Chronology of World War II

Friday, June 1, 1945

In Occupied Austria... British troops begin the forcible repatriation of some 40,000 members of the Cossack Corps, many of whom are accompanied by their families, to Judenborg in the Soviet occupation zone. The mainly Russian soldiers of the Cossack Corps, led by General Timophey Domanoc, served with the German armed forces on the Eastern Front and surrendered to the British at the end of the war. In order to complete the transfer without incident, British officers are have been told to continue the pretence that the Russians will be allowed to settle in the west. A pitched battle takes place and about 700 Cossacks are shot, trampled or commit suicide, fearing their fate in Soviet hands. British soldiers are told that the repatriations are being carried out under the terms of the Yalta agreement but there are reports of distress in the ranks over the action. The event becomes known as the "Peggetz Masscre."

In Occupied Germany... The Soviet appointed mayor of Berlin warns that 50 Nazis will be killed for every attack made on the occupying forces.

In the Middle East... British troops occupy Syria and Lebanon.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, after the fall of Shuri, General Mushijima orders the Japanese troops to withdraw southward, towards the Oroku peninsula and the hills of Yaeju, Yuza and Mezado in the extreme south of the island. There are reports of discontent among the Japanese troops, something previously unheard of in the Imperial Army. Elements of the US 1st Marine Division cross the Koruba river, south of Naha. The forces of the US 24th Corps pursue the retreating Japanese while elements mop up around Shuri.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the US 37th Division (US 1st Corps) advances rapidly in the Cagayan valley. Japanese resistance is reduced to rearguard actions. On Mindanao, American forces are engaged north of Davao.

In Burma... The British 12th Army becomes operational.

Over Japan... During a thunderstorm, 27 P-51 fighters collide en route to Osaka. American aircraft drop over 3000 tons of incendiary bombs on Osaka.

Saturday, June 2, 1945

From Paris... President de Gaulle criticizes the British intervention in Syria and Lebanon.

From the Vatican... The Pope broadcasts his hopes that Germans will abandon Nazism and build a new foundation.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the US 43rd Division (US 11th Corps) completes mopping up operations in the Ipoh area.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, mopping up continues as the US 6th Marine Division prepares to land two regiments on the Oroku peninsula.

Over Japan... US Task Force 38 raids airfields used by Japanese Kamikaze forces. Such raids compel the Japanese to continue operations from bases farther north.

In San Francisco... The Soviet delegation demands a right of veto in the proposed United Nations Security Council.

Sunday, June 3, 1945

In Occupied Germany... Captured maps of German minefields are distributed to all Allied governments, in Europe, by SHAEF. These maps are from the collection of approximately 4 tons of such maps captured by US 7th Army in Bavaria.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, Japanese forces are isolated in the Oroku and Chinen peninsula.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the US 37th Division overcomes weak Japanese resistance to advance about 6 miles north of Santa Fe.

In Syria... French forces leave Damascus, escorted by British troops.

Monday, June 4, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, two regiments of US 6th Marine Division make landings on the Oroku peninsula in an attempt to outflank Japanese defensive positions. However, many of the Japanese troops formerly in the Shuri Line have withdrawn to the Oroku peninsula. General Buckner, commanding US 10th Army, reduces the frontage of the US 3rd Amphibious Corps, which has suffered the greatest losses, and increases the frontage of the US 24th Corps.

In Britain... In his first of a series of election broadcasts, Prime Minister Churchill, the leader of the Conservative Party, suggests that voting for Labour Party will cause the creation of "some form of Gestapo [the secret police in Nazi Germany]" in Britain. Labour Party leaders condemn the comments.

In Occupied Germany... Paul Ferdonet -- the "Radio Traitor" of Stuttgart -- is arrested by French troops in Bavaria.

