Each Day in World War II – 30th June

June 30, 1940

Germans march past Boots, 1940, Channel Islands

Overview of Key Events June 30, 1940, witnessed the beginning of the German occupation of the British Channel Islands, marking the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by Axis forces during the war. This occurred as the aftermath of the Fall of France continued to unfold across Europe.

Europe and Atlantic

German Occupation of the Channel Islands: On June 30, 1940, German forces began occupying the British Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark), the only British territory occupied during the war. The Luftwaffe’s Kampfgeschwader 51 (Junkers Ju 87 Stukas) bombed Jersey and Guernsey on June 28, softening defences, and by June 30, German troops from the 216th Infantry Division (under Generalmajor Hermann von Chappuis) landed unopposed after British forces evacuated. The occupation followed the fall of France and Britain’s withdrawal from the islands under Operation Aerial.
Post-Battle of France Consolidation: German Army Group A (under General Gerd von Rundstedt) and Army Group B (under General Fedor von Bock) solidified control over occupied France. The 7th Army (under General Friedrich Dollmann) maintained garrisons in cities like Lyon, while the Vichy French government (under Marshal Philippe Pétain) organized in unoccupied France, establishing collaborationist policies.
Soviet Occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina: The Soviet Red Army, under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, completed its occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina from Romania, initiated on June 28. The Soviet 9th Army (under General Ivan Boldin) and 12th Army occupied key cities like Chișinău, facing minimal Romanian resistance. Joseph Stalin’s directive aimed to secure Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.
Holocaust-Related Events: In occupied Poland, the General Government (under Hans Frank) intensified anti-Jewish measures. The Warsaw Ghetto, housing over 400,000 Jews, saw increased restrictions, with forced labour, food shortages, and curfews. In Kraków, ghettoization progressed, confining Jews to overcrowded districts with limited resources. In France, Nazi authorities began registering Jews, laying groundwork for future deportations.

Mediterranean including North Africa and Middle East

Siege of Malta: Italian Regia Aeronautica intensified bombing raids on Malta, a critical British stronghold. On June 30, Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers from the 36th Stormo targeted Grand Harbour and RAF airfields like Hal Far, countered by British Gloster Gladiator fighters of No. 33 Squadron. The raids aimed to disrupt British supply lines to North Africa..

Asia

In China, the Japanese 11th Army (under General Tomoyuki Yamashita) consolidated control in Hubei province after capturing Yichang (June 12), securing the Yangtze River. Chinese 5th War Area forces (under General Li Zongren) conducted guerrilla raids, targeting Japanese supply lines.
Japan, led by Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka, pressed Vichy France for basing rights in French Indochina, finalizing agreements in late June to position troops for future Southeast Asian invasions.

Pacific

No significant military engagements occurred in the Pacific on June 30, 1940.

Outcomes: The occupation of the Channel Islands represented a symbolic, though geographically limited, triumph for Germany. Europe continued to adjust to the new geopolitical reality following the Fall of France.

Key Personalities

No specific high-ranking commanders or political figures were directly involved in major events solely on this day, as the Channel Islands occupation was a relatively minor military operation following broader strategic decisions.

June 30, 1941

Jewish Citizen being chased through the street during the Lviv Pogrom, 1941

Overview of Key Events June 30, 1941, marked the ninth brutal day of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. German forces continued their deep penetrations, notably capturing Lviv in Ukraine, while Soviet forces were forced into further desperate retreats across the Baltic states. The horrific mass killings by the Einsatzgruppen intensified.

Europe and Atlantic

Operation Barbarossa: German forces pressed their offensive against the Soviet Union. Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock), including the 3rd Panzer Group (under General Hermann Hoth) and 2nd Panzer Group (under General Heinz Guderian), consolidated their capture of Minsk (June 28), encircling over 300,000 Soviet troops of the Western Front (under General Dmitry Pavlov, executed soon after for failures). On June 30, German units, supported by Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 2 (Dornier Do 17 bombers), conducted mopping-up operations in the Minsk pocket. Army Group North (under Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb) advanced toward Leningrad, engaging Soviet 8th Army, while Army Group South (under Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt) pushed toward Kiev, clashing with Soviet Southwestern Front (under General Mikhail Kirponos) and its 5th Army.
Holocaust-Related Events: Einsatzgruppen, under Reinhard Heydrich’s command, intensified mass executions in occupied Soviet territories. In Lithuania, particularly Kaunas, Einsatzgruppe A (under SS-Obersturmbannführer Franz Walter Stahlecker) and local collaborators continued pogroms and shootings following the June 27–29 Lietūkis Garage Massacre. On June 30, executions targeted Jewish communities in Belarus and Ukraine, with hundreds killed in mass shootings or burned in synagogues, such as in Bialystok. In occupied Poland, the Warsaw Ghetto saw increased restrictions, with over 400,000 Jews facing starvation and forced labour.

