June 18, 1940, was a day of stark contrasts, witnessing the formal surrender of the French government to Germany, while Free French resistance began to coalesce under Charles de Gaulle. British evacuation efforts from France continued, though tragically interrupted by submarine warfare. The Soviet Union continued to consolidate its power in the Baltic states, further redrawing the map of Eastern Europe.
European and Atlantic Theatre
In France, the government of Marshal Philippe Pétain formally sought an armistice with Nazi Germany, effectively signaling the end of French resistance in the Battle of France. French plenipotentiaries, led by General Charles Huntziger, received Germany’s terms for an armistice.
In London, General Charles de Gaulle delivered his famous “Appeal of 18 June” (L’Appel du 18 Juin) from the BBC radio studios. This historic address called on all French military personnel and civilians to resist the German occupation and join the Free French Forces, rejecting the armistice. This speech laid the foundation for the Free French movement.
Operation Aeriel, the evacuation of Allied troops from western France, continued under perilous conditions. Approximately 20,000 Polish troops, survivors of the Polish Army in France and units such as the Polish 1st Grenadier Division, were successfully evacuated from Saint-Jean-de-Luz aboard British ships, including the troopship MS Batory.
The Soviet Union dispatched Soviet People’s Commissars Andrei Zhdanov to Estonia, Andrei Vyshinsky to Latvia, and Vladimir Dekanozov to Lithuania, to supervise the full absorption of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union. This involved purging non-communist elements and setting up puppet governments that would apply for Soviet annexation.
Outcomes: The French government’s surrender marked the collapse of the Allied front in Western Europe. De Gaulle’s appeal provided a rallying cry for continued French resistance. Allied evacuations saved thousands, but not without significant losses. The Soviet Union’s full annexation of the Baltic states was effectively complete.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No significant combat operations were widely documented on this specific date in the Mediterranean and African Theatre. Italy continued to consolidate its forces and plan for future engagements following its recent entry into the war.
Outcomes: The theatre remained in a phase of early engagements and positioning, with no decisive actions on this day.
Pacific Theatre
No significant specific activity was widely reported in the Pacific Theatre, as Japan remained focused on its ongoing conflict in China and Southeast Asia, while the United States maintained its official neutrality.
Outcomes: The Pacific remained a quiet theatre, with underlying tensions building for future conflict.
Asian Theatre
In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army, under General Toshizō Nishio, continued to consolidate its positions along the Yangtze River and in Hubei province. Japanese forces focused on securing vital supply lines and suppressing remaining pockets of Chinese resistance from units of the National Revolutionary Army.
Outcomes: Japanese forces solidified their control over strategic areas in China, despite continued resistance from various Chinese forces.
Key Personalities
Marshal Philippe Pétain: French leader, whose government sought armistice.
General Charles de Gaulle: Delivered the “Appeal of 18 June,” founding the Free French movement.
General Charles Huntziger: Head of the French delegation for armistice talks.
Günther Prien: Commander of German U-boat U-47.
Andrei Zhdanov: Soviet People’s Commissar overseeing Estonia’s annexation.
Andrei Vyshinsky: Soviet People’s Commissar overseeing Latvia’s annexation.
Vladimir Dekanozov: Soviet People’s Commissar overseeing Lithuania’s annexation.
General Toshizō Nishio: Commander of the Japanese China Expeditionary Army.
June 18, 1941
German and Turkish officials signing the ‘Treaty of Friendship and Non-aggression’,
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1941, critical developments unfolded on the eve of Operation Barbarossa, with the signing of a non-aggression pact between Germany and Turkey. In North Africa, British forces retreated further after the failure of Operation Battleaxe, while Allied forces pressed into Syria. Holocaust planning intensified, and diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Axis powers continued to rise.
European and Atlantic Theatre
A German-Turkish Treaty of Friendship (Non-Aggression Pact) was signed in Ankara, Turkey, by Franz von Papen (German Ambassador to Turkey) and Şükrü Saraçoğlu (Turkish Foreign Minister). This pact aimed to secure Turkey’s neutrality during the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, which was just four days away. Turkey would go on to supply the Germans with 130,000 tons of chromite ore as part of a later agreement.
Operation Barbarossa preparations were in their final, clandestine stages. German Army Group South, under Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, moved into its forward assembly areas in Poland and Romania, positioning for the strike into Ukraine. The Luftwaffe’s Luftflotte 4, under Generaloberst Alexander Löhr, positioned its Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters to support the southern thrust.
