On This Day – 16 December 1944
The Germans launched their last major offensive of World War II, known to most as the Battle of the Bulge the Germans originally called it Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (operation watch on the Rhine). This battle which lasted until the 25th of January 1944 became the bloodiest battle of World War II for the Americans, The Department of the Army recording US losses at more than 108,000.
4 September 1941
During a convoy operation the US destroyer Greer is attacked by a German U-Boat.
Continue reading “WWII – The 75th Anniversary – Battle of the Atlantic”
1 September 1941
Army Group North closes in on the city of Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Continue reading “WWII – The 75th Anniversary – Eastern Front”
26-30 August
The Battle of Tannenberg saw the German forces under the command of Paul von Hindenburg inflict one of the most complete defeats in military history on the Russian second army.
5 August
The First Allies shot of the first world war was fired from the Port Phillip batteries. The German ship SS Pfalz was trying to flee Port Phillip after it had been informed of the outbreak of war.
Continue reading “1914 – First Allied shot of WWI fired in Victoria Australia.”
3 August
Two days after declaring war on Russia Germany declares war on France, whilst Romania and Switzerland declare their neutrality. Continue reading “1914 – Germany Declares war on France”
2 August
The 1914 German Occupation of Luxemburg was the first of two German occupations, the Germans claimed the occupation occurred in order to support their forces in France. Continue reading “1914 – The German Occupation of Luxemburg”
On This Day – 1 August
The Batavians a sub-group of the Germanic Chatti tribe who inhabited the Rhine delta area initiated a revolt against the Roman Empire.
On This Day – 1 August
The Warsaw Uprising, a major operation to liberate Warsaw from the Nazi’s during WWII, began. Continue reading “1944 – The Warsaw Uprising”
19 July
Fromelles was the first major battle fought by Australians on the Western front. Fromelles saw British and Australian troops attack the German lines in a prelude to the battle of the Somme. Continue reading “1916 The Battle of Fromelles begins”
30 June
Adolf Hitler’s violent purge of his political rivals in Germany, begins on this day in 1934. Continue reading “1934 – The Night of the Long Knives”
27 June
George II becomes the last reigning British monarch to participate in a battle when he commands his army at Dettingen. Continue reading “1743 – Battle of Dettingen”
22 June
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Nazi Germany’s World War II invasion of the Soviet Union, which began on this day in 1941. The operation was driven by Adolf Hitler’s ideological desire to conquer Soviet territory, even though he was still fighting the British Commonwealth in the west.
Continue reading “1941 – World War II – Operation Barbarossa”
1963 – Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech
26 June
“Ich bin ein Berliner” (“I am a Berliner”) is a quotation from a speech given on this day in 1963, by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in West Berlin. He was saying, “I am a citizen of Berlin.” Continue reading “1963 – Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech” →