Mediterranean including North Africa and Middle East

Syria-Lebanon Campaign (Operation Exporter): Allied forces, including Australian 7th Division (under Major General John Lavarack), British 7th Division, Free French 1st Division (under General Paul Legentilhomme), and 5th Indian Brigade, advanced against Vichy French forces (under General Henri Dentz). By June 30, Allied troops consolidated gains around Damascus (captured June 21) and pushed toward Beirut and Palmyra. Australian 25th Brigade and Free French units engaged Vichy 6th Foreign Legion and 22nd Algerian Tirailleurs, supported by No. 3 Squadron RAAF (Hawker Hurricanes) and Royal Navy ships like HMS Ajax. Palmyra was captured on July 1, but June 30 saw preparatory skirmishes..

Asia

In China, the Japanese 13th Army (under General Shizuichi Tanaka) engaged Chinese 8th Route Army (under General Zhu De) in Shanxi province, following the Hundred Regiments Offensive. Chinese communist forces used guerrilla tactics to disrupt Japanese garrisons and supply lines, targeting railways and outposts. Japan’s Southern Army (under General Hisaichi Terauchi) finalized agreements with Vichy France on June 29–30 for basing rights in French Indochina, positioning troops for planned invasions of Southeast Asia, including Malaya and the Philippines.

Pacific

No specific major events were reported in the Pacific on this date.

Outcomes: German forces continued to achieve significant territorial gains and inflict massive losses on the Red Army. The capture of Lviv was a strategic success for the Germans, but it also became a site of horrific pogroms, marking a rapid escalation of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe.

Key Personalities

General Erich von Manstein: Commander of the LVI Panzer Corps, whose units were involved in the advance in the Baltic states.
Reinhard Heydrich: Head of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), ultimately responsible for the Einsatzgruppen.

June 30, 1942

Overview of Key Events On June 30, 1942, the Eastern Front saw the continued momentum of Operation Blau (Case Blue), the decisive German summer offensive. In North Africa, Rommel’s Afrika Korps had reached the critical El Alamein line, setting the immediate stage for one of the most pivotal battles of the Western Desert Campaign, while the final Soviet resistance in Sevastopol was being crushed.

Europe and Atlantic

Operation Case Blue: Launched on June 28, German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock) continued its offensive toward Voronezh and the Caucasus. On June 30, Army Group B (under General Maximilian von Weichs), including the 4th Panzer Army (under General Hermann Hoth) and 2nd Army (under General Hans von Salmuth), advanced against Soviet Southwestern Front (under Marshal Semyon Timoshenko). The 3rd Panzer Division and 16th Panzer Division, supported by Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 55 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) and Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 87 Stukas), engaged Soviet 40th Army and 13th Army near the Donets River, overcoming weak defences but facing logistical challenges.
Holocaust-Related Events: Deportations from the Netherlands and France to Auschwitz-Birkenau, organized by Adolf Eichmann, continued. On or around June 30, transports from Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands sent Jews to Auschwitz, where most were gassed upon arrival. In occupied Poland, Operation Reinhard progressed, with Jews from smaller ghettos like Zamość deported to Belzec death camp under SS-Gruppenführer Odilo Globocnik. The Warsaw Ghetto, with over 400,000 Jews, faced escalating terror as SS authorities prepared for mass deportations to Treblinka (starting July 1942).

Mediterranean including North Africa and Middle East

General Erwin Rommel’s Panzer Army Africa, including the 15th Panzer Division, 21st Panzer Division, and Italian XX Corps (Ariete Division), continued its advance toward Egypt after capturing Tobruk (June 21). On June 30, Axis forces approached the British defensive line at El Alamein, engaging the British Eighth Army (under General Neil Ritchie, soon replaced by General Claude Auchinleck). The 2nd South African Division and 50th (Northumbrian) Division faced German Panzer IV tanks and 88mm Flak guns in rearguard actions, with RAF No. 211 Group (Hurricane fighters) providing air support.