The United States completed the process of closing German and Italian consulates across the country, following the order issued on June 16, further escalating diplomatic tensions. German and Italian diplomats began their departure from the U.S.
Holocaust-related events: The Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing squads) received their definitive orders regarding the systematic murder of Jews, Communist commissars, and others in the Soviet territories following the invasion. These “Operational Orders” confirmed their explicit role in mass killings, under the authority of Reinhard Heydrich and the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA).
Outcomes: The German-Turkish pact secured a crucial flank for the impending Barbarossa. German forces were now fully poised for the massive invasion of the Soviet Union. The closure of consulates deepened U.S.-Axis tensions. Holocaust plans for systematic mass murder in the East were fully authorized and ready for implementation.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, British forces from the Western Desert Force, under General Sir Archibald Wavell, continued their retreat after the decisive failure of Operation Battleaxe. The British 7th Armoured Division recovered its remaining tanks, primarily Crusader and Matilda II models, and withdrew to the Egyptian frontier, leaving the Tobruk garrison still besieged by General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps.
Allied Operation Exporter continued its advance into Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon. Elements of the Australian 7th Division (under Major General John Lavarack) and Free French forces (under General Paul Legentilhomme) consolidated their gains around Damascus, which they had entered on June 17, and pressed against retreating Vichy French defenders commanded by General Henri Dentz.
Outcomes: The British withdrawal in North Africa highlighted their logistical and doctrinal challenges against Rommel’s forces. Allied control over Damascus solidified, severely weakening Vichy French influence in the Levant.
Pacific Theatre
No significant specific activity was widely reported in the Pacific Theatre. Japan remained focused on its ongoing conflict in China and Southeast Asia.
Outcomes: The Pacific remained largely quiet, but strategic alignments continued to shift.
Asian Theatre
In China, Japanese forces were engaged in ongoing consolidation operations in recently captured areas and conducting limited offensives. Elements of the Japanese 1st Army continued anti-guerrilla operations in Shanxi province against scattered elements of the Chinese 8th Route Army.
Japan continued to exert diplomatic and political pressure on Vichy France for expanded basing rights and access in French Indochina, a key element of its “Southern Expansion” policy.
Outcomes: Japanese forces maintained their territorial gains in China, facing persistent guerrilla warfare. Japan’s pressure on Indochina intensified, setting the stage for future military expansion.
Key Personalities
Franz von Papen: German Ambassador to Turkey, signed treaty.
Şükrü Saraçoğlu: Turkish Foreign Minister, signed treaty.
Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt: Commander of German Army Group South.
Generaloberst Alexander Löhr: Commander of Luftwaffe’s Luftflotte 4.
General Sir Archibald Wavell: Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command.
General Erwin Rommel: Commander of the Afrika Korps.
Major General John Lavarack: Commander of the Australian 7th Division in Syria.
General Henri Dentz: Commander of Vichy French forces in Syria.
Reinhard Heydrich: Head of the RSHA, finalized Einsatzgruppen orders.
June 18, 1942
British Valentine Tank, near Tobruk, 1942
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1942, significant leadership changes and renewed Axis offensives unfolded in North Africa, as Rommel pressed his assault on Tobruk. On the Eastern Front, Germany launched its massive summer offensive, Case Blue, marking the beginning of a critical new phase of the war. In the Pacific, the U.S. solidified plans for the Guadalcanal Campaign, while Holocaust deportations from Western Europe intensified, orchestrated by the Nazi regime.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, the German Wehrmacht officially launched Case Blue (Fall Blau), their massive summer offensive aimed at the Soviet southern flank, particularly the oilfields of the Caucasus. German Army Group South, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, began its powerful thrust, with General Friedrich Paulus’s Sixth Army and General Hermann Hoth’s Fourth Panzer Army (equipped with Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks, alongside Sturmgeschütz III assault guns) leading the attack against the Soviet Bryansk Front and Southwestern Front. This marked the beginning of intense fighting that would lead to Stalingrad.
German forces besieging Sevastopol in the Crimea capture Fortress Maxim Gorky, having used a Schwerer Gustav rail gun and Karl Gerat seige mortars to reduce the defences to ruins.