Tuesday, June 5, 1945

In Occupied Germany... The Allied Control Commission meets for the first time in Berlin. The country is to be divided into four occupation zones and Berlin is to be divided into four occupation sectors. Eisenhower, Montgomery, Zhukov and de Lattre de Tassigny meet in a riverside club which is the Soviet delegation headquarters. They sign a document, containing 15 articles, in which the four powers reaffirm the complete defeat of Germany and assume authority over all aspects of life in the country. The frontiers of Germany are identified as those which existed on December 31, 1937.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the US 37th Division (US 1st Corps) occupy Aritao and advance northward from the town.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, Japanese forces on the Oroku peninsula strongly resist the US 6th Marine Division which nonetheless captures most of the airfield. In the south the forces of the US 24th Corps near the last Japanese defensive line, running from Yuza in the west to Guschichan on the east coast and based on the three hills, Yaeju, Yuza and Mezado. At sea, a sudden typhoon damages 4 battleships, 8 aircraft carriers, 7 cruisers, 14 destroyers, 2 tankers, and and ammunition transport ship, of the US 3rd Fleet. A Japanese Kamikaze attack cripples the battleship USS Mississippi and the heavy cruiser USS Louisville.

Over Japan... A total of 473 US B-29 Superfortress bombers strike Kobe with 3000 tons of incendiary bombs.

In London... Prime Minister Churchill rejects the accusation by French President de Gaulle that the British incited civil war in Syria.

Wednesday, June 6, 1945

In India... British forces detain 4 agents landed on the Orissa coast by a Japanese submarine in March 1944. Two of the individuals are Bengalis and 2 are Punjabis.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, elements of the US 6th Marine Division advance in the Oruka Peninsula following their landing. Naha airfield is secured. Elements of the US 96th Division (US 24th Corps) reach the lower slopes of Mount Yaeju and are halted by intensive Japanese fire.

In the Philippines... American forces advance without meeting significant resistance in the Cayagan valley, on Luzon, as well as on Minadanao.

In London... It is announced that a total of 184,512 British and Canadian soldiers were casualties (killed or wounded) or missing between D-Day and VE-Day.

In Occupied Germany... In Berlin, Soviet troops find a body believed to be that of Adolf Hitler, in the Chancellery gardens.

In Rio de Janeiro... The government of Brazil declares war on Japan.

Thursday, June 7, 1945

In China... In Kwangsi province, 3 Chinese armies prepare to launch an offensive to liberate the Hong Kong - Canton area. In Hunan province, the Chinese follow up the retreating Japanese as far as Paoching, which was the starting position of the Japanese spring offensive.

In the Philippines... On Luzon forces from US 1st Corps take Bambang and move northeast toward the Cagayan Valley. Other units are moving around the coast from the northwest to the north of the island.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, in the Oroku peninsula, Japanese forces hold attacks by the US 6th Marine Division while the US 1st Marine Division advances southward and isolates the peninsula defenders. The US 24th Corps is engaged in artillery bombardments.

In Liberated Norway... King Haakon returns to a warm reception.

In Occupied Germay... All German citizens in the zone occupied by the western Allies are order to watch films of Belsen and Buchenwald -- former Nazi concentration camps.

In Britain... King George and Queen Elizabeth visit Guernsey, part of the Channel Islands. Captured German howitzers provide a 21-gun salute and thousands line the streets to see the royal couple.

Friday, June 8, 1945

In Japan... There are reports that every able bodied man, woman and child is being given instructions in the fighting of tanks, paratroops and other invading forces.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, in the north heavy fighting continues on the Oroku peninsula. In the south, the US 24th Corps prepares to attack Mount Yaeju.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, patrols of the US 37th Division reach the Magat river. The US 145th Infantry Regiment (US 37th Division) takes Solano and advances as far as Bagabag, towards the Cagayan valley.

In the Java Sea... The Japanese cruiser Ashigara is sunk by the British submarine Trenchant, after evacuating 1,200 men from Batavia.

In Washington... The Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, says at a press conference that British forces would carry the full weight of military responsibilities in Burma and noted the these forces had been reinforced since the end of the war in Europe.

In the Liberated Netherlands... Field Marshal Montgomery receives the freedom of the city of Antwerp.

