Category Archives: World War II

This week in the War, 18–24 September 1944: Finland makes peace

Posted on September 21, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 19 September 1944, the Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland, the Soviet Union and Great Britain. As a result, Finland would no longer fight on the side of Germany. The conditions of the armistice … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 11–17 September 1944: Operation Market Garden

Posted on September 15, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, 17 September 1944, saw the opening of Operation Market Garden. Allied parachute and glider troops landed behind German lines in three locations in Holland. The object was to seize the bridges near Arnhem, Eindoven and Nijmegen. The … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 4–10 Sept 1944: First V-2 rockets are launched

Posted on September 9, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war saw the first V-2 rockets launched against Paris and London and, soon after, Antwerp. Unlike the much slower V-1 flying ‘bombs,’ which RAF Spitfires could sometimes chase and shoot down, the liquid-oxygen powered V-2 was capable of exceeding … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 28 Aug–3 Sept 1944: Liberation of Brussels

Posted on August 28, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 3 September 1944, Brussels was liberated by the Welsh Guards (part of Lieutenant General Brian Horrock’s XXX Corps, British 2nd Army) amid widespread jubilation. The 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade (known as the Brigade Piron after … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 21–27 August 1944: Liberation of Paris

Posted on August 25, 2016 by secondbysecond

The Free French 2nd Armoured Division of General Philippe Leclerc reached Paris this week in the war, on 24 August 1944. The next day, the German commandant of Paris, General Dietrich von Choltitz, disobeyed the Fuehrer’s order to destroy the … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 14–20 August 1944: Allies invade the South of France

Posted on August 17, 2016 by secondbysecond

Operation Dragoon: This week in the war, on 15 August 1944, General Patch’s US 7th Army landed on the southern coast of France, between Toulon and Cannes. Parachute troops from the US 1st Airborne dropped further inland in support of … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 7–13 August 1944: Americans recapture Guam

Posted on August 10, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 10 August 1944, American forces completed their recapture of the island of Guam in the Marianas. Organized Japanese resistance came to an end, although isolated groups of Japanese soldiers continued to hold out and … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 31 July–6 August 1944: Author-Aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery dies on reconnaissance mission

Posted on August 3, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 31 July 1944, French author and pilot Antoine Saint-Exupéry was flying his plane on a reconnaissance mission for the Free French. He flew from an airbase in Corsica to gather information on German troop movements … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 24–30 July 1944: Heil Hitler salute is made compulsory for the German armed forces

Posted on July 27, 2016 by secondbysecond

To confirm their loyalty following the 20 July bomb plot, from 24 July 1944 onwards, members of the German armed forces were required to use the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute, the  Hitlergruss. The salute had long been a common form of greeting throughout … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 10–16 July 1944: Liberation of Vilnius

Posted on July 14, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 13 July 1944, Soviet forces liberated Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The fighting was heavy and the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army suffered considerable casualties. Germany’s Army Group North was in danger of being … Continue reading →

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