Each Day in World War II – 11th July

July 11, 1940

Overview of Key Events

On July 11, 1940, World War II saw escalating tensions in Europe and Asia following the fall of France in June 1940. The Kanalkampf, the opening phase of the Battle of Britain, intensified with Luftwaffe attacks on British shipping convoys and coastal targets, testing RAF defences.

European and Atlantic Theatre

• Kanalkampf (Ongoing): The Kanalkampf, the initial phase of the Battle of Britain, began in early July 1940 and continued through August 1940, involving Luftwaffe attacks on British convoys, ports, and airfields to weaken RAF Fighter Command and prepare for Operation Sea Lion, the planned German invasion of Britain. On July 11, Luftwaffe units from Luftflotte 2 (under Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring), including Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2) with Dornier Do 17 bombers and Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51) with Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, conducted raids on shipping convoys in the English Channel, particularly off Dover and Portland, and targeted coastal defenses. The raids aimed to disrupt British supply lines and draw out RAF fighters to assess their strength. RAF Fighter Command (under Air Marshal Hugh Dowding), primarily No. 11 Group (under Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park), responded with Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes from squadrons such as No. 56 Squadron (RAF North Weald) and No. 610 Squadron (RAF Biggin Hill). Engagements on July 11 resulted in minor losses, with the Luftwaffe losing approximately 3–5 aircraft (including Do 17s and Bf 109s) and the RAF losing 1–3 fighters, based on daily combat reports. British radar stations, part of the Chain Home network, provided early warnings, enabling effective interceptions. The Kanalkampf, ongoing until August 1940, escalated into the main Battle of Britain with Adlerangriff (Eagle Attack) on August 13, 1940.
• Outcomes: The Kanalkampf tested RAF defenses, with British radar and fighters preventing significant losses but revealing Luftwaffe determination.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

• Siege of Malta (Ongoing): Italian Regia Aeronautica continued bombing raids on Malta, a critical British stronghold. On or around July 11, 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 siege, starting in June 1940, continued until 1943, aiming to disrupt British supply lines but facing resilient defenses.
• Outcomes: The ongoing Siege of Malta failed to neutralize the island, preserving its role as a key Mediterranean base for Allied operations.

Pacific Theatre

• No significant military engagements occurred in the Pacific on July 11, 1940. The U.S. Pacific Fleet (under Admiral James O. Richardson) strengthened defenses at Pearl Harbor, conducting routine patrols and training with ships like USS Arizona and USS Enterprise. Japan focused on consolidating Asian gains and deploying troops to French Indochina, with no direct Pacific confrontations.
• Outcomes: The Pacific remained a latent theatre, with Japan’s preparations foreshadowing its expansionist campaigns in 1941, including the Pearl Harbor attack in December.

Asian Theatre

• In China, the Japanese 11th Army (under General Tomoyuki Yamashita) consolidated control in Hubei province after capturing Yichang (June 12, 1940), securing Yangtze River positions. Chinese 5th War Area forces (under General Li Zongren) conducted guerrilla raids, targeting Japanese supply lines and outposts. The Second Sino-Japanese War, ongoing since 1937, continued through 1945 with persistent Chinese resistance.
• Japan, led by Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka, implemented agreements with Vichy France (finalized late June–early July) for basing rights in French Indochina, deploying troops for planned invasions of Southeast Asia, including Malaya and the Philippines. This escalation, ongoing through 1940–1941, prompted U.S. and British economic sanctions, including oil embargoes.
• Outcomes: Japanese gains in China faced ongoing resistance, straining resources. Indochina deployments advanced Japan’s expansionist plans, escalating tensions with Western powers.

Key Personalities

• Air Marshal Hugh Dowding: Led RAF Fighter Command during the Kanalkampf.
• Vice Admiral James Somerville: Commanded British Force H during Mers-el-Kébir’s aftermath.
• Marshal Philippe Pétain: Led Vichy France, implementing anti-Jewish laws.
• Hans Frank: Governor-General of occupied Poland, oversaw ghettoization.
• Adolf Eichmann: Coordinated anti-Jewish measures in occupied Europe.
• General Tomoyuki Yamashita: Commanded Japanese forces in China.
• Joseph Stalin: Directed Soviet consolidation in Bessarabia and Bukovina.
• Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress.

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July 11, 1941

Overview of Key Events

On July 11, 1941, Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union launched on June 22, saw significant German advances on the Eastern Front, particularly in the Baltic states and Ukraine, following the Battle of Bialystok-Minsk (concluded July 9). The Syria-Lebanon Campaign against Vichy French forces neared its end, with an armistice signed on July 11. The U.S. occupation of Iceland, initiated on July 7, continued to secure Atlantic convoy routes. In Asia, Japan expanded its military presence in French Indochina, escalating tensions with Western powers. Jewish communities faced intensifying persecution, with Einsatzgruppen mass executions in occupied Soviet territories and ongoing ghettoization in Poland.

