Each Day in World War II – 13th July

July 13, 1940

Spitfire trailing smoke over English Channel – 1940

Overview of Key Events

On July 13, 1940, World War II saw escalating tensions in Europe and Asia following the fall of France in June 1940. The Kanalkampf, the initial 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 critical 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 defences and disrupt supply lines. On July 13, 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 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. 56 Squadron (RAF North Weald) and No. 610 Squadron (RAF Biggin Hill). Engagements on July 13 resulted in limited losses, with the Luftwaffe losing approximately 2–4 aircraft (including Do 17s and Bf 109s) and the RAF losing 1–2 fighters, based on 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 13, 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.
- Vichy France and Occupied Western Europe: In Vichy France, under Marshal Philippe Pétain, anti-Jewish laws were being drafted in July (enacted as the Statute on Jews in October 1940), banning Jews from public sector jobs, education, and media, affecting 300,000 Jews (120,000 in France, 180,000 in French North Africa). In occupied France, German authorities, under Adolf Eichmann, enforced Jewish registration, curfews, and exclusion from public spaces in Paris, targeting 150,000 Jews. In the Netherlands and Belgium, registration of 140,000 and 65,000 Jews, respectively, began, with bans on businesses and employment escalating, preparing for deportations starting in 1942. These measures, ongoing since June 1940, continued through 1941.
- Jewish Responses: Emigration was restricted by Nazi policies and global barriers, like the British 1939 White Paper limiting Palestine entry. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) aided limited emigration, but few escaped. In ghettos like Warsaw, Jewish councils (Judenräte), led by Adam Czerniaków, organized welfare and education. Underground newspapers and Zionist groups like Hashomer Hatzair formed clandestine networks, laying groundwork for resistance like the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943). Resistance efforts, ongoing since 1940, grew through 1941.
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 13, 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 13, 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 13, 1941

Soviet prisoner digs his own grave, Soviet Union – 1941

Overview of Key Events

On July 13, 1941, Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union launched on June 22, saw continued 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 Allied forces assuming control on July 12, with administrative transitions ongoing on July 13. 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 captured over 300,000 Soviet troops, German Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock) continued advancing on July 13. The 3rd Panzer Group (under General Hermann Hoth) and 2nd Panzer Group (under General Heinz Guderian), including the 17th Panzer Division and 18th Panzer Division, pushed toward Smolensk, engaging Soviet Western Front remnants (under General Andrey Yeremenko) near Vitebsk. Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 2 (Dornier Do 17 bombers) and Jagdgeschwader 51 (Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters) targeted Soviet supply lines and airfields, facing Soviet MiG-3 fighters.
- 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 13, 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 Luga, 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 Berdichev. 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).
Yugoslav Partisan Resistance (Specific Event): On July 13, 1941, the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, led by Josip Broz Tito, launched a major partisan uprising against Axis forces in occupied Serbia, following Germany’s invasion in April 1941. The uprising began with attacks on German and collaborationist garrisons in Serbia, particularly in Užice and Montenegro, involving the 1st Proletarian Brigade and other guerrilla units armed with captured rifles and explosives. Supported by the Soviet Union’s ideological backing, the partisans aimed to disrupt Axis control through sabotage and ambushes. This resistance, ongoing through 1945, established the Partisans as a significant force, later liberating Yugoslavia.
U.S. Occupation of Iceland (Ongoing): Initiated on July 7, 1941, the U.S. occupation of Iceland continued on July 13, with the 1st Marine Brigade (under Colonel Leo D. Hermle) securing Reykjavik to protect Atlantic convoy routes against German U-boats, replacing British troops. U.S. Navy Task Force 19 (including USS New York and USS Arkansas), authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, supported the operation. British forces, including the 49th (West Riding) Division, continued withdrawing, with the transition completing by late 1941. The occupation, ongoing through the war, bolstered Allied logistics.
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) continued pogroms, killing thousands of Jews in early July, particularly in Riga and Daugavpils. On or around July 13, executions persisted in Ukraine, with Einsatzgruppe C targeting Jews in Lviv and Vinnytsia, 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.
- Nazi-Occupied Poland: In the General Government, under Hans Frank, the Warsaw Ghetto, confining over 400,000 Jews, faced worsening conditions—starvation (daily rations below 200 calories), typhus, and forced labor. The Kraków Ghetto, isolating around 60,000 Jews, saw increased restrictions and property confiscation. Forced labor programs conscripted Jews for infrastructure projects under brutal conditions, enforced by SS authorities like Theodor Dannecker. Ghettoization, ongoing since 1939, continued through 1941, preparing for deportations starting in 1942.
- Western Europe: In occupied France, German authorities, under Theodor Dannecker and Adolf Eichmann, enforced Jewish registration, curfews, and economic restrictions, targeting 150,000 Jews in Paris and beyond. In Vichy France, under Marshal Philippe Pétain, anti-Jewish laws (enacted October 1940) marginalized 300,000 Jews (120,000 in France, 180,000 in North Africa). In the Netherlands and Belgium, registration of 140,000 and 65,000 Jews, respectively, continued, with bans on businesses and employment escalating, setting the stage for deportations in 1942. These measures, ongoing since 1940, persisted through 1941.
- 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 and education. Underground networks, including Zionist groups like Hashomer Hatzair, began forming, laying groundwork for resistance like the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943). Resistance efforts, ongoing since 1940, grew through 1941.
Outcomes: German advances in Barbarossa threatened major Soviet cities, though resistance slowed progress. The Yugoslav Partisan uprising disrupted Axis control, marking a significant resistance milestone. The U.S. occupation of Iceland strengthened Atlantic convoy security. 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, Post-Armistice Transition): The Allied campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria and Lebanon, launched on June 8, 1941, ended with an armistice signed on July 11 in Acre, effective July 12. On July 13, Australian 7th Division (under Major General John Lavarack), British 7th Division, Free French 1st Division (under General Paul Legentilhomme), and 5th Indian Brigade completed administrative transitions, assuming control of key cities like Beirut and Damascus. Supported by No. 3 Squadron RAAF (Hawker Hurricanes) and Royal Navy ships like HMS Ajax, Allied forces oversaw the surrender of Vichy French forces (under General Henri Dentz), including the 6th Foreign Legion and 22nd Algerian Tirailleurs. The campaign, concluded on July 12, 1941, with transitions ongoing on July 13, secured the Levant for the Allies.
Outcomes: Allied control of Syria and Lebanon safeguarded Middle Eastern oil routes and weakened Vichy France’s regional influence, strengthening Mediterranean positions.