Asia

In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army (under General Yasuji Okamura) conducted mopping-up operations in Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces after the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign, targeting Chinese 3rd War Area forces (under General Gu Zhutong). These operations aimed to secure airfields used in the Doolittle Raid, facing Chinese guerrilla resistance. Japanese 25th Army (under General Tomoyuki Yamashita) maintained control over Malaya and Singapore, while the Imperial Japanese Navy reinforced positions in the Aleutian Islands (Attu and Kiska), despite logistical strains.

Pacific

The U.S. Pacific Fleet (under Admiral Chester Nimitz) finalized preparations for the Guadalcanal Campaign, set for August 1942. On June 30, Task Force 16 (USS Enterprise, USS Hornet, under Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance) refitted in Pearl Harbor, while the 1st Marine Division (under Major General Alexander Vandegrift) trained in New Zealand. PBY Catalina aircraft of VP-44 Squadron conducted reconnaissance over Guadalcanal and Tulagi, targeting Japanese defences..

Outcomes: The Eastern Front saw the continuation of a major German offensive. In North Africa, the stage was set for a decisive battle at El Alamein, which would critically determine the fate of Egypt. The Holocaust continued its relentless and systematic extermination across occupied territories.

Key Personalities

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: Commander, German Afrika Korps, at the El Alamein line.
General Claude Auchinleck: Commander, British Eighth Army, preparing defenses at El Alamein.
General Erich von Manstein: Commander, German Eleventh Army, securing victory at Sevastopol.
Field Marshal Maximilian von Weichs: Commander, German Army Group B, leading Operation Blau.

June 30, 1943

Overview of Key Events On June 30, 1943, both the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean remained characterized by intense preparations for massive upcoming operations. There were no new major, independently verifiable specific military or political events that unfolded on this exact day beyond the ongoing strategic build-ups for the Battle of Kursk and the Allied invasion of Sicily.

Europe and Atlantic

Battle of Kursk Preparations: German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Erich von Manstein) and Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Günther von Kluge) completed preparations for Operation Citadel, set for July 5. The 4th Panzer Army (under General Hermann Hoth) and 9th Army (under General Walter Model) amassed Panzer IV, Tiger I, and Panther tanks, supported by Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 55 (Heinkel He 111 bombers). Soviet Central Front (under General Konstantin Rokossovsky) and Voronezh Front (under General Nikolai Vatutin) fortified defenses with T-34 tanks, anti-tank guns, and minefields, including the 13th Army and 5th Guards Army.
Allied Air Raids: RAF Bomber Command (under Air Marshal Arthur Harris) and U.S. Eighth Air Force (under Major General Ira Eaker) continued bombing German industrial targets. On June 30, RAF No. 5 Group (Avro Lancasters) targeted Cologne, while the 100th Bomb Group (B-17 Flying Fortresses) struck U-boat facilities in Bremen, aiming to disrupt German production.
Holocaust-Related Events: The liquidation of the Lviv Ghetto, overseen by SS and Police Leader Friedrich Katzmann, was nearly complete following its initiation in early June. By June 30, most remaining Jews (fewer than 10,000) had been deported to Belzec death camp or executed at Janowska labor camp, with small resistance efforts crushed by SS units and Ukrainian auxiliaries. Deportations from the Netherlands via Westerbork transit camp to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Sobibor continued, organized by Adolf Eichmann, with hundreds gassed upon arrival.

Mediterranean including North Africa and Middle East

Allied forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean continued their final detailed planning and logistical preparations for Operation Husky, the impending invasion of Sicily. This involved the final stages of marshalling vast numbers of troops, equipment, and supplies to embarkation points across North Africa and the Mediterranean, as well as final coordination meetings among senior commanders like General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, and General George S. Patton.

Asia

In China, the Japanese 11th Army (under General Yukio Kasahara) consolidated positions in Hubei province after the Battle of Western Hubei, engaging Chinese 6th War Area forces (under General Sun Lianzhong). Chinese troops employed guerrilla tactics to disrupt Japanese supply lines. In New Guinea, Japanese 18th Army (under General Hatazo Adachi) reinforced defenses around Lae and Salamaua, facing pressure from Australian 3rd Division and U.S. 41st Infantry Division, supported by RAAF No. 100 Squadron (Beaufort bombers).
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Pacific

New Georgia Campaign Launch: On June 30, 1943, U.S. forces under Admiral William F. Halsey began the New Georgia Campaign in the Solomon Islands, targeting Japanese airfields at Munda Point. The 43rd Infantry Division (under Major General John H. Hester) and 4th Marine Raider Battalion landed at Segi Point and other locations, supported by P-38 Lightning fighters of the 339th Fighter Squadron and Task Force 31 (under Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner), including destroyers like USS Ralph Talbot. Japanese 17th Army (under General Harukichi Hyakutake) resisted with coastal defenses and A6M Zero fighters from the 251st Air Group..

