Manstein's troops capture Kerch. Soviets lost 150,000 men killed or captured at Kerch. | 23 MAY | | German forces attempt to encircle the Soviets around Donets. | 25 MAY | | The first Japanese and US moves preparing for the Battle of Midway are made. The Japanese diversionary force attacking the Aleutians leaves Hokkaido, and the US submarine pickets for Midway depart Pearl Harbor. | 26 MAY | | German and Italian forces begin an attack against the British forces along the Gazala line. The Axis armor outnumbered almost 2:1, however the British have poorly deployed their armor. The main Japanese carrier force bound for Midway departs the Inland Sea. Enterprise and Hornet head for Pearl Harbor from the South Pacific. | 27 MAY | | The Japanese Midway invasion fleet departs Saipan and Guam. USS Yorktown arrives at Pearl Harbor for repairs. Czech resistance fighters attempt to assassinate Reichsprotektor Heydrich in Prague. He dies on June 4. The Axis armor attacks flanking the Gazala Line is unsuccessful. Both sides lose heavily, but he Allies have the numbers to absorb the losses. | 28 MAY | | Most German armor units halt, due to lack of fuel. The remaining Japanese Midway naval forces leave Japan. Enterprise and Hornet depart Pearl Harbor for Midway. Yorktown will follow shortly. | 29 MAY | | German forces complete their encirclement of Donets, capturing 250,000 Soviet troops. Axis troops meet successes in their continuing encirclement of the Gazala line. | 30 MAY | | Rommel pulls back his armor to regroup and consolidate. Four Japanese submarines arrive off of Pearl Harbor, but too late to intercept the US carriers. Two more submarines arrive at French Frigate Shoals to set up a supply station for Japanese seaplanes intended to patrol around Midway. US naval forces arrived first, denying the Japanese use of the location. | 30-31 MAY | | The RAF Bomber Command conducts a 1,000 plane raid against Cologne. Only 40 aircraft out of 1,046 are lost. 45,000 people are made homeless from the raid. | 31 MAY | | The US battleships Colorado and Maryland depart San Francisco to bolster the US Pacific Fleet. The Afrika Korps overruns the 150th Brigade freeing up its supply line. |
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Post by ChefEd on Mar 6, 2024 4:34:11 GMT
JUNE 19421-30 JUN | | German submarines continue to operate off the American coast and the Carribean. Total Allied losses are 173 ships for 834,200 tons. Submarines sank 144 of these, for 700,200 tons. The RAF conducts two 1,000 plane raids this month. 5,000 sorties are flown, with the loss of 240 aircraft, and 6,950 tons dropped. British Intelligence attempts to break the US 'Black Code' used by the American military attache. It is deemed insecure and changed, eliminating this intelligence to Rommel. | 2 JUN | | German forces bombard Sevastopol. 1,300 artillery pieces particpate, incluuding the two 'Karl' 60cm mortatrs, and 80cm 'Dora' gun. Three US carriers join up northeast of Midway, with 250 aircraft. The Japanese feint against the Aluetions begins. The US aware of the ruse react accordingly. | 3 JUN | | The Midway invasin group is discovered by US patrol aircraft. 27 more Spitfire aircraft arrive at Malta. | 4 JUN | | The attack on Midway begins. Multiple strikes and counterstrikes are sent by the opposing forcs. Shortly after 1030 American dive bombers have fatally struck three of the Japanese aircraft carriers. The Yorktown is critically hit. Later in the afternoon the fourth Japanese carrier is attacked and sunk. | 6 JUN | | Yamamoto orders the remaining Japanese Midway forces to turn back to Japan. Japanese forces land on Kiska in the Aleutions. | 7 JUN | | Japanese forces land on Attu in the Aleutions. German forces begin their assault on Sevastopol. The damaged Yorktown is sunk by a Japanese submarine. | 9 JUN | | German forces obliterate the Czech village of Lidice in reprisal of the assassination of Heydricch. Two weeks later the town of Levzasky is also destroyed. More fighters arrive at Malta. | 10 JUN | | After a successful defense, 2,700 Free Frech are evacuated from Bir Hacheim. Carrier Wasp and battleship North Carolina pass through the Panama Canal into the Pacific. | 11 JUN | | Rommel's forces break out from the 'Cauldron'. | 11-16 JUN | | Two British convoys, from Gibraltar and Egypt head for Malta. Only two merchantmen reach Malta from the Gibraltar convoy. Surviving merchantmen from Egypt are turned back. | 12 JUN | | A poorly led and organized British attack against Rommel suffers the loss of 100 tanks. The Germans control the battlefield, and are able to retreive most of their damaged armor. | 13 JUN | | British forces begin to evacuate the Gazala Line. | 14-19 JUN | | Rommel's forces advance on Tobruk, while British fores continue to withdraw ahead of the Axis advance. | 20 JUN | | Rommel's forces begin their attack on Tobruk. | .21 JUN | | The Tobruk garrison surrenders. 