World War II Chronology 1944

January
4. Soviets cross 1939 Polish border.
12. Allies begin attack on Cassino.
19. Soviets cut German lines in north around Leningrad.
20. Allies attack along Rapido River in Italy.
22. Allies land at Anzio; withdraw to left bank of Rapido River.
27. Allies cross Rapido.
		



February
1. United States forces land on Kwajalein.
5. Americans complete capture of Kwajalein.
15. American planes bomb Ponape, 400 miles east of Truk.
17-18. United States Navy task force bombs and shells Truk.
22. Americans complete capture of Eniwetok in Marshall Islands. Soviets capture Krivoy Rog.
29. MacArthur's forces invade Admiralty Islands.



March
5. Allied paratroops land behind enemy lines in Burma.
7. First United States troops fight in Asia; help Chinese seize Walawbum in Burma. Japanese 
invade India on Manipur plain near Imphal.
20. Germans begin military occupation of Hungary. MacArthur's forces take Admiralty Islands.
30-31. United States Naval force raids Palau Islands.



April
3. American forces occupy Bikini and other Marshall atolls.
10. Soviets take port of Odessa on Black Sea.
22. Americans invade Hollandia in north New Guinea.



May
9. Soviets recapture Sevastopol' after 24-day siege.
11. Allies break through German line south of Cassino.
17. Merrill's Marauders take Myitkyina airfield, Burma.
17-19. United States troops occupy Wakde Islands area, New Guinea.
18. Allies capture Cassino.



June
4. American 5th Army enters Rome.
5. King Victor Emmanuel of Italy transfers royal power to his son, Humbert.
6. Allies invade France at Normandy coast.
13. Germans launch robot bombs on southern England.
15. United States Marines invade Saipan in the Marianas.
16. China-based B-29s raid southern Japan.
19-20. American naval planes rout Japanese fleet in battle of the Philippine Sea.
25. Americans enter Cherbourg; entire Cherbourg peninsula captured July 1.
28. Japanese take Hengyang airfield, American air base, China. United States forces end 
organized resistance on island of Biak northwest of New Guinea.



July
2. United States forces invade Noemfoor, Netherlands New Guinea.
3. Soviets win Minsk.
9. Japanese resistance on Saipan broken. British-Canadian forces capture Caen.
18. American forces capture St. Lo, Normandy. Hirohito ousts Tojo.
19. Americans enter Livorno.
20. Hitler injured by bomb in assassination attempt.
21. American Marines invade Guam.
23. Americans enter Pisa.
24. United States Marines land on Tinian. Soviets take Lublin, Polish rail center.
30. Allies land at Cape Sansapor, Netherlands New Guinea.
31. Americans take Avranches to complete Normandy breakthrough.



August
1. Japanese resistance ceases on Tinian.
2. Turkey severs relations with Germany.
3. Americans, Chinese take north Burma base of Myitkyina.
4. Soviets penetrate to outskirts of Warsaw. Patton's troops take Rennes, chief city of Brittany.
10. Organized resistance on Guam ceases.
15. Allied armies invade southern France from the sea.
17. General Patton's forces take Chartres. Americans-Canadians converge on Falaise "pocket" 
(closing it August 20, ending battle of Normandy). British announce retreat of Japanese from 
frontier of India.
19. People of Paris and Underground attack German army.
20. American advance patrols enter Versailles.
21. French troops take Toulon; Dumbarton Oaks Conference opens in Washington, D.C.
22. Germans leave Florence, retire to Gothic Line.
23. King Michael orders Romanian army to cease fire.
24. French troops enter Paris.
25. Americans march into Paris. Finland asks Soviet Union for armistice.
28. Soviets enter Transylvania region of Hungary. Americans enter Soissons.
29-31. Americans enter Reims, Nice, Verdun.
31. Soviets enter Bucharest; drive Germans from Ploesti oil fields.



September
2. Hodges' 1st Army crosses into Belgium.
3. British take Brussels.
4. Finland ends war on Soviet Union. Allies take Antwerp.
5. Soviet Union declares war on Bulgaria.
6. Soviets reach Yugoslav border at Turnu Severin.
8. Soviets cross Danube River, enter Bulgaria. Allies take Liege.
9. Soviet Union grants armistice to Bulgaria.
11. Roosevelt, Churchill begin Quebec Conference. American 1st Army crosses German border east 
of Aachen. Allies penetrate The Netherlands. United States 7th and 3rd Army patrols meet west 
of Dijon.
12. Le Havre surrenders.
15. Marines invade Peleliu in the Palaus; land on Morotai Island; Americans breach Siegfried 
Line east of Aachen.
17. Nazis rocket Allied airborne landings at Arnheim.
18. Brest surrenders.
19. Finland signs armistice with Soviet Union.
20. Allies capture Nijmegen bridge.
22. Soviets capture Tallinn, capital and naval base of Estonia.
23. British airborne troops invade Greece. United States forces take Ulithi in Carolines without 
opposition.
26. Airborne Allies surrender in Arnheim trap.
27. Allies announce landings in Albania.
28. Soviets enter Czechoslovakia.



October
11. Americans enter Aachen suburbs. City falls October 21. Germans declare Athens an open city.
16. Partisans, Soviet forces enter Belgrade; capture it October 20.
20. Americans begin Philippine campaign; invade Leyte.
23. United States, Britain, Soviet Union recognize de Gaulle Government.
23-26. American Navy defeats Japanese in Leyte Gulf.



November
1. Liberation of Greece completed.
3. Chinese troops in final assault capture Lungling on Burma Road.
5. Allies bomb Singapore.
7. Americans evacuate Liuchow, last major 14th Air Force base in China.
22. American 3rd Army takes Metz.
24. B-29s bomb Tokyo in first raid since 1942.
26. First Allied ships unloaded at Antwerp.



December
15. United States forces invade Mindoro in Philippines.
16. Germans counterattack at Ardennes Forest to begin "Battle of the Bulge."
20. United States 101st Airborne Division trapped at Bastogne.
26. MacArthur announces end of resistance on Leyte. Soviets penetrate Budapest suburbs.
27. Americans take offensive in battle of the Bulge.