Saturday, June 9, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the Japanese forces defending the Oroku peninsula are cut off and surrounded by forces of the US 6th Marine Division. The US 1st Marine Division advance southward to Kunishi Ridge, one of the last Japanese strong points.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the US 37th Division captures Bagabag. The American forces attempt to block the routes into the Cagayan valley in order to isolate the Japanese forces concentrated in the Sierra Madre, in the northeast. On Mindanao, elements of the US 24th Division take Mandog, the last major strong point in the Japanese defenses.

In Occupied Germany... Field Marshal Montgomery takes the salute at the last parade of the British Guards Armored Division.

In Belgrade... American, British and Yugoslavian representatives reach an agreement on the future status of Trieste.

In Britain... The RAF reveals the Vampire, a new jet fighter capable of flying at speeds over 500 miles per hour.

Sunday, June 10, 1945

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, almost 30,000 men of the Australian 9th Division make an unopposed landing in Brunei Bay (Operation Oboe VI). Small contingents also make assault landings on the islands of Labuan and Muara nearby. Naval support forces are under the command of Admiral Royal. A naval bombardment in support of the landings was conducted by a force of cruisers and destroyers under the command of Admiral Berkey.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, fighting continues on the Oroku Peninsula, where the forces of the US 6th Marine Division have reduced the Japanese pocket to about 2000 square yards. Heavy Japanese losses are recorded in nighttime counterattacks. Meanwhile, on the south of the island, the US 1st Marine Division suffers heavy losses in the successful capture of a hill west of the town of Yuza. The US 24th Corps forces, to the left, launches a major offensive against the last Japanese defensive line, the Yaeju-Dake Line. Japanese resistance is evidently weakening.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, Japanese forces halt the advance of the US 37th Division near Orioung Pass.

In the Admiralty Islands... British Pacific Fleet units leave Manus Island for operations against the Japanese base at Truk in the Caroline Islands.

In Burma... Burmese guerrillas led by British officers retake Loilem, in the Shan Mountains area.

In China... Chinese forces capture the port of Wenchow (I-shan) and pursue the Japanese forces toward Liuchow.

In Tokyo... Prime Minister Suzuki is granted dictatorial powers by the Imperial Diet.

In Occupied Germany... In Frankfurt, Marshal Zhukov confers the Soviet Order of Victory on Field Marshal Montgomery and General Eisenhower. During the evening, in a message broadcast by Hamburg radio, Field Marshal Montgomery says that the German people must be taught that not only have they been defeated, but that they are guilty of beginning the war as they were guilty in 1914. He suggests parents read the message to their children and ensure that they understand it.

In Liberated Czechoslovakia... In Prague there are indications of increasing restiveness over what is viewed as Soviet interference in the country and pressure for "Sovietization" the state. Three Red Army divisions are based on the outskirts of the capital.

Monday, June 11, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the Japanese pocket in the Oroku Peninsula has been reduce to perimeter measurable in yards but their resistance remains fanatical. An assault by the US 1st Marine Division (US 3rd Amphibious Corps) fails to capture Kunishi Ridge. A regiment of the US 96th Division reaches the town of Yuza but is forced to withdraw by intensive Japanese fire. An important height east of Mount Yaeju is capture by American forces.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, fighting at Orioung Pass continues as Japanese forces continue to hold the US 37th Division.

In China... Japanese forces recapture Ishan in Kwangsi Province.

In Liberate Czechoslovakia... Soviet authorities begin the forcible expulsion of ethnic Germans from the Sudetenland to the west.

Tuesday, June 12, 1945

In Liberated Italy... Yugoslavian forces withdraw from the disputed port of Trieste. The Yugoslavs urge the New Zealander and Indian troops to also pull out.