Holocaust-related events: Mass deportations of Jews from Western European countries to extermination camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau escalated. From Berlin, a major transport of Jews departed for the East, contributing to the systematic implementation of the “Final Solution.” This was part of a relentless schedule of transports organized by Adolf Eichmann’s office within the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA).
Outcomes: The launch of Case Blue opened a brutal and decisive new phase on the Eastern Front, with German forces aiming for strategic resources. The systematic extermination of European Jewry gained horrifying momentum, reaching new levels of brutality and efficiency.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps continued its offensive operations. Having isolated Tobruk, Rommel commenced the second phase of his assault on the Tobruk perimeter, with German 90th Light Africa Division and Italian Ariete Armored Division playing key roles in pressing the defences. The fortress remained under siege but had not yet fallen.
Outcomes: A critical leadership change was made in the British Eighth Army in response to Axis successes. Rommel intensified his direct assault on Tobruk, setting the stage for its imminent fall.
Pacific Theatre
Following the decisive Battle of Midway (early June 1942), U.S. Pacific Fleet under Admiral Chester Nimitz continued detailed planning for the Guadalcanal Campaign (Operation Watchtower). Preparations included the final staging of U.S. Marine Corps units, particularly the 1st Marine Division commanded by Major General Alexander Vandegrift, at staging areas for intensive amphibious training and logistical preparation. Naval assets, including aircraft carriers USS Enterprise and USS Hornet, continued to be refitted and prepared for the upcoming offensive.
Outcomes: U.S. preparations were well underway for the pivotal Guadalcanal offensive, marking a strategic shift from defensive to offensive operations in the Pacific.
Asian Theatre
In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army, under General Yasuji Okamura, continued its mopping-up operations in Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces after the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign (Operation Sei-go). These operations specifically targeted the destruction of airfields that had been used by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle’s B-25 Mitchell bombers during the Doolittle Raid. Chinese 3rd War Area forces, under General Gu Zhutong, continued to resist.
The Imperial Japanese Navy continued to reinforce its newly occupied positions in the Aleutian Islands, particularly Attu and Kiska, following the diversionary attacks concurrent with Midway. This move, part of Operation AL, aimed to extend Japan’s defensive perimeter and draw U.S. resources away from the central Pacific.
Outcomes: Japanese forces solidified their gains in eastern China, continuing to face persistent, though often fragmented, Chinese resistance. The reinforcement of the Aleutians signaled a new, albeit costly, front for Japan in the North Pacific.
Key Personalities
Field Marshal Fedor von Bock: Commander of German Army Group South, launching Case Blue.
General Friedrich Paulus: Commander of the German Sixth Army.
General Hermann Hoth: Commander of the German Fourth Panzer Army.
Adolf Eichmann: Senior SS official, central to the logistics of Holocaust deportations.
General Sir Claude Auchinleck: Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command, took over Eighth Army command.
Lieutenant General Neil Ritchie: Commander of British Eighth Army (replaced).
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: Commander of the Afrika Korps, intensified assault on Tobruk.
Admiral Chester Nimitz: Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Major General Alexander Vandegrift: Commander of the U.S. 1st Marine Division.
General Yasuji Okamura: Directed Japanese operations in China.
June 18, 1943
Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, smoking a cigar during a meeting with Turkish Generals, date and location unknown.
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1943, both sides on the Eastern Front continued their immense preparations for the impending Battle of Kursk. Allied air forces continued their strategic bombing campaigns against German industrial targets in Europe, while in the Pacific, U.S. forces pressed ahead with preparations for the invasion of New Georgia. Holocaust liquidations continued in Eastern Europe.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, both German Army Group South, commanded by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, and the Soviet Voronezh Front, under General Nikolai Vatutin, were engaged in massive final preparations for the Battle of Kursk, which would begin in July. This involved extensive digging of defensive lines, massive troop and tank movements (including Panther and Tiger I tanks for the Germans, and T-34 tanks and SU-152 self-propelled guns for the Soviets), and the stockpiling of vast quantities of equipment.
Allied strategic bombing campaigns against German industry continued. Following the major RAF night raid on Cologne (June 16/17), U.S. Eighth Air Force (under Major General Ira Eaker) B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators continued daylight precision bombing missions against industrial targets in Germany and occupied Europe, aiming to disrupt war production.
