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CHURCHILL, ROOSEVELT, STALIN - THE BIG THREE AT YALTA
- 1945
World War II Timeline - Year 1945
January 16, 1945
The
Battle of the Bulge,
also called the
Battle of the Ardennes ends. This
battle had started on December 16, 1944.
January 17, 1945
Warsaw is liberated.
February 4-11, 1945
Churchill, Roosevelt, and
Stalin meet at the
Yalta Conference
in the Crimea.
February 19, 1945
The
Battle for Iwo Jima starts.
This battle will end on March 26, 1945. Marine Col. Dave Severance
commands the company that will take Mount Suribachi.
Here is the map
1945, February 19: The
Battle for Iwo Jima, February 19 - March 26,
1945.
Allied Invasions of Iwo Jima and
Okinawa (Operation Iceberg) 1945.
February 23, 1945
Joe Rosenthal takes a picture,
worth a Pulitzer.
February 23, 1945 -
Second Flag Raising on Iwo Jima
Joe Rosenthal for Associated
Press
See also
Iwo Jima - Mount Suribachi
under WWII.
You can see the original two flags
today at the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Triangle,
Virginia. The museum tells you:
The Mount Suribachi Flags
Perhaps the most important artifacts in the
care of the National Museum of the Marine
Corps are the pair of original American
flags raised by the Marines on Mount
Suribachi on 23 February 1945. The attack
transport Missoula donated the smaller flag,
raised by the Schrier Patrol on the summit.
Landing Ship Tank (LST) 779, then unloading
at Green Beach, donated the larger flag,
raised later in the day and portrayed in the
famed Joe Rosenthal�s photograph. Frayed by
strong winds, the second flag flew from
Suribachi for the balance of the battle for
Iwo Jima.
To reduce exposure to harmful light, the two
flags be displayed on a rotating basis. At
all times, one of the two Mount Suribachi
Flags will be on display at the National
Museum of the Marine Corps.
And here is more on the
Stars and Stripes
March 10, 1945
Easter morning, T/5 William E.
Thomas and Pfc. Joseph Jackson will roll specially prepared eggs on
Hitler's lawn.
HAPPY EASTER ADOLPH
National Archives
March 23, 1945
At 9 PM, the Allied Operation Plunder begins.
The operation involves a coordinated Allied assault to cross the Rhine River. The operation will continue until April 1, 1945
March 24, 1945
Parallel to Operation Plunder, which commenced yesterday, today the
First Army and Ninth Army set out to envelop the Ruhr area, Germany's
industrial center, known for its rich deposits of coal and significant steel production.
The Ruhr area is essential for the German war effort, providing the materials needed for manufacturing weapons, vehicles, and other military supplies.
The encirclement will be completed on April 1st.
March 26, 1945
The
Battle for Iwo Jima ends. This
battle had started on February 19, 1945.
About 6,800 U.S. troops died on Iwo Jima's
eight square miles. Japanese losses were
estimated at more than 20,000.
Alan Wood,
veteran who provided iconic flag at Iwo
Jima, dies at 90
Washington Post, April 29, 2013
March 31, 1945
Eisenhower received intelligence regarding the Soviet Union's plans to accelerate their advance on Berlin
late March 1945. On March 31, 1945, he communicates his intentions about the Allied strategy to Stalin,
indicating that his forces would aim to meet Soviet forces along the Elbe River rather than push directly for Berlin.
However, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin does not fully trust Eisenhower's message and orders the Soviet attack on
Berlin to begin shortly thereafter. The race for the German capital Berlin, between Soviet and Allied forces begins.
April 1, 1945
Allied forces established a foothold on the eastern bank of the Rhine.
Operation Plunder ends successfully.
Also successfully completed today is the encirclement of German forces in the Ruhr pocket, when the the lead
elements of the U.S. First Army and Ninth Army converged
at Lippstadt.
Approximately 317,000 German troops plus civilians are trapped within the pocket.
April 5, 1945
The
Battle of the Ruhr Pocket begins.
This battle will end on April 18, 1945.
April 16, 1945
The
Battle for Berlin begins. Major carnage.
This battle will end on May 2, 1945.
April 18, 1945
The
Battle of the Ruhr Pocket ends.
German casualties: About 100,000 killed.
Allied casualties: Approximately 10,000 (including around 2,000 killed).
Approximately 317,000 German soldiers surrendered to Allied forces, the largest single surrender in Western
Europe during World War II.
The bulk of the German forces surrendered on April 16, 1945, with the remaining troops capitulating by April 18, 1945.
May 2, 1945
The
Battle for Berlin ends. This
battle had started on April 16, 1945.
May
8, 1945
Victory in Europe Day (VE-Day). Germany surrenders
unconditionally.
July 17, 1945
The
Potsdam Conference commences. It will be concluded on
August 2, 1945.
August 2, 1945
The
Potsdam Conference ends. It had begun on July 17, 1945.
August 6,
1945
The
US drops atomic bombs on Japan at Hiroshima.
August 8,
1945
The U.S.S.R. declares war
against Japan.
August 9,
1945
The US drops atomic bombs on
Japan at Nagasaki.
September 2, 1945
Victory over Japan Day (VJ-Day). Japan surrenders.
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