In Britain... In London, General Eisenhower is awarded the Order of Merit and given the Freedom of the City of London.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, many of the Japanese naval infantry cut off in the Oruku peninsula, reduced to a pocket of about 1000 square yards, begin to commit mass suicide to avoid surrender. The US 1st Marine Division captures the west end of Kunishi Ridge during a night attack. The US 96th Division attacks Japanese positions around Mount Yuza and Mount Yaeju.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the US 145th Infantry Regiment breaks Japanese resistance at Orioung Pass, occupies the town of Orioung and advances as far as positions overlooking the town of Balite. The Visayan Islands (including Samar, Negros, Panay, Leyte, Cebu, and Bohol), between Luzon and Mindanao, are secured by American forces. American casualties in the campaign have amounted to 835 dead and 2300 wounded. Japanese casualties are estimated to be 10,000 dead.

Wednesday, June 13, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the Japanese resistance in the Oruku peninsula ends. The US 6th Marine Division records a record 169 Japanese prisoners as well as finding about 200 dead. (This is a large total when compared with previous numbers of Japanese prisoners reported.) The fighting continues to the southeast, especially in the Kunishi Ridge area where a regiment of the US 1st Marine Division suffers heavy casualties. The US 24th Corps uses armored flamethrowers in the elimination of the Japanese held fortified caves on Mount Yuza and Mount Yaeju and on Hills 153 and 115.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, an American armored column attempts pass through the Orioung Pass, to exploit a breakthrough achieved by the US 145th Infantry Regiment (US 37th Division), but a Japanese counterattack blocks the road.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, Australian forces enter the city of Brunei.

In China... Japanese forces prepare to evacuate Liuchow and Kweilin.

Thursday, June 14, 1945

In China... Chinese forces capture the city of Ishan from Japanese forces after a five-day battle. The Chinese forces pursue the Japanese towards Liuchow.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, mopping up operations proceed on the Oroku peninsula. The troops of the US 3rd Amphibious Corps and the US 24th Corps continue to eliminate fortified caves held by Japanese forces on Kunishi Ridge and on Mount Yuza and Mount Yaegu. An American regiment of the US 96th Division reaches the summit of Mount Yaegu, while the US th Division extends its control of Hills 153 and 115.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, American forces dislodge the Japanese blocking the Orioung Pass. Elements of the US 37th Division, formed into an armored column, advance as far as Echague. From Santiago, other units advance toward Cabanatuan and Cauayan.

From Washington... The US Joint Chiefs of Staff issue a directive to General MacArthur, General Arnold and Admiral Nimitz to prepare plans for the immediate occupation of the Japanese islands in the event of a sudden capitulation. This order may have been given in light of recent progress on the production of an atomic bomb but this is not stated.

In Occupied Germany... In Hamburg, British troops capture the former Nazi foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, in a boardinghouse.

Friday, June 15, 1945

In Liberated Burma... Mountbatten addresses the victory parade in Rangoon. American OSS units complete mopping up operations in the Shan Mountains area.

In China... Chinese forces advance along a broad front in Kwangsi Province.

Over Japan... US B-29 Superfortress bombers drop 3000 tons of bombs on Osaka.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, Marines suffer heavy casualties and are unable to advance on Kunishi Ridge. The US 1st Division, already short of troops, is attached to the US 2nd Marine Division. Forces of the US 24th Corps continue operations to eliminate Japanese positions on Mount Yaeju and Mount Yuza.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, Filipino guerrillas seize Cervantes in the north. Meanwhile, the US 37th Division continues to battle forward in the Cagayan valley, eliminating a Japanese strong point about 3 miles from Santiago, near Cabanatuan.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... Australian forces secure the islands of Labuan and Muara, off Borneo.

In Britain... Parliament is dissolved by King George VI, in anticipation of the first general election since 1935.

Saturday, June 16, 1945

In Brussels... Belgian Premier Achille van Acker and his cabinet resign in protest against the contemplated return of King Leopold III.

In Occupied Germany... At the Dachau concentration camp, nearly 2500 people have died, mainly of typhus, since the camp was liberated on April 29th.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, Mount Yuza is captured by the US 381st Infantry Regiment. Fighting continues on the south of the island. At sea, the Japanese air offensive against American ships slackens, but the Japanese still sink 1 destroyer and damage 1 escort carrier.

