We're now on our third pass through all 366 of these day-by-day listings. We're regularly adding to them, expanding them, enhancing them and, of course, spotting errors and typos. Bear with us and we continue to improve your user experience.
US Theaters of Operations
used in our listings
European Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
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Japan's World War II Balloon Bomb Attacks on North America
Paperback (96 pages)
Intended to spark forest fires and shake American morale, Japan's balloons were beset by technical problems and never achieved their destructive potential.
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Japan Prepares for Total War:
The Search for Economic Security, 1919-1941
Paperback (292 pages), kindle
Japan's internal political dynamics, especially the bitter rivalry between its army and navy, played a far greater role in propelling the nation into war with the US than did its economic condition or even pressure from Washington.
1931 — , October 3
CBI - China: Day 16 of 154 of the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria.
1935 — , October 3
Africa: The Italians invade Ethiopia (Abyssinia). In direct response, the League of Nations imposes economic sanctions against Italy, but to no avail.
03 Oct 1935: Italian troops raise the Italian flag
over Macalle, Ethiopia
Benito Mussolini, the fascist leader of Italy, had his eye set on annexing Ethiopia into Italy's newly created colony of East Africa. Although the Italian military was successful in occupying Ethiopia, the Abyssinians did not capitulate nor surrender to the Italian forces.
It was quite clear following this event that the League of Nations was a total failure in terms of accomplishing the objectives for which it was established. This is because both Italy as well as Ethiopia were members of the League of Nations, yet the League was not able to prevent Italy from forcefully violating the rights of Ethiopia as well as acting outside of the League's articles.
1936 — , October 3
Spain: Day 79 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War. 1937 — , October 3
Spain: Day 444 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 89 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 52 of 106 of the 2nd Battle of Shanghai.
Day 33 of 70 of the Battle of Taiyuan.
1938 — , October 3
Spain: Day 809 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 454 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 115 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
1939 — , October 3
Poland: Day 33 of 36 of Germany's Invasion of Poland.
Poland: Day 17 of 20 of the USSR's Invasion of Poland.
CBI - China: Day 819 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 21 of 26 of the 1st Battle of Changsha. Results in a Chinese victory.
1940 — , October 3
ETO - UK: Day 28 of 258 of the Blitz.
ETO - UK: Day 86 of 114 of the Battle of Britain. Chamberlain resigns as Lord President of the Council.
ETO - France: Vichy France passes its own version of the anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws.
East Africa: Day 116 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,185 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 324 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
CBI - Thailand: Day 3 of 221 of the Franco-Thai War (Vichy France vs Thailand). 1941 — , October 3
Russian Front - Finland: Day 97 of 142 of Operation SILVER FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign to capture the Russian port of Murmansk in the Arctic.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 95 of 140 of Operation ARCTIC FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 104 of 164 of the Battle of Hanko. The Soviets will be forced off their leased naval base.
Russian Front: Day 104 of 167 of Germany's Operation BARBAROSSA.
Russian Front - North: Day 26 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - Center: Day 2 of 98 of the Battle of Moscow. German troops capture Orel.
Russian Front - South: Day 57 of 70 of the Siege of Odessa, Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 8 of 12 of the Battle of the Sea of Azov (north of Black Sea).
MTO - Libya: Day 177 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 481 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,550 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 28 of 33 of the 2nd Battle of Changsha.
1942 — , October 3
Russian Front - North: Day 391 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 152 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket, USSR lays siege to the Kholm Pocket but the Germans hold out for a about a year and a half.
Russian Front - South: Day 98 of 150 of Germany's CASE BLUE, the failed offensive to take the Caucasus oil fields.
Russian Front - South: Day 42 of 165 of the Battle of Stalingrad, bloodiest battle in human history.
MTO - Greece: US B-24s attack shipping in Pylos Bay.
East Africa: Day 152 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,915 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: Day 119 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. The US and Canada will defeat the Japanese invaders.
PTO - Malaya: Day 227 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island, a long guerrilla war ending in Japanese victory.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 75 of 119 of the Battle of the Kokoda Track. The Australians continue pushing back the Japanese troops.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 58 of 187 of the Battle of Guadalcanal. 1943 — , October 3
ETO: US 8th Air Force B-26s hit airfields in France and Holland.
Russian Front - North: Day 756 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 517 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket. USSR lays siege to the Kholm Pocket but the Germans hold out for a about a year and a half.
Russian Front - North: Day 8 of 15 of the USSR Kremenchug Offensive into Estonia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 48 of 48 of the Battle of Bryansk, Russia. A Soviet victory as the Germans have retreated from Bryansk.
Russian Front - South: Day 41 of 122 of the Battle of the Lower Dnieper River, USSR.
MTO - Italy: US 5th Army takes Benevento. US 12th Air Force provides air support.
MTO - Greece: Launching Operation POLAR BEAR, the Germans invade the island of Kos with the assistance of massive air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,280 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Japanese troops launch their successful RICE offensive in Central China.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 15 of 219 of the Battle of Shaggy Ridge.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 12 of 162 of the Battle of the Huon Peninsula. Will result in an Allied victory.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 50 of 56 of the Battle of Vella Lavella. 1944 — , October 3
ETO - France: Day 64 of 284 of the Battle of Brittany.
ETO - Belgium: Day 32 of 62 of the liberation of Belgium.
ETO - Belgium: Day 2 of 38 of the Battle of the Scheldt Estuary.
ETO - France: Day 19 of 236 of the Siege of Dunkirk. Allies begin a 60-hour truce at Dunkirk to allow the evacuation of civilians.
ETO - Germany: Day 15 of 145 of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest.
ETO - France: US 3rd Army resumes its attack on Fort Driant and Metz for the next 10 days.
ETO - Germany: US 8th Air Force B-17s and B-24s bomb targets in Germany.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 19 of 223 of the Lapland War. Finland and Russia have joined forces to kick the Germans out of Finland's most northern province.
Russian Front - North: Day 20 of 41 of the Battle of Riga, Latvia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 20 of 72 of the Battle into East Prussia and northern Poland.
Russian Front - South: Day 20 of 72 of the Battle of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
MTO - Italy: US 12th Air Force medium bombers and fighters attack targets in the Po Valley.
CBI - Burma: Day 186 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive in Burma.
CBI - China: Day 2,646 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 170 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 294 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 165 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea.
PTO - Palau Islands: Day 19 of 74 of the Battle of Peleliu (Operation STALEMATE II).
PTO - Palau Islands: Day 17 of 36 of the Battle of Angaur.
for October 3rd...
In our WWII Store...
Mussolini and the Wars of Italy 1919-1945
Paperback (546 pages), kindle
From the Street War 1919-22, the Libyan War 1919-31, the Ethiopian War 1935-40, the Spanish Civil War 1936-39 and World War II itself, Mussolini was the most popular and vilified Italian leader in centuries.
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Jumpin' Jimminy - A World War II Baseball Saga:
American Flyboys and Japanese Submariners Battle it Out in a Swedish World Series by Robert Skole
Paperback (190 pages), kindle
When the Jumpin' Jimminy, a Flying Fortress shot up in a raid over Nazi Germany, crash lands in neutral Sweden in the autumn of 1944, its crew couldn't dream they would wind up playing a World Series. Especially a Series against tough enemy Japanese sailors from a submarine that went aground on Sweden's rocky coast.
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Seven Japanese WWII Soldiers Who Refused to Surrender After the War
Paperback (108 pages), kindle
For a Japanese soldier to choose not to surrender, but go into hiding and become a holdout, meant deprivation, hardship and shame, which for some lasted 10 to 30 years.