European and Atlantic Theatre

• Operation Barbarossa (Ongoing):
  • Post-Bialystok-Minsk Advances: Following the German victory in the Battle of Bialystok-Minsk (June 22–July 9), which saw Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock) capture over 300,000 Soviet troops, German forces continued advancing on July 11. The 3rd Panzer Group (under General Hermann Hoth) and 2nd Panzer Group (under General Heinz Guderian), including the 17th Panzer Division, pushed toward Smolensk, engaging Soviet Western Front remnants (under General Andrey Yeremenko). Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 2 (Dornier Do 17 bombers) and Jagdgeschwader 51 (Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters) supported the advance, targeting Soviet supply lines and airfields.
  • Army Group North (Ongoing): German Army Group North (under Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb) advanced toward Pskov after capturing Riga (July 1). On July 11, the 18th Army and 4th Panzer Group (under General Erich Hoepner), including the 1st Panzer Division, engaged Soviet Northwestern Front (under General Fyodor Kuznetsov) near Lake Peipus, supported by Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 1 (Heinkel He 111 bombers). The advance, ongoing since June 22, continued toward Leningrad, leading to the siege starting in September 1941.
  • Army Group South (Ongoing): German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt) pressed toward Kiev, with the 6th Army and 1st Panzer Group (under General Ewald von Kleist) engaging Soviet Southwestern Front (under General Mikhail Kirponos) near Zhytomyr. Soviet T-34 tanks and IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft countered German Panzer IVs, slowing progress. This campaign, ongoing since June 22, continued through 1941, culminating in the Battle of Kiev (September 1941).
• Jewish Affairs (Ongoing): The German invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, was in its third week, with German forces advancing rapidly through Soviet territories, particularly in the Baltic states, Belarus, and Ukraine. This advance brought millions of Soviet Jews under Nazi control, triggering immediate and brutal persecution. The Nazi Einsatzgruppen, mobile killing squads, began systematic mass executions of Jewish populations in occupied areas, targeting men, women, and children. Soviet Jews faced mass shootings, forced labour, and the early stages of ghettoization in some regions, while others attempted evacuation or resistance. No specific event affecting Jews in the Soviet Union is recorded for July 11 in the Timeline of the Holocaust, but ongoing atrocities, particularly Einsatzgruppen killings in cities like Riga, Kaunas, and Lviv, and Soviet evacuation efforts define this period. The focus here is on the experiences of Soviet Jews, including those in annexed territories like eastern Poland, the Baltic states, and Bessarabia, which were part of the Soviet Union by 1941.
• Persecution and Mass Executions
• Einsatzgruppen Operations (Ongoing): Following the launch of Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941, four Einsatzgruppen (A, B, C, and D), under SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, conducted mass executions of Jews, communists, and other perceived enemies in occupied Soviet territories. On or around July 11, 1941:
  • Einsatzgruppe A (under SS-Obersturmbannführer Franz Walter Stahlecker) operated in the Baltic states. In Latvia, particularly Riga, and Lithuania, including Kaunas, hundreds of Jews were executed daily in mass shootings at sites like the Rumbula Forest (near Riga) and the Ninth Fort (Kaunas). Local collaborators, such as the Latvian Arajs Kommando, assisted, killing 2,000–3,000 Jews by mid-July across the region. Victims were rounded up, stripped of valuables, and shot in pits, with daily death tolls of 100–200 per city.
  • Einsatzgruppe B (under SS-Gruppenführer Arthur Nebe) targeted Belarus, focusing on Minsk and Vilna (Vilnius). On or around July 11, executions in Minsk’s Jewish quarter saw 500–1,000 Jews killed, often under the pretext of targeting “partisans.” The Ponary massacre near Vilna, ongoing since early July, claimed thousands of Jewish lives, with daily shootings of 100–300 by SS and Lithuanian auxiliaries.
  • Einsatzgruppe C (under SS-Obergruppenführer Otto Rasch) operated in western Ukraine, particularly Lviv and Zhytomyr. Following Lviv’s occupation on June 30, 1941, pogroms and Einsatzgruppe killings on or around July 11 targeted the city’s 150,000 Jews, with 1,000–2,000 executed in the Janowska camp or nearby forests. Ukrainian militias, incited by Nazi propaganda, participated in pogroms, killing dozens daily.
  • Einsatzgruppe D (under SS-Obergruppenführer Otto Ohlendorf) operated in southern Ukraine and Bessarabia. In Kishinev (Chișinău), executions of Jewish intellectuals and community leaders began, with 200–300 killed daily by mid-July. These killings, ongoing since June 1941, escalated through 1941–1942, with over 100,000 Soviet Jewish deaths by August 1941.
• Ghettoization (Early Stages): In occupied Soviet territories, Nazis began establishing ghettos to isolate Jewish populations. On or around July 11, the Riga Ghetto was forming, confining 30,000 Jews under brutal conditions, with daily rations below 200 calories and typhus outbreaks killing 10–20 daily. In Minsk, a ghetto for 100,000 Jews was being organized, with forced relocations and property confiscation by SS authorities. In Lviv, the groundwork for a ghetto (formalized later in 1941) saw Jews confined to designated areas, facing starvation and forced labor. Ghettoization, ongoing since July 1941, continued through 1942, setting the stage for deportations to death camps like Treblinka and Belzec.
• Forced Labor and Persecution: Soviet Jews in occupied areas were conscripted for forced labour, building roads and fortifications under German oversight. In Ukraine and Belarus, labour battalions faced brutal conditions, with daily deaths of 5–10 per site from exhaustion or execution for non-compliance. In the Baltic states, Jewish men were targeted for “work details,” often a pretext for execution, with 50–100 killed daily across labour sites.
• Evacuation Efforts: The Soviet government, under Joseph Stalin, prioritized evacuating populations eastward to escape the German advance. On or around July 11, thousands of Jews from western Soviet territories (Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states) fled to the Urals, Siberia, and Central Asia. Estimates suggest 1–1.5 million Soviet Jews were evacuated by late 1941, though logistical chaos (limited trains, overcrowded routes) left many stranded. In cities like Kiev and Odessa, Jewish families faced difficult choices, with some joining collective evacuations organized by Soviet authorities, while others remained due to elderly or infirm relatives. Evacuation, ongoing since June 1941, continued through 1941, saving significant numbers but leaving millions under Nazi control.
• Resistance and Survival: Jewish resistance was limited but emerging. In Vilna, early underground groups like the United Partisan Organization (FPO) began forming, led by figures like Abba Kovner, distributing leaflets and planning sabotage, though armed resistance was minimal in July 1941. In Minsk and Riga, Jewish intellectuals organized secret schools and cultural activities to maintain morale. Many Jews hid with non-Jewish families or in forests, though local antisemitism and Nazi rewards for informers (e.g., 5 Reichsmarks per Jew) limited success. Resistance efforts, ongoing since 1941, grew into organized uprisings by 1943, such as in the Warsaw Ghetto (outside the Soviet Union).
• Aid and Emigration: Emigration was nearly impossible due to Nazi blockades and Soviet restrictions on leaving the country. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) had limited reach in the Soviet Union, focusing aid on Polish Jewish refugees in Soviet territory, providing food and medical supplies to fewer than 5,000 by mid-1941. The British 1939 White Paper, limiting Palestine entry to 75,000 Jewish immigrants over five years, further restricted escape routes. Soviet Jews relied on local networks for survival, with some joining Soviet partisan units, though Jewish participation was under 1% of total partisans in July 1941.
• Outcomes
• The rapid German advance under Operation Barbarossa brought approximately 3 million Soviet Jews under Nazi control by July 1941, with Einsatzgruppen killings claiming thousands of lives daily across the Baltic states, Belarus, and Ukraine. By mid-July, an estimated 50,000–100,000 Soviet Jews had been executed, with daily death tolls of 2,000–5,000 across occupied territories. Ghettoization and forced labor further decimated communities, with starvation and disease causing hundreds of deaths weekly. Soviet evacuation efforts saved significant numbers, but millions remained trapped, facing annihilation as the Final Solution escalated. Early Jewish resistance laid the groundwork for later partisan and ghetto uprisings, though it had limited immediate impact in July 1941.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