Outcomes: The Eastern Front poised for an epochal confrontation at Kursk, which would determine the strategic initiative. Allied air raids continued to place immense pressure on Germany’s industrial capacity and war production. The horrific “Final Solution” continued to claim lives in Eastern Europe.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No significant ground combat operations were widely reported on the Italian Front on this specific date. Allied forces were primarily engaged in the final stages of planning and staging for the massive Invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), scheduled for July 10. Reconnaissance flights by RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-38 Lightnings over Axis positions in Sicily and southern Italy were ongoing, along with preparatory bombing missions by Allied medium bombers (e.g., B-25 Mitchells, B-26 Marauders) targeting airfields and supply dumps.
Churchill orders Field Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell and General Claude Auchinleck to be removed from battlefield commands and they’re sent to be Viceroy of India and Commander in Chief, India respectively.
Outcomes: A period of relative calm on the ground allowed the Allies to meticulously finalize their plans for the invasion of Sicily, a critical step in the campaign to knock Italy out of the war.
Pacific Theatre
U.S. forces continued their preparations for the New Georgia Campaign (Operation Toenails), specifically targeting the Japanese airfield at Munda Point. Key units involved included the 43rd Infantry Division (under Major General John H. Hester) and various Marine Raider Battalions, which conducted detailed reconnaissance. P-38 Lightning fighters of the 339th Fighter Squadron continued to provide escort for reconnaissance aircraft over the target areas.
Outcomes: U.S. forces were poised to launch a new offensive in the Solomon Islands, aimed at pushing the Japanese further back in the South Pacific.
Asian Theatre
In China, the Japanese 11th Army, under General Yukio Kasahara, was engaged in consolidating its gains in Hubei province after the Battle of Western Hubei (Battle of Exi). These actions aimed at cementing Japanese control over strategic areas and preventing a significant Chinese counter-offensive by Chinese 6th War Area forces, under General Sun Lianzhong.
Japanese forces, including elements of the 18th Army under General Hatazo Adachi, continued to reinforce their defensive positions in New Guinea, anticipating further Allied thrusts. The Imperial Japanese Navy continued air raids, often utilizing A6M Zero fighters, on Allied bases in the Solomon Islands, such as Guadalcanal, as part of its efforts to interdict Allied movements and protect Japanese strongholds like Rabaul.
Outcomes: Japanese forces sought to consolidate their territorial control in China and strengthen their defenses in New Guinea against growing Allied pressure, while continuing to challenge Allied air superiority in the Solomons.
Key Personalities
Field Marshal Erich von Manstein: Commander of German Army Group South, preparing for Kursk.
General Nikolai Vatutin: Commander of the Soviet Voronezh Front, preparing for Kursk.
Air Marshal Arthur Harris: Leader of RAF Bomber Command.
Major General Ira Eaker: Commander of the U.S. Eighth Air Force.
Friedrich Katzmann: SS and Police Leader, responsible for Jewish liquidations in Lviv.
Major General John H. Hester: Commander of the U.S. 43rd Infantry Division.
General Yukio Kasahara: Commander of the Japanese 11th Army in China.
General Hatazo Adachi: Commander of the Japanese 18th Army in New Guinea.
June 18, 1944
US paratroopers riding a capture German Volkswagen Kubelwagen, Carentan, June 1944
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1944, significant Allied advances occurred in Normandy, with British forces breaking out towards Caen and American forces making crucial gains, albeit with fierce German resistance. The Battle of Saipan raged fiercely in the Pacific. Germany intensified its V-1 flying bomb attacks on London. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces completed their colossal preparations for Operation Bagration. In Italy, Allied forces continued their relentless pursuit of the retreating Germans. Tragically, the Holocaust’s horrific deportations of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz continued at an accelerating pace.
European and Atlantic Theatre
In Normandy, Allied forces continued their offensive. British forces, including elements of the British 7th Armoured Division (“Desert Rats”) under Major General George Erskine, prepared to launch Operation Epsom, a major attack aimed at outflanking Caen from the west and securing bridgeheads over the Odon River. They faced fierce resistance from German Panzer Lehr Division and 9th SS Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen”, equipped with Panther and Tiger I tanks.
Further west, U.S. VII Corps (under Major General J. Lawton Collins) consolidated control of the Cotentin Peninsula, cutting off the crucial port of Cherbourg , with elements of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division and 9th Infantry Division pushing towards the city itself. This was a vital step in securing a deep-water port for Allied supply. The U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, commanded by Major General Matthew Ridgway, continued consolidating its positions in the Cotentin Peninsula.
