Category Archives: World War II

This week in the War, 7–13 February 1944: Death of Italian opera singer Lina Cavalieri

Posted on February 7, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, Italian opera singer Lina Cavalieri was killed on the night of 7/8 February 1944 during an Allied bombing raid on Florence. She and her husband were running from her house to the air raid shelter in … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 31 Jan–6 Feb 1944: Helsinki bombed by the Soviets

Posted on February 2, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on the night of 6 February 1944, the Soviet air force bombed Helsinki in an attempt to bring the Finns to the negotiating table and remove yet another of Germany’s allies. (Stalin had obtained British … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 24–30 January 1944: Railway line to Leningrad is opened; the siege is over

Posted on January 28, 2016 by secondbysecond

The siege of Leningrad effectively ended, this week in the war. On 27 January 1944, the Soviets announced the recapturing of the railway line between Tosno and Lyuban. Leningrad was now connected by rail to the rest of Russia, including … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 17–23 January 1944: Death of artist Edvard Munch

Posted on January 22, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 23 January 1944, the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch died in Oslo. As he evolved as an artist, his work became more violent, emotional, and filled with symbolism. The public was sometimes shocked. His 1892 … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 17–23 January 1944: Landing at Anzio

Posted on January 20, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 22 January 1944, US and British troops landed at Anzio and Nettuno, which were behind the German Gustav Line and well on the way to Rome. The force was under the command of US … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 10–16 January 1944: Advance towards Monte Cassino

Posted on January 15, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 14 January 1944, the Americans bombarded German forces defending the Gustav Line—the last obstacle before the Italian town of Cassino and the famous Monte Cassino abbey. The following day, the US II Corps mounted an attack … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 27 Dec 1943—2 Jan 1944: The New Year

Posted on December 28, 2015 by secondbysecond

The year just ending had seen the initiative pass to the Allies, both in Europe and in the Pacific. Japanese admiral, Yamamoto (killed when his plane was shot down) had foreseen it. But Hitler and the rest of the fanatical Nazi leadership still … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 20–26 December 1943: Sinking of the Scharnhorst

Posted on December 22, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 26 December 1943, the famous German battlecruiser Scharnhorst attempted to intercept an Allied convey heading through the Arctic Ocean towards Russia. Having decoded German naval signals, the British were able to locate the Scharnhorst and … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 13–19 December 1943: The Battle of Arawe

Posted on December 15, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 15 December 1943, the US 112th Cavalry Regiment landed on the west coast of the Arawe peninsula in New Britain. The Japanese defenses were quickly overcome. Landings on the east coast of the peninsula encountered … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 6–12 December 1943: Rommel is to head ‘Fortress Europe’

Posted on December 7, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 12 December 1943, Hitler appointed Field Marshal Erwin Rommel head of Fortress Europe—charged with strengthening Hitler’s so-called Atlantic Wall with a view to repelling any future Allied invasions. The Atlantic Wall was a series … Continue reading →

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