• Syria-Lebanon Campaign (Operation Exporter, Concluded July 11): Launched on June 8, 1941, the Allied campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria and Lebanon ended with an armistice signed on July 11 in Acre. Australian 7th Division (under Major General John Lavarack), British 7th Division, Free French 1st Division (under General Paul Legentilhomme), and 5th Indian Brigade had advanced, capturing Palmyra (July 1) and pushing toward Beirut. On July 11, Vichy French forces, including the 6th Foreign Legion and 22nd Algerian Tirailleurs, under General Henri Dentz, agreed to the armistice, ceding control of Syria and Lebanon to the Allies. Supported by No. 3 Squadron RAAF (Hawker Hurricanes) and Royal Navy ships like HMS Ajax, the Allies secured the region. The campaign, concluding on July 11, marked a strategic victory.
• Outcomes: The armistice ended Vichy control in the Levant, securing Middle Eastern oil routes and strengthening Allied positions in the Mediterranean.

Pacific Theatre

• No significant military engagements occurred in the Pacific on July 11, 1941. The U.S. Pacific Fleet (under Admiral Husband E. Kimmel) strengthened defenses at Pearl Harbor, conducting routine patrols and training with ships like USS Enterprise. Japan focused on consolidating Asian gains and deploying troops to French Indochina, with no direct Pacific confrontations.
• Outcomes: The Pacific remained a latent theatre, with Japan’s preparations foreshadowing its December 1941 attacks, including Pearl Harbor.

Asian Theatre

• China (Ongoing): 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 (1940). Chinese communist forces used guerrilla tactics to disrupt Japanese garrisons, railways, and supply lines, targeting outposts. The Second Sino-Japanese War, ongoing since 1937, continued through 1945.
• French Indochina (Ongoing): Japan’s Southern Army (under General Hisaichi Terauchi) continued deploying troops to southern French Indochina, following agreements with Vichy France (finalized June 29–30, 1941), positioning forces for planned invasions of Southeast Asia, including Malaya and the Philippines. This escalation, ongoing through 1941, prompted U.S. and British economic sanctions, including oil embargoes.
• Outcomes: Japanese operations in China faced persistent resistance, limiting consolidation. Indochina deployments strengthened Japan’s strategic position but escalated tensions with Western powers.

Key Personalities

• Field Marshal Fedor von Bock: Led Army Group Center in Barbarossa’s advance.
• Reinhard Heydrich: Directed Einsatzgruppen mass executions in Soviet territories.
• Major General John Lavarack: Commanded Australian forces in Syria.
• General Zhu De: Led Chinese communist resistance against Japan.
• General Hisaichi Terauchi: Oversaw Japanese deployments in Indochina.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: Authorized U.S. occupation of Iceland.
• Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress.

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July 11, 1942

Overview of Key Events

On July 11, 1942, the First Battle of El Alamein in North Africa continued, with British forces holding defensive lines against General Erwin Rommel’s Axis advance. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced in Operation Case Blue, capturing Rostov-on-Don and pushing toward the Caucasus, while Soviet resistance intensified. In the Atlantic, the Convoy PQ 17 disaster concluded, with significant losses to German U-boats and aircraft. Holocaust deportations from Western Europe and Poland to death camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau and Belzec escalated under Operation Reinhard. In the Pacific, U.S. forces prepared for the Guadalcanal Campaign, set to begin in August. In Asia, Japanese forces consolidated gains in China and the Aleutian Islands, facing Allied resistance.

