Each Day in World War II – 12th July

July 12, 1940

Overview of Key Events

On July 12, 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, continued with Luftwaffe attacks on British shipping convoys and coastal targets, testing RAF Fighter Command’s defences in preparation for Operation Sea Lion, the planned German invasion of Britain. Italian air raids targeted Malta, a key British stronghold in the Mediterranean. In Asia, Japan expanded its military presence in French Indochina and consolidated gains in China. Jewish communities faced intensifying persecution through ghettoization in Poland and anti-Jewish laws in occupied Western Europe and Vichy France.

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 defenses and disrupt supply lines. On July 12, 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 the Thames Estuary, and targeted coastal defenses. The raids aimed to draw out RAF fighters and assess British radar capabilities. 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. 74 Squadron (RAF Hornchurch) and No. 111 Squadron (RAF Croydon). Engagements on July 12 resulted in minor losses, with the Luftwaffe losing approximately 3–5 aircraft (including Do 17s and Bf 109s) and the RAF losing 1–2 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.
Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
- Nazi-Occupied Poland: In the General Government, under Hans Frank, ghettoization intensified. The Warsaw Ghetto, in the process of confining over 400,000 Jews, faced early restrictions by July 12, causing overcrowding, starvation (daily rations below 200 calories), and typhus outbreaks. In Kraków, approximately 60,000 Jews were being isolated in a forming ghetto, with forced relocations and property confiscation. Forced labor programs, enforced by SS authorities like Theodor Dannecker, conscripted Jews for infrastructure projects under brutal conditions, with violence targeting Jewish leaders. Ghettoization, ongoing since 1939, continued through 1941, setting the stage for deportations starting in 1942.
Outcomes: The Kanalkampf tested RAF defenses, with British radar and fighters preventing significant losses but revealing Luftwaffe persistence. Jewish ghettoization and anti-Jewish laws isolated communities, causing thousands of deaths, while early resistance provided limited hope.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

Siege of Malta (Ongoing): Italian Regia Aeronautica continued bombing raids on Malta, a critical British stronghold. On or around July 12, 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 defences.
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 12, 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

China (Ongoing): 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.
French Indochina (Ongoing): Japan, led by Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka, implemented agreements with Vichy France (finalized late June–early July 1940) 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.
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.
Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress.

July 12, 1941

German soldiers murdering Jewish family in Ukraine, date unknown

Overview of Key Events

On July 12, 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 concluded with an armistice signed on July 11, with Allied forces securing control on July 12. The U.S. occupation of Iceland, initiated on July 7, continued to safeguard 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 captured over 300,000 Soviet troops, German Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock) continued advancing on July 12. 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) targeted 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 12, the 18th Army and 4th Panzer Group (under General Erich Hoepner), including the 1st Panzer Division, clashed with 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 slowed German Panzer IVs. This campaign, ongoing since June 22, culminated in the Battle of Kiev (September 1941).
Anglo-Soviet Agreement (Specific Event): On July 12, 1941, the United Kingdom and Soviet Union signed the Anglo-Soviet Agreement in Moscow, formalized by British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and Soviet Ambassador Ivan Maisky. The agreement committed both nations to mutual assistance against Germany, prohibiting separate peace negotiations and pledging support until victory. This diplomatic milestone, a one-day event, strengthened the anti-Axis alliance, paving the way for increased Soviet aid via Arctic convoys starting in August 1941.
Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
- Nazi-Occupied Soviet Territories: Einsatzgruppen, under Reinhard Heydrich, escalated mass executions in occupied Soviet territories. In Latvia, Einsatzgruppe A (under SS-Obersturmbannführer Franz Walter Stahlecker) conducted pogroms, killing thousands of Jews in early July, particularly in Riga and Daugavpils. On or around July 12, executions continued in Ukraine, with Einsatzgruppe C targeting Jews in Lviv and Zhytomyr, often with Ukrainian collaborator support, killing hundreds in pits or synagogues. These killings, ongoing since June 1941, escalated through 1941–1942, targeting Jewish communities systematically.
Outcomes: German advances in Barbarossa threatened major Soviet cities, though resistance slowed progress. The Anglo-Soviet Agreement solidified the anti-Axis alliance, boosting Soviet morale and aid prospects. Holocaust mass executions and ghettoization killed thousands and isolated Jewish communities, with early resistance providing limited hope.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

Syria-Lebanon Campaign (Operation Exporter, Concluded July 12): 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, effective July 12. 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 12, Allied forces, supported by No. 3 Squadron RAAF (Hawker Hurricanes) and Royal Navy ships like HMS Ajax, assumed control as Vichy French forces, including the 6th Foreign Legion and 22nd Algerian Tirailleurs (under General Henri Dentz), surrendered. The campaign, concluding on July 12, 1941, secured the Levant for the Allies.
Outcomes: Allied control of Syria and Lebanon safeguarded Middle Eastern oil routes and strengthened Mediterranean positions, weakening Vichy France’s regional influence.

