Based on Chronology, 1941-1945, Compiled by Mary H. Williams, (De- Partment of the Army, 1960)

Home , Battle of Leyte, Battle of Leyte Gulf

Based on Chronology, 1941-1945, compiled by Mary H. Williams, (De- partment of the Army, 1960)

I943

I 2Jan US force lands in Amchitka in Aleutians without opposition. I 4-23 Jan Bri tish-US conference of political and military leaders in Casablanca I 2Feb MacArthur’s headquarters issues ELKTON plan. 4Mar Battle of Bismarck Sea ends; decisive victory for Allies. I 2-1 5Mar Pacific Military Conference in Washington to plan opera- tions against Japanese in Pacific in 1943. 23Apr Allies issue directive for establishment of COSSAC (Chief of Staff Supreme Allied Commander) under Lt Gen Frederick E. Morgan to start planning for cross-Channel attack. 1 i-3oMay US amphibious force attacks Attu in Aleutians I 2-25May TRIDENT conference in Washington. Plan for HUSKY (invasion of Sicily) approved. 30Jun Operation CARTWHEEL opened. ioJul Invasion of Sicily. 25Jul Mussolini overthrown as Italian dictator. I 4-24Aug Rritish-US conference (QUADRANT) in Quebec. Date for cross-Channel attack (OVERLORD) set for I Mayqq. Estab- lishment of Southeast Asia Command (SEAC) under Lord Louis Mountbatten. 3Sep Force under Montgomery lands in southern Italy. Italians sign short-term armistice to become effective 8Sep. 9Sep US Fifth Army lands at Salerno. I ~Sep Australian force occupies Salamaua in New Guinea. 9Sep Sardinia surrenders without fighting. 2Oct Australian force takes Finschhafen. 19-3oOc t Conference of US, British, and Soviet foreign ministers in Moscow. 605 606 Chronology 22Nov-yDec Allied conferences at Cairo, Tehran, Cairo. 28Nov Marines secure Tarawa at heavy cost. 7Dec Eisenhower named Supreme Commander for cross-Channel at tack. 26Dec Main attack on New Britain opens with assault on Cape Gloucester.

I944 2rJan Fifth Army launches invasion of Italian mainland at Anzio (SHINGLE). 3 1Jan-4Feb US amphibious force assaults and takes Kwajalein in Marshalls. qMar Japanese counterattack on Bougainville repulsed; last en- emy offensive in the Solomons. 22Apr Allied forces began landings in Hollandia (New Guinea). 28Apr Sec of Navy Frank Knox dies; succeeded by James V. For- restal. Rome falls PO Allies. Allied landings in Normandy. China-based B-29 bombers make first bombing attack on Japanese home islands, hitting targets on Kyushu. Amphibious landing on Saipan led by Marine Gen Hol- land Smith. Battle of Philippine Sea; major defeat for Japanese. Russians open offensive on central front. Cherbourg surrenders. Saipan secured. US forces take St. L8. Gen Hideki Tojo's cabinet falls in Tokyo. 20Ju1 Attempt to kill Hitler fails. 21Ju1 US landings on Guam. 25Jul Operation COBRA to break out of Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy launched. Landings on Japanese-held Vogelkop Peninsula in New Guinea. Japanese opposition on Guam ends. US Seventh Army and French naval, airborne, and ground elements begin landings in southern France (Operation DRAGOON). Resistance forces rise in Paris. Germans sign truce giving them until 23Aug to evacuate city. French 2d Armored Division under US V Corps command enters Paris. British forces drive into Antwerp. Chronology 607 8Sep Maj Gen Patrick Hurley becomes special representative to Chi a ng Kai -she k. 9Sep US units enter Holland. ioSep Forces from southern France link up with OVERLORD forces near Dijon 1 iSep US patrol enters Germany from Luxembourg-first allied force to enter from west 12-16Sep OCTAGON conference of British and US leaders in Quebec 14%) Russian troops enter suburbs of Warsaw. 180ct Stilwell relieved of command and returned to Washing- ton Lt Gen A. C Wedemeyer subsequently assumes command of China theater. 200Ct Belgrade falls to Russians and Marshal Tito’s forces. US Sixth Army invades Leyte. 23-26Oct Battle of Leyte Gulf; decisive defeat of Japanese fleet. 13Nov Liberation of Greece completed. 1oDec France and Soviet Union sign treaty of alliance. i6Dec Germans counterattack in Ardennes. i8Dec Soviet forces reach Hungarian-Czech border. znDec Gen A. 6. MacAuliffe rejects German demand for surrender of Bastogne. n6Dec US Third Army armored units break through to Bastogne.

‘945

1Jan Germans attack US Seventh Army in Colmar area. 9Jan Landings by Gen Krueger’s Sixth Army in Lingayen Gulf in Luzon. i 2 Jan Soviet forces open winter offensive. , 15Jan Initial convoy over Led0 Road reaches Myi tkyina. 17Jan Russians occupy Warsaw. 3oJan-gFeb ARGONAUT conference of British, US, and Soviet leaders at Yalta. (Preliminary British-US conference at Malta- designated CRIcKET-to nFeb.) 4Feb First Led0 convoy reaches Kunming. US Eighth Army begins attack on Manila. 5Feb Russians reach Oder River within 30 miles of Berlin. 13Feb Red forces capture Budapest. 1gFeb Marines land on Iwo Jima. 23Feb US Ninth Army and First Army units cross Roer River. 3Mar Japanese resistance in Manila ends. 7 Mar US forces capture Ludendorff Bridge over Rhine at Rema- gen. I ]Mar US Eighth Army forces land on Mindanao. 16Mar Iwo Jima declared secure. 608 Chronology a3Mar Montgomery’s forces cross Rhine. a4Mar US Ninth Army crosses Rhine. I 2Apr President Roosevel t dies; succeeded by President Truman. I 8Apr German resistance ends in Ruhr. 22Apr Russians enter eastern suburbs of Berlin. 26Apr Formal meeting of US First Army units with Russians at Torgau. Mussolini executed by Italian partisans. Germans in Italy surrender effective May 2. Hitler commits suicide. Adm Doenitz becomes Reichsfuh- rer. 2 May Russians complete clearance of Berlin. Way Representatives of Doeni tz surrender to Allies at Reims. 8May Proclaimed as V-E Day by Truman.