European and Atlantic Theatre

• Operation Case Blue (Ongoing): Launched on June 28, 1942, Operation Case Blue aimed to seize the Caucasus oil fields. On July 11, German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock), split into Army Group A (under Field Marshal Wilhelm List) and Army Group B (under General Maximilian von Weichs), advanced toward Rostov-on-Don. The 4th Panzer Army (under General Hermann Hoth) and 6th Army (under General Friedrich Paulus), including the 3rd Panzer Division and 16th Panzer Division, engaged Soviet Southwestern Front (under Marshal Semyon Timoshenko) and Southern Front (under General Rodion Malinovsky) near the Don River. Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 55 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) and Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 87 Stukas) supported German Panzer IV tanks against Soviet T-34s and IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft. The operation, ongoing until February 1943, set the stage for the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942–February 1943).
• Convoy PQ 17 Disaster (Ongoing): Arctic Convoy PQ 17, en route to the Soviet Union, faced devastating attacks after Allied escorts withdrew on July 4 due to a mistaken threat from the German battleship Tirpitz. By July 11, German U-boats (including U-456 and U-703) and Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 30 (Ju 88 bombers) had sunk 24 of 35 merchant ships, with attacks tapering off as surviving vessels reached Soviet ports like Archangel. British destroyers like HMS Keppel and U.S. ships like USS Wainwright provided limited protection to the scattered convoy. The convoy’s ordeal, starting June 27, effectively concluded by July 11, 1942, severely disrupting Allied aid to the Soviets.
• Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
  • Nazi-Occupied Poland: Under Operation Reinhard, led by SS-Gruppenführer Odilo Globocnik, deportations from Polish ghettos to death camps intensified. On or around July 11, Jews from the Zamość and Lublin ghettos were deported to Belzec, where thousands were gassed upon arrival. The Warsaw Ghetto, confining over 400,000 Jews, faced dire conditions—starvation (daily rations below 200 calories), typhus, and forced labor—with SS authorities, including Jürgen Stroop, preparing for mass deportations to Treblinka, set to begin July 22, 1942. Ghettoization, ongoing since 1939, continued through 1943.
  • Western Europe: Deportations from the Netherlands and France to Auschwitz-Birkenau, organized by Adolf Eichmann, escalated. On or around July 11, a transport from Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands sent approximately 1,000 Jews to Auschwitz, where most were gassed. In occupied France, under Theodor Dannecker, Jewish registration and arrests targeted 150,000 Jews, with preparations for the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup (July 16–17, 1942) underway. In Vichy France, anti-Jewish laws since October 1940 marginalized 300,000 Jews (120,000 in France, 180,000 in North Africa). These measures, ongoing since 1940, continued through 1944.
• Outcomes: German advances in Case Blue threatened Soviet resources, though resistance slowed progress. PQ 17 losses exposed convoy vulnerabilities, crippling Soviet aid. Holocaust deportations killed thousands daily, advancing the Final Solution, while Jewish resistance networks began to organize.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

• First Battle of El Alamein (Ongoing): Launched on July 1, 1942, the battle continued on July 11, with General Erwin Rommel’s Panzer Army Africa, including the 15th Panzer Division, 21st Panzer Division, and Italian XX Corps (Ariete Division), pressing British defenses at El Alamein, Egypt. The British Eighth Army (under General Claude Auchinleck), with the 2nd South African Division, 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, and 1st Armoured Division, held key positions like Ruweisat Ridge, using Matilda II tanks and 6-pounder anti-tank guns against German Panzer IVs and 88mm Flak guns. RAF No. 211 Group (Hurricane fighters) provided air support. The battle, ongoing until July 27, 1942, marked a critical defensive stand.
• Outcomes: The Eighth Army’s defense halted Rommel’s advance, protecting Egypt and the Suez Canal, setting the stage for the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942.

Pacific Theatre

• Guadalcanal Campaign Preparations (Ongoing): U.S. forces under Admiral Chester Nimitz continued preparing for the Guadalcanal Campaign, set for August 7, 1942. On July 11, 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, mapping Japanese defenses of the 17th Army (under General Harukichi Hyakutake). Preparations, ongoing since June 1942, continued until the campaign’s start.
• Outcomes: U.S. preparations positioned forces for the first major Allied offensive in the Pacific, shifting momentum post-Midway (June 1942).

Asian Theatre

• China (Ongoing): The Japanese China Expeditionary Army (under General Yasuji Okamura) conducted mopping-up operations in Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces after the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign (April–July 1942), targeting Chinese 3rd War Area forces (under General Gu Zhutong). Chinese guerrilla resistance from the 8th Route Army (under General Zhu De) disrupted Japanese control, securing airfields used in the Doolittle Raid (April 1942). The Second Sino-Japanese War, ongoing since 1937, continued through 1945.
• Aleutian Islands (Ongoing): Japanese Imperial Navy forces maintained positions in the Aleutian Islands (Attu and Kiska), occupied since June 1942, despite logistical strains post-Midway. The occupation, ongoing until August 1943, faced limited U.S. counterattacks.
• Outcomes: Japanese efforts in China met persistent resistance, limiting consolidation. Aleutian occupations diverted resources with minimal strategic impact.

Key Personalities

• General Friedrich Paulus: Led German 6th Army in Case Blue.
• General Erwin Rommel: Commanded Axis forces at El Alamein.
• General Claude Auchinleck: Led British Eighth Army in El Alamein’s defense.
• Adolf Eichmann: Oversaw Holocaust deportations to Auschwitz.
• General Yasuji Okamura: Directed Japanese operations in China.
• Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress.

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July 11, 1943

Overview of Key Events

On July 11, 1943, the Battle of Kursk, one of the largest battles in history, continued on the Eastern Front, with Soviet forces countering German Operation Citadel, launched on July 5, marking a critical turning point. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) had begun on July 10, with intense fighting as British and U.S. forces established beachheads against Axis defences. In the Pacific, the New Georgia Campaign saw U.S. forces advancing against Japanese positions in the Solomon Islands. Holocaust liquidations and deportations intensified, particularly in Poland and the Netherlands, as part of Operation Reinhard. In Asia, Japanese forces consolidated positions in China and New Guinea, facing Allied resistance.