Germany intensified its campaign of V-1 flying bomb attacks against London. These pilotless aircraft, launched from sites in the Pas-de-Calais region of France by Flak-Regiment 155 (W), continued to cause significant damage and disruption in the British capital, leading to civilian casualties and a new form of psychological warfare.
On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces were in the final stages of preparing for Operation Bagration, a massive offensive designed to shatter German Army Group Centre, commanded by Field Marshal Ernst Busch. Key Soviet formations including the 1st Belorussian Front (under Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky), 2nd Belorussian Front (under General Georgy Zakharov), and 3rd Belorussian Front (under General Ivan Chernyakhovsky) completed their final dispositions, accumulating vast numbers of T-34 tanks, Katyusha rocket launchers, and artillery.
Holocaust-related events: The mass deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued unabated. These transports, orchestrated by Adolf Eichmann and his SS apparatus, saw hundreds of thousands of Jews loaded onto trains from Hungary, arriving at the extermination camp’s gas chambers at an unprecedented rate. By this point, over 400,000 Hungarian Jews had been deported since May, making it one of the most intense phases of the “Final Solution.”
Outcomes: Allied forces in Normandy prepared for a major offensive towards Caen and moved to secure Cherbourg, vital for future logistics. The V-1 attacks continued to target Britain. The Eastern Front was fully poised for the immense Bagration offensive. The Holocaust continued with horrific efficiency, as Hungarian Jewry faced systematic destruction.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
On the Italian Front, while no specific major battle was widely reported on June 18 itself, the Allied Central Mediterranean Force (15th Army Group), under General Sir Harold Alexander, continued its relentless pursuit of the retreating German Tenth Army (under Field Marshal Albert Kesselring) northwards through Italy. Following the capture of Rome on June 4, the U.S. Fifth Army (under Lieutenant General Mark Clark) and the British Eighth Army (under Lieutenant General Oliver Leese) were engaged in continuous skirmishes and advances, pushing the Germans towards their next major defensive line, the Gothic Line (or Green Line) in the Apennine Mountains.
British 12th Royal Lancers (Price of Wales) captures Assisi. The city had been evacuated by the Germans the day before and Italian partisans had entered the town.
Allied air reconnaissance by Spitfires and Mosquitoes and bombing missions by Allied medium and heavy bombers over German positions and supply lines in northern Italy continued.
Outcomes: Allied forces in Italy maintained their momentum, forcing the German Tenth Army into a continuous retreat and setting the stage for the next major defensive struggle on the Gothic Line.
Pacific Theatre
The Battle of Saipan (Operation Forager) raged. The U.S. V Amphibious Corps, including elements of the U.S. 2nd Marine Division and 4th Marine Division, under the overall command of Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith, continued to engage in fierce combat with the entrenched Japanese 31st Army, led by Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito. The landings and subsequent fighting were supported by heavy naval bombardment from U.S. Navy battleships like USS Tennessee and USS California, and continuous air cover provided by carrier-based aircraft (e.g., F6F Hellcats).
Outcomes: The intense fighting on Saipan further threatened Japan’s inner defense perimeter, bringing U.S. forces closer to the Japanese home islands and within range for B-29 Superfortress bomber attacks.
Asian Theatre
In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army, commanded by General Yasuji Okamura, continued its advance as part of Operation Ichi-Go, particularly targeting Chinese 4th War Area forces (under General Zhang Fakui) in Henan and Hunan provinces. This massive offensive aimed to secure strategic rail lines and airfields crucial for the upcoming B-29 raids. The Japanese 12th Army, having captured Luoyang in late May, continued its operations.
In India and Burma, the tide had turned in the Battle of Kohima-Imphal. The Japanese 15th Army, under General Renya Mutaguchi, faced decisive defeat and was in full retreat, having failed in its audacious offensive. The British 14th Army, led by General William Slim, relentlessly pursued the withdrawing Japanese, consolidating its victory and effectively ending Japanese hopes for an invasion of India.
The first U.S. B-29 Superfortress bombing raid on Japan was launched from airfields in China on June 15. The aftermath of this raid was still being assessed, as XX Bomber Command targeted the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata.
Outcomes: Japanese gains in China threatened Allied air supply routes, but their severe defeat in India-Burma significantly weakened their overall position in Southeast Asia. The B-29 raids initiated a new phase of direct strategic pressure on the Japanese homeland.