In the Caroline Islands... British naval units bombard the Japanese base at Truk.

Sunday, June 17, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, reinforced American units advance in the Kuishi Ridge area which has been stubbornly defended by forces of the Japanese 32nd Army. Along the line of the US 24th Corps, the last Japanese defensive line is broken. The US 7th Division completes the capture of Hills 153 and 115. The commander of the Japanese naval base on Okinawa, Admiral Minoru Ota, is found dead, having committed suicide.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, elements of the US 37th Division, US 1st Corps, captures Naguilian after making a forced crossing of the Cagayan river, near the town of Cagayan.

In China... General Arnold orders General Chennault to be replaced by General Stratemeyer as Commander in Chief of the US air forces operating in China. Japanese troops in southern China begin withdrawing northward in five long columns between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers.

Monday, June 18, 1945

In Tokyo... On instructions from Emperor Hirohito, Prime Minister Suzuki tells the Japanese Supreme Council that it is the intention of Hirohito to seek peace with the Allies as soon as possible.

Over Japan... American bombers begin a series of 23 raids against major Japanese cities, all with populations between 100,000 and 350,000 people.

In China... Chinese forces capture the port of Wenchow.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the remnants of the Japanese 32nd Army continue to offer determined resistance to attacks of the US 3rd Amphibious Corps and the US 24th Corps. Lt. General Simon Bolivar Buckner, commanding US 10th Army, is killed by Japanese artillery fire while he is on a visit to the front line, inspecting troops of the US 8th Marine Division. He is temporarily replaced by General Geiger, commanding the US 3rd Amphibious Corps.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, elements of the US 37th Division, supported by an armored column, advance in the Caygayan valley, capturing Ilagan airfield and crossing the Ilagan River. On Mindanao, organized Japanese resistance comes to an end. Forces of the Japanese 35th Army have been cut off and dependent on roots and tree bark for food for some time now. Nonetheless, some small units of Japanese continue to resist.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, Australians reach Tutong in Brunei.

In Washington... General Eisenhower addresses a joint session of Congress as he begins a series of victory celebrations in his honor.

In Britain... William Joyce, Lord Haw Haw, is put on trial for treason in London, for broadcasting propaganda from Germany. The armed services begin demobilizing at a rate of 30,000 people per week.

In Moscow... Sixteen officers of the Polish Home Army are put on trial for fighting the Red Army.

Tuesday, June 19, 1945

In San Francisco... Spain is barred from membership in the United Nations organization as long as the Franco regime continue to hold power.

In the United States... An estimated 4 million New York residents turn out to cheer General Eisenhower in a 35-mile motorcade through the city.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, in the Cagayan Valley, Ilagan is captured by advancing troops of the US 1st Corps.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the insistent use of propaganda by means of leaflets and loudspeakers, by the American forces, induces some 343 Japanese troops to surrender. Japanese forces fall back in some disorder along the frontage of the US 3rd Amphibious Corps but continue to resist along the line held by the US 24th Corps.

In Thailand... Commonwealth forces invade Thailand from Burma.

In Brussels... King Leopold III refuses to abdicate the Belgian throne.

Wednesday, June 20, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, Japanese resistance along the center of the line, held by the US 24th Corps, continues to be strong. The US 32nd Infantry Regiment (US 7th Division) reaches Height 89, near Mabuni, where the Japanese headquarters have been identified. On the flanks, the American Marines on the right and the infantry on the left advance virtually unopposed, capturing over 1000 Japanese and reaching the southern coast of the island at several points. The scale of surrenders is unprecedented for the forces of the Imperial Army.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, Filipino guerrillas advance up the Cagayan valley from Aparri and liberate the town of Tuguegarao. The American regimental task force enters Aparri while elements of the US 37th Division advances 2.5 miles north of Ilagan. Meanwhile, the US 8th Army headquarters announces that operations to recapture the islands of Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Palawan, as well as the western part of Mindanao, are completed.