European and Atlantic Theatre

• Battle of Kursk (Operation Citadel, Ongoing): Launched on July 5, 1943, Operation Citadel saw German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Erich von Manstein) and Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Günther von Kluge) attacking the Soviet salient around Kursk. On July 11, the German 4th Panzer Army (under General Hermann Hoth), 9th Army (under General Walter Model), and Army Detachment Kempf pressed forward with the 3rd Panzer Division, 11th Panzer Division, and SS Panzer Corps (1st, 2nd, and 3rd SS Panzer Divisions), using Panzer IV, Tiger I, and Panther tanks. Luftwaffe units like Kampfgeschwader 55 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) and Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 87 Stukas) supported the assault. Soviet Central Front (under General Konstantin Rokossovsky) and Voronezh Front (under General Nikolai Vatutin), with the 13th Army, 5th Guards Army, and 5th Guards Tank Army, countered with T-34 tanks, anti-tank guns, and IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft. Intense fighting near Prokhorovka (set for a major tank battle on July 12) and Ponyri inflicted heavy losses, with Soviet defenses holding key positions. The battle, ongoing until July 23, 1943, marked a decisive Soviet victory, shifting Eastern Front momentum.
• Allied Air Raids (Ongoing): 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 or around July 11, RAF No. 5 Group (Avro Lancasters) targeted Essen, while the U.S. 100th Bomb Group (B-17 Flying Fortresses) struck Hamburg’s U-boat pens, aiming to disrupt German production. These raids, ongoing since 1942, continued through 1945, weakening German infrastructure at the cost of significant aircraft losses.
• Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
  • Nazi-Occupied Poland: The liquidation of the Lviv Ghetto, overseen by SS and Police Leader Friedrich Katzmann, was nearly complete by July 11, following its initiation in June 1943. Most remaining Jews were deported to Belzec death camp or executed at Janowska labor camp, with minimal resistance due to overwhelming SS and Ukrainian auxiliary forces. The Warsaw Ghetto, reduced after the April–May 1943 uprising, saw surviving Jews in hiding or forced labor camps facing ongoing persecution under SS authorities like Jürgen Stroop. Deportations from other Polish ghettos, such as Bialystok, to Treblinka and Auschwitz-Birkenau continued as part of Operation Reinhard, ongoing since 1942, with thousands gassed weekly.
  • Western Europe: Deportations from the Netherlands via Westerbork transit camp to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Sobibor intensified, organized by Adolf Eichmann. On or around July 11, a transport of approximately 1,000 Jews from Westerbork was sent to Auschwitz, where most were gassed upon arrival. In occupied France, anti-Jewish measures, including arrests and property confiscation, targeted 150,000 Jews, with deportations via Drancy camp escalating. These measures, ongoing since 1940, continued through 1944.
  • Jewish Responses: Emigration was nearly impossible due to Nazi restrictions and global barriers, like the British 1939 White Paper limiting Palestine entry. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) provided limited aid, but few escaped. In Poland, surviving Jewish resistance groups, such as the ŻOB (Jewish Fighting Organization), coordinated underground activities post-Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, focusing on survival and sabotage. Resistance, ongoing since 1942, persisted in hiding and small-scale actions through 1945.
• Outcomes: The Battle of Kursk saw Soviet forces absorbing German assaults, inflicting significant losses and setting the stage for a strategic shift. Allied air raids weakened German infrastructure, though at high cost. Holocaust liquidations and deportations decimated Jewish populations, with resistance offering limited opposition.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

• Operation Husky (Invasion of Sicily, Ongoing): Launched on July 10, 1943, the Allied invasion of Sicily saw intense fighting on July 11. The British Eighth Army (under General Bernard Montgomery), including the 51st (Highland) Division and 1st Canadian Infantry Division, advanced from Syracuse toward Catania, engaging Italian 6th Army (under General Alfredo Guzzoni) and German 15th Panzergrenadier Division. The U.S. Seventh Army (under General George S. Patton), with the 2nd Armored Division and 82nd Airborne Division, secured Gela and Licata against the German Hermann Göring Division. Supported by RAF No. 205 Group (Wellington bombers), U.S. 12th Air Force (B-25 Mitchells), and naval bombardment from HMS Warspite and USS Savannah, Allied forces established beachheads despite fierce Axis resistance, including Italian Livorno Division counterattacks. The campaign, ongoing until August 17, 1943, aimed to capture Sicily and weaken Axis control in the Mediterranean.
• Outcomes: Allied beachheads in Sicily pressured Axis forces, diverting German resources from the Eastern Front and setting the stage for Italy’s invasion.

Pacific Theatre

• New Georgia Campaign (Ongoing): Launched on June 30, 1943, the U.S.-led New Georgia Campaign in the Solomon Islands continued under Admiral William F. Halsey. On July 11, the 43rd Infantry Division (under Major General John H. Hester) and 4th Marine Raider Battalion advanced toward Munda Point airfield, engaging Japanese 17th Army (under General Harukichi Hyakutake). P-38 Lightning fighters of the 339th Fighter Squadron provided air cover, while Task Force 31 (under Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner), including destroyers like USS Ralph Talbot, supported operations. Japanese coastal defenses and A6M Zero fighters from the 251st Air Group resisted fiercely. The campaign, ongoing until August 25, 1943, aimed to capture key airfields.
• Outcomes: The New Georgia Campaign challenged Japanese control in the Solomons, though heavy resistance slowed Allied progress, contributing to prolonged fighting.

Asian Theatre

• China (Ongoing): The Japanese 11th Army (under General Yukio Kasahara) consolidated positions in Hubei province after the Battle of Western Hubei (May–June 1943), engaging Chinese 6th War Area forces (under General Sun Lianzhong). Chinese troops employed guerrilla tactics to disrupt Japanese supply lines, targeting railways and outposts. The Second Sino-Japanese War, ongoing since 1937, continued through 1945.
• New Guinea (Ongoing): 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). These operations, ongoing since 1942, continued through 1944.
• Outcomes: Japanese control in Hubei faced persistent Chinese resistance, limiting consolidation. New Guinea defenses prepared for Allied offensives, straining Japanese resources.