Outcomes: Both the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean remained on the cusp of major, decisive military operations, with forces fully prepared for the coming clashes that would define the summer of 1943.

Key Personalities

General Dwight D. Eisenhower: Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater.
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery: Commander of the British Eighth Army, preparing for Operation Husky.
General George S. Patton: Commander of the U.S. Seventh Army, preparing for Operation Husky.
Marshal Georgy Zhukov: Soviet general, instrumental in planning the Soviet defense at Kursk.

June 30, 1944

Ammunition Lorry of British 11th Armoured Division exploding after being hit by a mortar, Operation Epsom, 1944

Overview of Key Events June 30, 1944, saw the official end of Operation Epsom, the major British offensive in Normandy, as the battle around Caen continued to be a bloody stalemate. On the Eastern Front, Operation Bagration continued its devastating sweep, securing the encirclement of Minsk. The relentless V-1 attacks on London persisted, and the horrific deportations to Auschwitz continued.

Europe and Atlantic

Normandy Campaign (Operation Overlord):
Capture of Cherbourg: On June 30, 1944, U.S. First Army (under General Omar Bradley) completed the capture of Cherbourg, a key port city in Normandy, after intense fighting. The U.S. VII Corps (under Major General J. Lawton Collins), including the 9th Infantry Division and 79th Infantry Division, overcame German 709th Static Division and remnants of the 243rd Infantry Division, supported by naval bombardment from Task Force 129 (USS Nevada, USS Quincy). The capture secured a vital supply port for Allied operations, though German demolitions delayed its full use until August.
Ongoing Operations: British Second Army (under General Bernard Montgomery), including the 51st (Highland) Division and Canadian 3rd Infantry Division, pressed Operation Epsom (ended June 30) against German Panzer Group West (under General Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg) and the 12th SS Panzer Division near Caen. British VIII Corps (under Lieutenant General Richard O’Connor) faced German 21st Panzer Division, supported by RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force (Hawker Typhoons). U.S. forces advanced toward St. Lô against the German 352nd Infantry Division, with U.S. Ninth Air Force (P-47 Thunderbolts) providing air support.
Operation Bagration: Soviet forces, including the 1st Belorussian Front (under General Konstantin Rokossovsky) and 3rd Belorussian Front (under General Ivan Chernyakhovsky), continued their offensive against German Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Ernst Busch, replaced by Field Marshal Walter Model). By June 30, Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army and 65th Army advanced beyond Bobruisk (liberated June 29), pursuing German 9th Army remnants. T-34 tanks and IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft overwhelmed German defences, pushing toward Minsk. V-1 Attacks: Germany escalated V-1 flying bomb attacks on London from Pas-de-Calais, operated by Flak-Regiment 155 (W), causing civilian casualties and disruption.
Holocaust-Related Events: Deportations from Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau, organized by Adolf Eichmann, were at their peak, with daily trains from Budapest and provincial towns. On or around June 30, thousands of Jews were gassed upon arrival, with others selected for forced labor. In Poland, the Łódź Ghetto faced intensified deportations to Auschwitz and Chelmno, with SS authorities targeting remaining workers and families.

Mediterranean including North Africa and Middle East

Italian Campaign: Allied forces, including the U.S. Fifth Army (under General Mark Clark) and British Eighth Army (under General Oliver Leese), advanced north of Rome, engaging German 10th Army (under General Heinrich von Vietinghoff). The U.S. 34th Infantry Division and British 78th Division clashed with German 14th Panzer Corps near Florence, supported by U.S. 12th Air Force (B-25 Mitchell bombers).
Operation Dragoon Preparations: Planning for the invasion of southern France (August 1944) continued, with U.S. Seventh Army (under General Alexander Patch) and Free French Army B (under General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny) organizing in North Africa.

Asia

Operation Ichi-Go: In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army (under General Yasuji Okamura) advanced in Henan and Hunan provinces, targeting Chinese 4th War Area forces (under General Zhang Fakui). The 12th Army, having captured Luoyang in May, pushed toward Changsha, which fell by early July. Chinese resistance, including guerrilla tactics, slowed Japanese progress. India-Burma Theatre: Japanese 15th Army (under General Renya Mutaguchi) retreated after defeats in the Battle of Kohima-Imphal. British 14th Army (under General William Slim), including Indian 5th Division and British 2nd Division, pursued Japanese forces, supported by RAF No. 221 Group (Hurricane fighters).