Pacific Theatre

No significant military engagements occurred in the Pacific on July 12, 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.
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.
Anthony Eden: British Foreign Secretary, co-signed the Anglo-Soviet Agreement.
Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress.

July 12, 1942

British officer leading assault, El Alamein – 1942

Overview of Key Events

On July 12, 1942, the First Battle of El Alamein in North Africa continued, with British forces holding defensive lines against General Erwin Rommel’s Axis advance, crucial for protecting Egypt and the Suez Canal. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced in Operation Case Blue, pushing toward the Caucasus oil fields, while Soviet resistance intensified. In the Atlantic, the Convoy PQ 17 disaster concluded, with heavy losses to German U-boats and aircraft, disrupting Allied aid to the Soviet Union. Holocaust deportations under Operation Reinhard escalated, with mass transports from Western Europe and Poland to death camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau and Belzec. In the Pacific, U.S. forces prepared for the Guadalcanal Campaign, set to launch 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 12, 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 12, 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 subsiding 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 12, 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 intensified. On or around July 12, 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 12, 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.
- 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 the Warsaw Ghetto, the Judenrat, led by Adam Czerniaków, organized welfare, while underground groups like ŻOB (Jewish Fighting Organization) formed, spurred by reports of mass killings. Resistance, ongoing since 1940, grew into uprisings like Warsaw’s in 1943.
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 12, 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 12, 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

Field Marshal Fedor von Bock: Led Army Group South 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.

July 12, 1943

Overview of Key Events

On July 12, 1943, the Battle of Kursk on the Eastern Front reached a critical point with the Battle of Prokhorovka, one of the largest tank battles in history, as Soviet forces countered Germany’s Operation Citadel, marking a decisive turning point. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) continued, with British and U.S. forces advancing against Axis defences. In the Pacific, the New Georgia Campaign saw U.S. forces pushing against Japanese positions in the Solomon Islands. Holocaust liquidations and deportations intensified, particularly in Poland and the Netherlands, under 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, with Battle of Prokhorovka): 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 12, the Battle of Prokhorovka unfolded as a pivotal engagement within Kursk. The German II SS Panzer Corps (under SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser), including the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte, 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, and 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, clashed with the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army (under Lieutenant General Pavel Rotmistrov) near Prokhorovka. Approximately 400 German tanks (Panzer IV, Tiger I, and Panther) faced over 600 Soviet T-34 and T-70 tanks, supported by IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft and anti-tank guns. Luftwaffe Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 87 Stukas) and Kampfgeschwader 55 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) battled Soviet air forces. The engagement resulted in heavy losses—estimates suggest 200–300 German tanks and 300–400 Soviet tanks destroyed or disabled—halting the German advance. Soviet counteroffensives by the Voronezh Front (under General Nikolai Vatutin) and Central Front (under General Konstantin Rokossovsky) began gaining ground, marking a strategic shift. The Battle of Kursk, ongoing until July 23, 1943, ended with a Soviet victory, crippling German offensive capabilities.
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 12, RAF No. 5 Group (Avro Lancasters) targeted Cologne, while the U.S. 100th Bomb Group (B-17 Flying Fortresses) struck Bremen’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 12, 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 12, 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 Prokhorovka and Soviet counteroffensives at Kursk inflicted devastating losses on German forces, shifting Eastern Front momentum. 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 12. 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, consolidated positions at 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 faced 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 advances 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 12, 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.

July 12, 1944

Japanese infantry advancing during Operation Ichi-Go – 1944

Overview of Key Events

On July 12, 1944, Soviet forces advanced 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 conducted mopping-up operations 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 12, 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 limited due to fuel shortages. The operation, ongoing until August 29, 1944, aimed to liberate Belarus and push into Poland, severely weakening German defences
Field Marshal Walter Model proposes to Adolf Hitler that German forces should withdraw from Estonia and Northern Latvia, to positions behind the Daugava River. Hitler rejects the advice.
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 12. 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. 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 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 12. 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 12, 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 12. 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.

July 12, 1945

US Marine 1st Lt. Hart H. Spiegal tries to communicate with two captured young Japanese soldiers, Okinawa – 1945

Overview of Key Events

On July 12, 1945, the European war had ended 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 12, 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, involving U.S. President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, were in progress to address post-war boundaries and reparations, set to begin July 17, 1945.
Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
- Displaced Persons Camps: Jewish Holocaust survivors were 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 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 12. 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 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.