Key Personalities

• Field Marshal Erich von Manstein: Led German Army Group South in Kursk.
• General Konstantin Rokossovsky: Commanded Soviet Central Front in Kursk.
• General Bernard Montgomery: Led British Eighth Army in Sicily.
• General George S. Patton: Led U.S. Seventh Army in Sicily.
• Adolf Eichmann: Organized deportations to Auschwitz and Sobibor.
• Admiral William F. Halsey: Directed U.S. forces in the New Georgia Campaign.

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July 11, 1944

Overview of Key Events

On July 11, 1944, Soviet forces continued their advance in Operation Bagration, pushing toward Poland after devastating German Army Group Center, while in Normandy, Allied forces consolidated gains following the capture of Caen during Operation Charnwood (July 8–9). In the Pacific, U.S. forces mopped up resistance on Saipan after its capture on July 9, strengthening their position in the Mariana Islands. Holocaust deportations from Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued at their peak, though international pressure began to slow them. In Asia, Japan’s Operation Ichi-Go advanced in China, while Allied forces pursued retreating Japanese troops in Burma after the Imphal victory.

European and Atlantic Theatre

• Operation Bagration (Ongoing): Launched on June 22, 1944, Operation Bagration saw Soviet forces of the 1st Belorussian Front (under General Konstantin Rokossovsky), 2nd Belorussian Front (under General Georgiy Zakharov), and 3rd Belorussian Front (under General Ivan Chernyakhovsky) advancing toward Poland after capturing Minsk (July 3–4). On July 11, the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army, 65th Army, and 3rd Army, equipped with T-34/85 tanks and supported by IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft, pushed toward Grodno and Białystok, engaging remnants of German Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Walter Model). The German 4th Army and 9th Army, reinforced by the 5th Panzer Division and 12th Panzer Division, attempted to hold defensive lines but were overwhelmed. Luftwaffe support from Kampfgeschwader 4 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) was minimal due to fuel shortages. The operation, ongoing until August 29, 1944, aimed to liberate Belarus and push into Poland, severely weakening German defenses.
• Normandy Campaign (Operation Overlord, Ongoing): Following the capture of northern Caen on July 9 during Operation Charnwood, the British Second Army (under General Bernard Montgomery) consolidated positions on July 11. The British VIII Corps (under Lieutenant General Richard O’Connor), including the 51st (Highland) Division and Canadian 3rd Infantry Division, fortified Caen against German Panzer Group West (under General Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg), which included the 12th SS Panzer Division and 21st Panzer Division. Meanwhile, the U.S. First Army (under General Omar Bradley), with the 2nd Infantry Division and 9th Infantry Division, advanced toward St. Lô, engaging the German 352nd Infantry Division and 3rd Parachute Division. Allied air support from RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force (Hawker Typhoons) and U.S. Ninth Air Force (P-47 Thunderbolts), along with naval bombardment from HMS Rodney, supported ground operations. Operation Overlord, ongoing since June 6, 1944, continued until August 30, 1944, aiming to liberate France.
• V-1 Attacks (Ongoing): Germany’s V-1 flying bomb campaign, launched from Pas-de-Calais, continued targeting London, operated by Flak-Regiment 155 (W). On July 11, British defenses, including anti-aircraft batteries and RAF Tempest fighters of No. 3 Squadron, intercepted several V-1s, though civilian casualties persisted. The campaign, ongoing since June 13, 1944, continued into early 1945, causing disruption but limited strategic impact.
• Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
  • Nazi-Occupied Poland: Deportations from the Łódź Ghetto to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Chelmno continued under SS authorities like Hans Biebow. On or around July 11, hundreds of Jews, including workers and families, were deported, with most gassed upon arrival. The Warsaw Ghetto, largely destroyed after the 1943 uprising, saw surviving Jews in hiding or forced labor camps facing ongoing persecution. These deportations, part of the aftermath of Operation Reinhard, continued through 1944, with the Łódź Ghetto liquidation accelerating in August 1944.
  • Hungary: Deportations from Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau, organized by Adolf Eichmann, were at their peak, with daily trains from Budapest and provincial towns carrying 2,000–3,000 Jews, most of whom were gassed upon arrival. On or around July 11, transports continued, though international pressure, including from neutral countries and the War Refugee Board, began slowing deportations, with Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy halting some transports by late July. The Hungarian deportations, ongoing since May 15, 1944, largely ceased by August 1944, with over 400,000 Jews deported.
  • Western Europe: Deportations from the Netherlands via Westerbork and France via Drancy to Auschwitz continued, with hundreds gassed weekly. Anti-Jewish measures, including arrests and property confiscation, targeted 140,000 Jews in the Netherlands and 150,000 in France, ongoing since 1940 through 1944.
  • Jewish Responses: Emigration was nearly impossible due to Nazi restrictions and global barriers, like the British 1939 White Paper limiting Palestine entry. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) provided limited aid, primarily food and medical supplies. Jewish resistance groups, such as the ŻOB (Jewish Fighting Organization) in Poland, focused on survival and sabotage in hiding, while Zionist groups like Hashomer Hatzair organized clandestine emigration to Palestine (Aliyah Bet). Resistance, ongoing since 1942, persisted in limited forms through 1945.
• Outcomes: Operation Bagration decimated German Army Group Center, opening the path to Poland and shifting Eastern Front momentum. Consolidation in Normandy strengthened Allied positions, paving the way for further advances. V-1 attacks disrupted British civilians but had limited strategic impact. Holocaust deportations, especially from Hungary, killed thousands daily, though international efforts began to curb Hungarian transports, while Jewish resistance remained limited but persistent.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

• Italian Campaign (Ongoing): 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). On July 11, 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) and RAF No. 239 Wing (Kittyhawk fighters). The campaign, ongoing since June 1944, continued until May 1945, aiming to push German forces out of Italy.
• Operation Dragoon Preparations (Ongoing): Planning for the invasion of southern France (set for August 15, 1944) continued, with the U.S. Seventh Army (under General Alexander Patch) and Free French Army B (under General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny) organizing in North Africa for amphibious landings. Coordination with French Resistance groups, including the Maquis, intensified. Preparations, ongoing since early 1944, culminated in August 1944.
• Outcomes: Allied advances in Italy weakened German defenses, while Dragoon preparations set the stage for a second European front, further straining Axis resources.