Pacific

Battle of Saipan (Operation Forager): U.S. forces, including the 2nd Marine Division and 4th Marine Division (under Lieutenant General Holland Smith), fought intense battles against the Japanese 31st Army (under Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito) on Saipan. By June 30, U.S. troops consolidated control of Mount Tapotchau and advanced north, facing fierce resistance from Japanese bunkers and artillery. Task Force 58 (under Admiral Marc Mitscher), including USS Tennessee, provided naval bombardment, while the 27th Infantry Division reinforced the assault.

Outcomes: Operation Epsom concluded in Normandy, failing to achieve its primary objective of capturing Caen. Operation Bagration inflicted catastrophic losses on German forces on the Eastern Front with the encirclement of Minsk. The Holocaust continued its systematic extermination, and V-1 attacks persisted against Britain.

Key Personalities

Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey: Commander of the British Second Army, overseeing Operation Epsom.
General Ivan Chernyakhovsky: Commander of the Soviet 3rd Belorussian Front, completing the Minsk encirclement.
Adolf Eichmann: Senior SS official, central to Holocaust deportations.
Lieutenant General Holland Smith: Commander of the U.S. V Amphibious Corps on Saipan.

June 30, 1945

RAF briefing before sortie, No. 34 Squadron, Burma

Overview of Key Events On June 30, 1945, with victory in Europe secured, the global conflict’s primary focus remained on the Pacific and Asian theaters, where Allied forces continued their relentless preparations for the final push towards Japan. While no single major decisive event occurred on this day, ongoing operations set the stage for future actions.

Europe and Atlantic

Post-War Occupation: Following Germany’s surrender, Soviet forces, including the 1st Baltic Front (under General Ivan Bagramyan), maintained occupation of eastern Germany and Poland, implementing Yalta Conference agreements (February 1945). The Polish Provisional Government of National Unity, established on June 28 and led by Edward Osóbka-Morawski, began consolidating Soviet-backed governance in Poland, marginalizing the Polish Government-in-Exile.
Holocaust-Related Events: Holocaust survivors in Displaced Persons (DP) camps, such as Feldafing (U.S.-administered) and Bergen-Belsen (British-administered), faced ongoing challenges. On June 30, relief efforts by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) provided food, medical care, and clothing, but shortages and disease persisted. Survivors used tracing services to locate relatives, while many faced antisemitic attacks in Poland, complicating repatriation.

Mediterranean including North Africa and Middle East

No military operations occurred, as the European and North African campaigns had concluded. Allied forces, including the British Eighth Army and U.S. Fifth Army, focused on occupation duties in Italy and reconstruction in North Africa. Efforts centered on rebuilding infrastructure, repatriating displaced populations, and administering former Axis territories..

Asia

Borneo Campaign (Operation Oboe): Australian 9th Division (under Major General George Wootten) advanced in Borneo, securing Labuan Island and Brunei Bay against Japanese 37th Army (under Lieutenant General Masao Baba). On June 30, the 2/28th Battalion and 2/12th Commando Squadron pushed inland, engaging Japanese guerrilla forces, supported by RAAF No. 76 Squadron and HMAS Shropshire.
China (Battle of West Hunan): Japanese China Expeditionary Army (under General Yasuji Okamura) retreated in Guangxi and Hunan provinces, pursued by Chinese 3rd War Area forces (under General He Yingqin). The Chinese 74th Army recaptured territory, aided by U.S. 14th Air Force (P-51 Mustang fighters), disrupting Japanese supply lines.
Burma Campaign: Japanese Burma Area Army (under General Hyotaro Kimura) retreated toward the Sittang River after losing Rangoon (May 1945). British 14th Army (under General William Slim), including Indian 5th Division and British 2nd Division, pursued, supported by RAF No. 221 Group (Hurricane fighters).

Pacific

Battle of Okinawa: The campaign officially ended on June 22, but mopping-up operations continued against remnants of the Japanese 32nd Army (under Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, who died June 22). On June 30, U.S. 10th Army (under General Roy S. Geiger, succeeding Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.) conducted sweeps with the 1st Marine Division and 96th Infantry Division around Mabuni, neutralizing small Japanese pockets and kamikaze attacks by A6M Zero fighters.

Outcomes: Allied forces continued their advances against the retreating Japanese in Asia and conducted intense preparations for the final phase of the war in the Pacific. The world was solidifying its transition into a new post-war order, with attention firmly on the remaining conflict in the East.

Key Personalities