Over Wake Island... US Task Group 12.4 (Admiral Jennings) with the carriers Lexington, Hancock and Cowpens conduct air raids on Japanese positions. The carriers are en route to join US Task Force 38.

In China... The Allies agree on a plan to capture Fort Bayard (now Zhanijang), on the South China Sea, by August 1st. The area is intended to serve as a base for operations against Japanese held Hong Kong and Canton.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, Australian forces land at Lutong in eastern Sarawak.

In London... The Polish government in exile denies the right of the Soviets to try the Polish ministers who had flown to Moscow and were arrested.

Thursday, June 21, 1945

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the last Japanese-held port, Aparri, falls to American forces. The American regimental task force make contact with Filipino guerrillas.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the Japanese headquarters on Hill 89 is taken by the forces of the US 32nd Infantry Regiment, part of US 7th Division. The body of General Ushijima, commanding the Japanese 32nd Army is found nearby.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, in the north there is a new landing by the Australian 9th Division. Labaum Island is report to be secured.

In Moscow... Twelve of 16 Poles on trial in Moscow are found guilty of engaging in "underground activities."

Friday, June 22, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the battle ends. American forces have lost 12,500 dead and 35,500 wounded. The US navy has had 36 ships sunk and 368 damaged. In the air, the American forces have lost 763 planes. The Japanese losses include 120,000 military and 42,000 civilian dead. For the first time in the war, there are a relatively large number of Japanese prisoners: 10,755. American reports claim the Japanese have lost 7,830 planes.

In China... Japanese troops evacuate Liuchow, setting it on fire before the approaching Chinese forces.

Over Japan... American B-29 Superfortress bombers drop about 3000 tons of bombs on Japanese munitions plants in Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya and Okayama.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Tarakan, off the northeast coast of Borneo, Australian forces have eliminated all Japanese resistance. On Borneo, the city of Sarawak is captured.

Saturday, June 23, 1945

In Moscow... The rival parties claiming the right to rule Poland reach an agreement on power sharing. American and British objections to the Lublin Committee Poles, supported by the Soviet Union, are met with the inclusion of three of the Poles from the London based government in exile. Among the three is Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, the former premier, who is to be the deputy premier. In addition, two non-Communist Poles from within Poland are included in the new provisional government. The Communists and their opponents are therefore to share power more equitably than originally thought possible.

In San Francisco... The representatives of the Big Four powers (China, UK, USA and USSR) agree to admit Poland to the United Nations.

In the Philippines... American paratroopers land near Aparri on the north coast of Luzon, at the mouth of the Cagayan River, without incident. They link up with a large force of Filipino guerrillas. The combined force advances southward to make contact with the US 37th Division.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the systematic mopping up of the island begins. General Stilwell takes command of the US 10th Army in place of General Geiger.

Sunday, June 24, 1945

In the Soviet Union... In Moscow, there is a victory parade at which captured Nazi banners are ceremonially dragged across Red Square. The standard of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandardt Adolf Hitler is among the two hundred banners thrown on the ground before Lenin's tomb. Stalin and senior members of the government and Communist Party watched from the top of the tomb. Marshal Georgi Zhukov leads the parade, riding a white horse, the traditional Russian mount for a conquering hero. In a speech to the massive gathering, Zhukov said that the Red Army is the most powerful in the world, but the USSR must not become "conceited or complacent."

In the Greater Sunda Islands... Over Borneo, British and American aircraft drop 1000 tons of bombs on Japanese positions.

In France... The last of four German Ar234 jet bombers (collected by "Watson's Wizzers" of the USAAF) lands in Cherbourg, flying from Sola in Norway. These aircraft are to be loaded onboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Reaper, along with 34 other advanced German aircraft, for shipment to the United States.

Monday, June 25, 1945

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, in Sarawak, the Australian forces complete the occupation of the Miri oilfield area. A preparatory naval bombardment begins at Balikpapan by 9 cruisers and 13 destroyers under the command of Admiral Barbey.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, Tuguegarao is captured by the American forces, of the US 37th Division, in the Cagayan valley. Gattaran is retaken in the southward advance of the American paratroopers dropped at Aparri, after the Japanese had expelled the Filipino guerrillas. Penablanca is also captured. The surviving Japanese units on the island, about 50,000 troops, are now concentrated in the Sierra Madre area to the east of the Cagayan valley.