Pacific Theatre

• Battle of Saipan (Operation Forager, Mopping-Up Operations): The Battle of Saipan, launched on June 15, 1944, was declared secure on July 9, but mopping-up operations continued on July 11. The U.S. 2nd Marine Division, 4th Marine Division, and 27th Infantry Division (under Lieutenant General Holland Smith) conducted sweeps against isolated Japanese pockets of the 31st Army (under Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito, deceased July 7). Supported by Task Force 58 (under Admiral Marc Mitscher), including USS Tennessee for naval bombardment, U.S. forces neutralized remaining resistance, though small groups of Japanese soldiers and civilians hid in caves. These operations, ongoing through July 1944, followed Saipan’s capture, a major Allied victory.
• Outcomes: Saipan’s capture secured the Mariana Islands, providing airfields for B-29 bombers and weakening Japan’s defensive perimeter, contributing to the fall of Prime Minister Hideki Tojo’s government in July 1944.

Asian Theatre

• Operation Ichi-Go (Ongoing): 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). On July 11, the Japanese 12th Army pressed toward Hengyang after capturing Changsha (June 1944), engaging Chinese 74th Army in defensive battles. Supported by limited air cover from the 5th Air Army (Ki-43 fighters), Japanese forces faced Chinese guerrilla resistance and U.S. 14th Air Force (P-51 Mustang fighters). The operation, ongoing since April 1944, continued until December 1944.
• India-Burma Theatre (Ongoing): Following the Japanese 15th Army’s (under General Renya Mutaguchi) withdrawal from Imphal, India, completed on July 8, British 14th Army (under General William Slim), including Indian 5th Division and British 2nd Division, pursued Japanese forces toward the Chindwin River on July 11. Supported by RAF No. 221 Group (Hurricane fighters), Allied forces engaged Japanese rearguards in the Sittang Bend. The Burma Campaign, ongoing since 1944, continued until August 1945.
• Outcomes: Japanese gains in China threatened Allied airfields but faced resistance, limiting consolidation. The Imphal victory and subsequent pursuit strengthened Allied control in Burma, weakening Japanese forces.

Key Personalities

• General Konstantin Rokossovsky: Commanded Soviet 1st Belorussian Front in Bagration.
• General Bernard Montgomery: Led British Second Army in Normandy.
• Lieutenant General Holland Smith: Directed U.S. forces on Saipan.
• Adolf Eichmann: Oversaw Hungarian deportations to Auschwitz.
• General William Slim: Led British 14th Army in Burma.
• General Yasuji Okamura: Led Operation Ichi-Go in China.

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July 11, 1945

Overview of Key Events

On July 11, 1945, the European war had concluded with Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945, and Allied efforts focused on post-war occupation, reconstruction, and managing Holocaust survivors in Displaced Persons (DP) camps. In the Pacific, the Battle of Balikpapan in Borneo, part of Operation Oboe, continued with Australian forces advancing against Japanese defences. Mopping-up operations persisted in the Philippines and Okinawa, following their respective liberations. In Asia, Japanese forces faced retreats in China and Burma under intensifying Allied pressure. Preparations for the Potsdam Conference (set for July 17–August 2, 1945) were also underway, shaping post-war policies.

European and Atlantic Theatre

• Post-War Occupation (Ongoing): Following Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945, Allied forces administered occupation zones in Germany and Austria, as agreed at the Yalta Conference (February 1945). On July 11, Soviet forces, including the 1st Baltic Front (under General Ivan Bagramyan), controlled eastern Germany and Poland, while U.S. forces, such as the 3rd Army (under General George S. Patton), managed southern Germany. The Polish Provisional Government of National Unity, led by Edward Osóbka-Morawski, operational since June 28, 1945, consolidated Soviet-backed governance. Allied efforts, ongoing since May 1945, focused on denazification, rebuilding infrastructure, and managing over 7 million Displaced Persons (DPs), including 50,000–100,000 Jewish survivors. Preparations for the Potsdam Conference, set to address post-war boundaries and reparations, were in progress, involving U.S. President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin.
• Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
  • Displaced Persons Camps: Jewish Holocaust survivors were primarily housed in DP camps such as Feldafing and Landsberg (U.S. zone, Germany), Bergen-Belsen (British zone, Germany), and Santa Cesarea (Italy). On or around July 11, survivors at Bergen-Belsen, liberated on April 15, 1945, continued to face health challenges, with ongoing deaths from typhus, dysentery, and malnutrition (daily caloric intake often below 1,500 calories). British medical units, including the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station, provided care, while at Feldafing, Jewish survivors organized self-governance, education, and Yiddish cultural activities, despite psychological trauma and resource shortages. These conditions, ongoing since liberation in spring 1945, persisted through the late 1940s.
  • Relief Efforts: The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) supplied food, medical care, and family tracing services. On or around July 11, JDC teams distributed kosher food and religious materials in camps like Landsberg, but logistical constraints limited aid to about 30% of needed supplies, a challenge ongoing through 1945–1946.
  • Antisemitism and Repatriation: In Poland, antisemitic violence, including attacks in Kraków and Lublin, deterred Jewish repatriation, with dozens killed in summer 1945 pogroms. Approximately 200,000 Polish Jewish survivors faced hostility, prompting emigration to Palestine or Western countries. Zionist groups, led by David Ben-Gurion, organized clandestine Aliyah Bet to bypass British 1939 White Paper restrictions, ongoing through the 1940s.
  • War Crimes Trials Preparation: Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials (set for November 1945) advanced, with the United Nations War Crimes Commission collecting survivor testimonies and evidence from camps like Dachau (liberated April 29, 1945) and Buchenwald (liberated April 8, 1945), documenting gas chambers and mass graves. These efforts, ongoing since mid-1945, continued into 1946.
• Outcomes: Soviet and Allied occupation shaped post-war Europe, setting the stage for Cold War tensions. Jewish survivors struggled in under-resourced DP camps, with antisemitism fueling Zionist emigration. Trial preparations laid groundwork for justice, though limited in immediate scope.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