30,000 prisoners are taken, as well as 3.000,000 rations and 500,000 gallons of gasoline. Roosevelt agrrees to send 300 Sherman tanks and 100 self-propelled artillery to the British Eighth Army in North Africa. | 23 JUN | | Advance units of German troops cross the Egyptian frontier. | 25 JUN | | US General Eisenhower is named commander of US land forces in Europe. | 26 JUN | | Though outnumberd in tanks 2:1, Rommel's forces continue to advance eastward into Egypt. The last RAF 1,000 plane raid of this period is conducted. | 27 JUN | | Convoy PQ-17 leaves Reykjavik with 36 freighters and a tanker, with 19 escort vessels. Convoy QP-13 leaves Archangel and Murmansk, on their return trip. Allied forces at Mersa Matruh withdraw. | 28 JUN | | Mersa Matruh is captured by the Axis forces, capturing large quantity of stores and equipment. The main German East Front summer offensive kicks off. | 30 JUN | | The Russian High Command orders the evacuation of Sevastopol. |
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Post by ChefEd on Mar 13, 2024 15:17:50 GMT
JULY 19421-31 JUL | | The convoy system is extended down through Florida, along the American east coast. Only 39 ships are lost between July and December. U-Boats shift back to the mid-Atlantic, as well as off the west coast of Africa. 11 U-Boats are lost, against sinking 96 of 128 Allied ships lost, for 476,100 tons sunk out of 618,100 total Allied shipping losses. Allies are now equipping escorts with HFDF | 1 JUL | | German forces in North Africa reach the forward defenses around El Alamein. A German wolfpack is formed in the Artic to intercept convoy PQ-17. | 2 JUL | | Tirpitz, Hipper and six destroyers leave Trondheim for convoy interception. | 3 JUL | | Lützow, Admiral Scheer with a destroyer escort leave Narvik to join the Tirpitz. Lützow and three destroyers run aground. The Italian Ariete Division is almost completely destroyed by the 2nd New Zealand Division. | 4 JUL | | The siege of Sevastopol ends with the Germans capturing 90,000, with losses of 24,000. Russian losses are ""impossible to estimate"". PQ-17 is ordered to scatter by the British Admiralty. With the Tirpitz and other surfaces ships loose, the number of submarines, and being in range of german aircraft, it had been determined that convoy PQ-17 could not be defended by the RN and RAF. USAAF bombers make their first bomber attack against occupied Europe. | 5 JUL | | German U-Boats sink 13 merchantmen of convoy PQ-17. The sortied German surface ships abort, as their presence is now unnecessary. | 7 JUL | | German forces make some advances along the southern front. U-Boats sink another eight ships of the PQ-17 convoy. The Germans lost five planes. | 8-14 JUL | | Actions on the Eastern Front and in North Africa see heavy fighting and see-saw actions. | 17 JUL | | Rommel's supply problems, due to the supply line length begin to hinder his units. | 19 JUL | | German advances in the past days on the Eastern Front have been raid and successful. The last two U-Boats along the US eastern seaboard are removed, due to the lack of success, caused by improved convoy operations. | 21 JUL | | Japanese troops land at Gona, New Guinea. Enigma intercepts reveal Rommel's lack of supplies. As a result, British forces attack Rommel's forces. Initial British successes are hampered due to poor or absent armor support. | 22 JUL | | Both British and Axis forces take a breather in North Africa to regroup and resupply. Japanese forces depart Buna along the Kokoda Trail, toward Port Moresby. Australian units take position across the trail to stop the Japanese. | 23 JUL | | Japanese forces have pushed the Australians back to Kokoda. US Secretary of State Cordell Hull, in a radio address, calls for the formation of a peacekeeping organization by the United Nations after the war. | 25 JUL | | Army Group B captures Rostov from the Soviets. | 29 JUL | | The Japanese take Kokoda. Hitler's interference on the Southern Front hampers the the German ability to follow up on their successes south of the Don. |
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