Key Personalities
General Bernard Montgomery: Commander of Allied ground forces in Normandy.
Major General George Erskine: Commander of British 7th Armoured Division.
Major General J. Lawton Collins: Commander of U.S. VII Corps.
Major General Matthew Ridgway: Commander of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division.
Adolf Eichmann: Senior SS official, central to the logistics of Hungarian Jewish deportations.
Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky: Commander of the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, preparing for Bagration.
General Georgy Zakharov: Commander of the Soviet 2nd Belorussian Front.
General Ivan Chernyakhovsky: Commander of the Soviet 3rd Belorussian Front.
Field Marshal Ernst Busch: Commander of German Army Group Centre.
General Sir Harold Alexander: Commander of the Allied Central Mediterranean Force.
Lieutenant General Mark Clark: Commander of the U.S. Fifth Army.
Lieutenant General Oliver Leese: Commander of the British Eighth Army.
Field Marshal Albert Kesselring: Commander of German forces in Italy.
Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith: Commander of U.S. Marine forces in Saipan.
Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito: Commander of the Japanese 31st Army on Saipan.
General Yasuji Okamura: Commander of the Japanese China Expeditionary Army.
General William Slim: Commander of the British 14th Army in Burma.
General Renya Mutaguchi: Commander of the Japanese 15th Army, defeated at Kohima-Imphal.
June 18, 1945
William Joyce, in an ambulance shortly after his arrest, 1945
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1945, the brutal Battle of Okinawa effectively concluded in the Pacific, albeit with a tragic loss for the American command. Australian forces finalized preparations for a major landing in Borneo. In Europe, with Germany defeated, the focus shifted to the monumental challenge of post-war occupation and recovery, particularly for the hundreds of thousands of Holocaust survivors. Japanese forces continued their retreat in China and Burma as Allied victories mounted across Asia.
European and Atlantic Theatre
William Joyce (“Lord Haw-Haw”) is charged with treason for his pro-German propaganda broadcasts. Joyce was an American born fascist who’d moved first to Ireland and then England where he had joined Oswald Moseley’s British Union of Fascists. Later, at the outset of the war, he moved to Germany. Joyce’s radio broadcasts were famous for his insider and apparently detailed knowledge of events, which fed into worries about spies and infiltration. Listening was discouraged but not actually illegal in Britain and his opening refrain of “Germany Calling, Germany calling” had a some point an estimated audience of 18 million people in Britain in 1940. Joyce was captured near Flensburg on 28 May 1945. He was a dishevelled figure collecting firewood but when spoken to by intelligence officers in English and French. One of the officers recognised his voice and asked if he was Joyce. Joyce then reached to his pocket for his passport but, thinking he was trying to get a gun, one of the officers then shot him. Joyce was hit four times in the buttocks. He as handed over to military police and later charged with three counts of high treason.
Outcomes: Europe entered a new phase of post-war reorganization and recovery, with the division of occupation zones taking shape. The immense human cost of the Holocaust became starkly evident as survivors grappled with the aftermath of genocide and the challenges of rebuilding lives.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No military operations occurred in this theatre, as the European war had ended. Allied forces were primarily focused on reconstruction efforts, demobilization, and maintaining order in liberated territories across Italy, Greece, and North Africa.
Outcomes: The Mediterranean region transitioned into a period of stabilization and recovery from years of intense conflict.
Pacific Theatre
The Battle of Okinawa effectively concluded as organized Japanese resistance collapsed, though mopping-up operations continued. Tragically, Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., Commander of the U.S. 10th Army, was killed in action by Japanese artillery fire while visiting a forward observation post on Kunishi Ridge. He was the highest-ranking American officer killed by enemy fire in World War II. Command of the U.S. 10th Army passed to Major General Roy S. Geiger (USMC), who became the first Marine Corps officer to command a field army. The Japanese commander, Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, was cornered in the extreme south of the island, and his forces were on the verge of total annihilation.
The Australian 7th Division, commanded by Major General Edward Milford, was in the final stages of preparing for the Battle of Balikpapan in Borneo, a major amphibious landing operation (part of Operation Oboe Six) scheduled for July 1. This involved detailed planning and logistical staging at bases in the Philippines and Australia.
Outcomes: The Battle of Okinawa concluded with a decisive but costly American victory, providing a grim preview of the potential casualties of a direct invasion of the Japanese home islands. The loss of General Buckner was a significant blow. Preparations for Balikpapan underlined the continued Allied efforts to secure vital resource areas in Borneo.