• Post-War Stabilization (Ongoing): With the European and North African campaigns concluded by May 1945, Allied forces, including the British Eighth Army and U.S. Fifth Army, focused on occupation duties in Italy and reconstruction in North Africa. On July 11, efforts emphasized infrastructure repair, repatriation of prisoners, and administration of former Axis territories. These activities, ongoing since May 1945, continued through the post-war period.
• Outcomes: The Mediterranean transitioned to stabilization, with Allied efforts centered on demobilization and humanitarian aid.

Pacific Theatre

• Battle of Balikpapan (Ongoing): Launched on July 1, 1945, the Australian-led Battle of Balikpapan in Borneo, part of Operation Oboe, continued on July 11. The Australian 7th Division (under Major General Edward Milford), including the 2/9th Battalion, 2/10th Battalion, and 2/1st Pioneer Battalion, advanced inland, capturing oil facilities and engaging Japanese 37th Army (under Lieutenant General Masao Baba). Supported by RAAF No. 76 Squadron (P-40 Kittyhawk fighters), U.S. Navy Task Force 74 (including USS Phoenix), and Dutch KNIL units, Australian forces overcame Japanese fortified positions and Type 95 Ha-Go tanks, securing strategic ridges. The battle, ongoing until July 21, 1945, aimed to secure Borneo’s oil fields.
• Philippines Liberation (Ongoing): Following General Douglas MacArthur’s announcement of the Philippines’ liberation on July 5, 1945, U.S. Sixth Army (under General Walter Krueger) and Eighth Army (under General Robert Eichelberger), supported by Filipino guerrillas, conducted mopping-up operations against isolated Japanese pockets of the 14th Area Army (under General Tomoyuki Yamashita). On July 11, operations focused on Luzon and Mindanao, neutralizing remaining resistance, ongoing through August 1945.
• Battle of Okinawa (Ongoing): The Okinawa campaign ended on June 22, 1945, but mopping-up operations continued against remnants of the Japanese 32nd Army (under Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, killed June 22). On July 11, U.S. 10th Army (under General Roy S. Geiger), with the 1st Marine Division and 96th Infantry Division, conducted sweeps around Mabuni, neutralizing small Japanese pockets and defending against isolated kamikaze attacks by A6M Zero fighters. These operations, ongoing since June 1945, tapered off by late July 1945.
• Outcomes: The Philippines’ liberation restored Allied control, weakening Japanese logistics. Australian advances in Balikpapan secured key resources. Okinawa’s capture provided a staging base for the planned invasion of Japan, at a cost of over 12,000 U.S. and 110,000 Japanese lives.

Asian Theatre

• Borneo Campaign (Operation Oboe, Ongoing): Beyond Balikpapan, the Australian 9th Division (under Major General George Wootten) advanced in northern Borneo, securing Labuan Island and Brunei Bay against Japanese 37th Army. On July 11, the 2/28th Battalion and 2/12th Commando Squadron pushed inland, engaging Japanese guerrilla forces, supported by RAAF No. 76 Squadron and HMAS Shropshire. The campaign, ongoing since June 1945, continued until August 1945.
• China (Battle of West Hunan, Ongoing): The Japanese China Expeditionary Army (under General Yasuji Okamura) continued retreating in Guangxi and Hunan provinces, pursued by Chinese 3rd War Area forces (under General He Yingqin). On July 11, the Chinese 74th Army recaptured territory, aided by U.S. 14th Air Force (P-51 Mustang fighters), disrupting Japanese supply lines. The campaign, ongoing since April 1945, concluded in August 1945.
• Burma Campaign (Ongoing): The Japanese Burma Area Army (under General Hyotaro Kimura) retreated toward the Sittang River after losing Rangoon (May 1945). On July 11, British 14th Army (under General William Slim), including Indian 5th Division and British 2nd Division, engaged Japanese rearguards in the Sittang Bend, supported by RAF No. 221 Group (Hurricane fighters). The campaign, ongoing since 1944, continued until August 1945.
• Outcomes: Australian advances in Borneo secured strategic resources. Chinese counteroffensives reclaimed territory, weakening Japanese control. Japanese retreats in Burma solidified Allied dominance.

Key Personalities

• General Douglas MacArthur: Oversaw the Philippines’ liberation, announced July 5.
• Edward Osóbka-Morawski: Led the Polish Provisional Government, influencing Jewish repatriation challenges.
• General Ivan Bagramyan: Oversaw Soviet occupation in Eastern Europe.
• Major General Edward Milford: Commanded Australian 7th Division at Balikpapan.
• General William Slim: Led British 14th Army in Burma.
• David Ben-Gurion: Advocated for Jewish emigration to Palestine.

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