In Burma... South of Prome, seven villages are cleared of Japanese forces.

In London... William Joyce ("Lord Haw Haw"), the British Fascist propagandist who broadcast from Berlin during the war, is to be sent to trial on the charge of high treason.

Tuesday, June 26, 1945

In San Francisco... The United Nations Charter is signed by representatives of 50 countries.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, the preparatory naval bombardment, at Balikpapan, continues.

In the Ryukyu Islands... US Marines land on Kume Island, where a new radar station is installed.

In the Philippines... On Luzon, the American paratroopers dropped near Aparri link up with the US 37th Division. The divisional headquarters now takes command of the parachute battalion and the regimental task force, sent north earlier, as well as the Filipino guerrillas operating in the area.

In China... Chinese forces capture Liuchow airfield.

Over Japan... American B-29 Superfortress bombers launch the first in a series of nighttime raids against Japanese oil refineries.

Wednesday, June 27, 1945

In the Philippines... On Luzon, units of the US 37th Division, part of US 1st Corps, reach Aparri, on the north coast. With the occupation of the whole of the Cagayan valley, the campaign for the recapture of the island is now effectively complete. The remaining Japanese forces are isolated in remote parts of Luzon and lack supplies or medical care.

In the Ryukyu Islands... The American carrier USS Bunker Hill is struck by a Kamikaze plane, killing 373 men.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, the preparatory naval bombardment, at Balikpapan, continues.

In the Soviet Union... Stalin is appointed to the new rank of Generalissimo.

In Liberated Czechoslovakia... Dr. Emil Hacha, the former president of the German sponsored "Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate," dies in Prague prison hospital, at age 73, while awaiting trial.

In Washington... Edward Stettinius resigns as Secretary of State to take up the post of ambassador to the United Nations.

Thursday, June 28, 1945

In the Philippines... General MacArthur announces that the operations on Luzon are complete. It has been 5 months and 19 days since the American invasion began. An estimated 11,000 Japanese troops remain isolated in the Sierra Madre mountains and another 12,000 are trapped in the Kiangan-Bontoc (or Ifugao-Bontoc) area. The US 8th Army is assigned the task of mopping up on Luzon while the US 6th Army is reorganized for the invasion of Japan (Operation Olympic). Much of the mopping-up will be left to Filipino units. On Mindanao, mopping up operations continue.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, the preparatory naval bombardment, at Balikpapan, continues. Australian forces capture Kuala Belait.

Over Japan... American aircraft drop incendiary bombs on Moji, Nobeoka and Okayama.

In Warsaw... A Polish government of national unity is formed. It includes several members of the London-based Polish government in exile.

Friday, June 29, 1945

In Washington... President Truman approves the plan, devised by the joint chiefs of staff, to invade Japan. The plan calls for 5 million troops, mostly Americans. Kyushu is to be invaded on November 1st with some 13 divisions (Operation Olympic) and Honshu is to be invaded on March 1, 1946 with some 23 divisions (Operation Coronet), including forces of the US 1st Army from Europe. The British will deploy a very long range bomber force in support of the invasion.

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, the preparatory naval bombardment, at Balikpapan, continues.

In Prague... The government of liberated Czechoslovakia cedes 4781 square miles of Ruthenia to the USSR.

Saturday, June 30, 1945

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, American forces complete mopping-up operations (June 23-30) in which 8975 Japanese are reported killed and 2902 captured

In the Greater Sunda Islands... On Borneo, the preparatory naval bombardment, at Balikpapan, continues.

In China... Chinese forces capture Chungchin on the border of French Indochina (also occupied by the Japanese). The Chinese continue their advance into Indochina.

In Washington... President Truman appoints James F. Byrnes to succeed Edward Stettinius as Secretary of State.