Asian Theatre
In Borneo, the Australian 9th Division, under Major General George Wootten, continued its operations as part of Operation Oboe. Having secured key areas like Labuan Island on June 10, its units, including the 2/28th Battalion and 2/12th Commando Regiment, were involved in consolidating positions and pushing inland against remnants of the Japanese 37th Army (under Lieutenant General Masao Baba). They were supported by RAAF No. 76 Squadron (flying P-40 Kittyhawk fighters) and Royal Australian Navy assets, including the heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire.
In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army, commanded by General Yasuji Okamura, continued its general retreat in the aftermath of its decisive defeat in the Battle of West Hunan (Battle of Zhijiang). Chinese 3rd War Area forces, under General He Yingqin, capitalized on the Japanese withdrawal, steadily retaking territory in Hunan province.
In Burma, the Japanese Burma Area Army, under General Hyotaro Kimura, was in full retreat, their organized resistance largely broken. The British 14th Army, under General William Slim, having captured Rangoon in early May, continued its relentless pursuit and mopping-up operations against the disintegrating Japanese forces throughout the country.
Outcomes: Allied forces steadily gained ground in Borneo, securing vital resources. Chinese counter-offensives reclaimed significant territory, while the decisive British victory in Burma effectively ended major Japanese organized resistance in that theatre.
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Each Day in World War II – 18th June
June 18, 1940
June 18, 1940, was a day of stark contrasts, witnessing the formal surrender of the French government to Germany, while Free French resistance began to coalesce under Charles de Gaulle. British evacuation efforts from France continued, though tragically interrupted by submarine warfare. The Soviet Union continued to consolidate its power in the Baltic states, further redrawing the map of Eastern Europe.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Outcomes: The French government’s surrender marked the collapse of the Allied front in Western Europe. De Gaulle’s appeal provided a rallying cry for continued French resistance. Allied evacuations saved thousands, but not without significant losses. The Soviet Union’s full annexation of the Baltic states was effectively complete.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Outcomes: The theatre remained in a phase of early engagements and positioning, with no decisive actions on this day.
Pacific Theatre
Outcomes: The Pacific remained a quiet theatre, with underlying tensions building for future conflict.
Asian Theatre
Outcomes: Japanese forces solidified their control over strategic areas in China, despite continued resistance from various Chinese forces.
Key Personalities
June 18, 1941
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1941, critical developments unfolded on the eve of Operation Barbarossa, with the signing of a non-aggression pact between Germany and Turkey. In North Africa, British forces retreated further after the failure of Operation Battleaxe, while Allied forces pressed into Syria. Holocaust planning intensified, and diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Axis powers continued to rise.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Outcomes: The German-Turkish pact secured a crucial flank for the impending Barbarossa. German forces were now fully poised for the massive invasion of the Soviet Union. The closure of consulates deepened U.S.-Axis tensions. Holocaust plans for systematic mass murder in the East were fully authorized and ready for implementation.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Outcomes: The British withdrawal in North Africa highlighted their logistical and doctrinal challenges against Rommel’s forces. Allied control over Damascus solidified, severely weakening Vichy French influence in the Levant.
Pacific Theatre
Outcomes: The Pacific remained largely quiet, but strategic alignments continued to shift.
Asian Theatre
Outcomes: Japanese forces maintained their territorial gains in China, facing persistent guerrilla warfare. Japan’s pressure on Indochina intensified, setting the stage for future military expansion.
Key Personalities
June 18, 1942
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1942, significant leadership changes and renewed Axis offensives unfolded in North Africa, as Rommel pressed his assault on Tobruk. On the Eastern Front, Germany launched its massive summer offensive, Case Blue, marking the beginning of a critical new phase of the war. In the Pacific, the U.S. solidified plans for the Guadalcanal Campaign, while Holocaust deportations from Western Europe intensified, orchestrated by the Nazi regime.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Outcomes: The launch of Case Blue opened a brutal and decisive new phase on the Eastern Front, with German forces aiming for strategic resources. The systematic extermination of European Jewry gained horrifying momentum, reaching new levels of brutality and efficiency.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Outcomes: A critical leadership change was made in the British Eighth Army in response to Axis successes. Rommel intensified his direct assault on Tobruk, setting the stage for its imminent fall.
Pacific Theatre
Outcomes: U.S. preparations were well underway for the pivotal Guadalcanal offensive, marking a strategic shift from defensive to offensive operations in the Pacific.
Asian Theatre
Outcomes: Japanese forces solidified their gains in eastern China, continuing to face persistent, though often fragmented, Chinese resistance. The reinforcement of the Aleutians signaled a new, albeit costly, front for Japan in the North Pacific.
Key Personalities
June 18, 1943
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1943, both sides on the Eastern Front continued their immense preparations for the impending Battle of Kursk. Allied air forces continued their strategic bombing campaigns against German industrial targets in Europe, while in the Pacific, U.S. forces pressed ahead with preparations for the invasion of New Georgia. Holocaust liquidations continued in Eastern Europe.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Outcomes: The Eastern Front poised for an epochal confrontation at Kursk, which would determine the strategic initiative. Allied air raids continued to place immense pressure on Germany’s industrial capacity and war production. The horrific “Final Solution” continued to claim lives in Eastern Europe.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Outcomes: A period of relative calm on the ground allowed the Allies to meticulously finalize their plans for the invasion of Sicily, a critical step in the campaign to knock Italy out of the war.
Pacific Theatre
Outcomes: U.S. forces were poised to launch a new offensive in the Solomon Islands, aimed at pushing the Japanese further back in the South Pacific.
Asian Theatre
Outcomes: Japanese forces sought to consolidate their territorial control in China and strengthen their defenses in New Guinea against growing Allied pressure, while continuing to challenge Allied air superiority in the Solomons.
Key Personalities
June 18, 1944
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1944, significant Allied advances occurred in Normandy, with British forces breaking out towards Caen and American forces making crucial gains, albeit with fierce German resistance. The Battle of Saipan raged fiercely in the Pacific. Germany intensified its V-1 flying bomb attacks on London. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces completed their colossal preparations for Operation Bagration. In Italy, Allied forces continued their relentless pursuit of the retreating Germans. Tragically, the Holocaust’s horrific deportations of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz continued at an accelerating pace.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Outcomes: Allied forces in Normandy prepared for a major offensive towards Caen and moved to secure Cherbourg, vital for future logistics. The V-1 attacks continued to target Britain. The Eastern Front was fully poised for the immense Bagration offensive. The Holocaust continued with horrific efficiency, as Hungarian Jewry faced systematic destruction.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Outcomes: Allied forces in Italy maintained their momentum, forcing the German Tenth Army into a continuous retreat and setting the stage for the next major defensive struggle on the Gothic Line.
Pacific Theatre
Outcomes: The intense fighting on Saipan further threatened Japan’s inner defense perimeter, bringing U.S. forces closer to the Japanese home islands and within range for B-29 Superfortress bomber attacks.
Asian Theatre
Outcomes: Japanese gains in China threatened Allied air supply routes, but their severe defeat in India-Burma significantly weakened their overall position in Southeast Asia. The B-29 raids initiated a new phase of direct strategic pressure on the Japanese homeland.
Key Personalities
June 18, 1945
Overview of Key Events On June 18, 1945, the brutal Battle of Okinawa effectively concluded in the Pacific, albeit with a tragic loss for the American command. Australian forces finalized preparations for a major landing in Borneo. In Europe, with Germany defeated, the focus shifted to the monumental challenge of post-war occupation and recovery, particularly for the hundreds of thousands of Holocaust survivors. Japanese forces continued their retreat in China and Burma as Allied victories mounted across Asia.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Outcomes: Europe entered a new phase of post-war reorganization and recovery, with the division of occupation zones taking shape. The immense human cost of the Holocaust became starkly evident as survivors grappled with the aftermath of genocide and the challenges of rebuilding lives.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Outcomes: The Mediterranean region transitioned into a period of stabilization and recovery from years of intense conflict.
Pacific Theatre
Outcomes: The Battle of Okinawa concluded with a decisive but costly American victory, providing a grim preview of the potential casualties of a direct invasion of the Japanese home islands. The loss of General Buckner was a significant blow. Preparations for Balikpapan underlined the continued Allied efforts to secure vital resource areas in Borneo.
Asian Theatre
Outcomes: Allied forces steadily gained ground in Borneo, securing vital resources. Chinese counter-offensives reclaimed significant territory, while the decisive British victory in Burma effectively ended major Japanese organized resistance in that theatre.
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