Pacific Theatre

No significant military engagements occurred in the Pacific on July 13, 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.
Josip Broz Tito: Initiated Yugoslav Partisan resistance against Axis forces.
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.
Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress.

July 13, 1942

Women forced to walk ahead of German advance near Vitebsk, Soviet Union – 1942

Overview of Key Events

On July 13, 1942, World War II saw significant developments across multiple theatres. In North Africa, the First Battle of El Alamein continued, with British forces under General Claude Auchinleck holding defensive lines against General Erwin Rommel’s Axis advance, critical for protecting Egypt and the Suez Canal. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced in Operation Case Blue, targeting the Caucasus oil fields, while Soviet resistance intensified. Holocaust deportations under Operation Reinhard escalated, with mass transports from Poland and Western Europe 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 and Stalingrad. On July 13, German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock until July 13, when he was replaced by General Maximilian von Weichs due to strategic disagreements with Hitler) advanced toward Rostov-on-Don. Army Group A (under Field Marshal Wilhelm List) and Army Group B (under Weichs), including the 4th Panzer Army (under General Hermann Hoth) and 6th Army (under General Friedrich Paulus), with units like 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. The German advance utilized Panzer IV tanks and relied heavily on Luftwaffe support from Kampfgeschwader 55 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) and Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 87 Stukas), targeting Soviet supply lines and fortifications. Soviet forces, equipped with T-34 tanks and IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft, mounted fierce resistance, particularly around Millerovo, where Soviet counterattacks delayed German progress. The operation’s first phase saw rapid German gains but increasing logistical strain, with Soviet defenses exploiting overextended lines. The operation, ongoing until February 1943, set the stage for the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942–February 1943).
Jewish Affairs (Ongoing):
- Nazi-Occupied Poland: Under Operation Reinhard deportations from Polish ghettos intensified, overseen by SS-Gruppenführer Odilo Globocnik. On or around July 13, Jews from the Zamość and Lublin ghettos were deported to Belzec death camp, where thousands were gassed upon arrival using carbon monoxide chambers. Belzec processed up to 15,000 victims daily during this period. In the Warsaw Ghetto, confining over 400,000 Jews, conditions were dire, with starvation (daily rations below 200 calories), typhus outbreaks (affecting thousands monthly), and forced labor under SS authorities like Jürgen Stroop. Preparations for mass deportations to Treblinka, set to begin July 22, 1942, were underway, with SS units organizing transport lists. 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 13, a transport from Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands sent approximately 1,000 Jews to Auschwitz, where most were gassed upon arrival in gas chambers using Zyklon B. 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) intensifying. Vichy France’s anti-Jewish laws, enacted since October 1940, marginalized 300,000 Jews (120,000 in France, 180,000 in North Africa), with measures like property confiscation ongoing through 1944.
- Jewish Responses: Emigration was nearly impossible due to Nazi restrictions and global barriers, such as the British 1939 White Paper limiting Palestine entry to 75,000 Jewish immigrants over five years. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) provided limited aid, including food and medical supplies, but few escaped. In the Warsaw Ghetto, the Judenrat, led by Adam Czerniaków, organized welfare and education. Underground groups like ŻOB (Jewish Fighting Organization), spurred by reports of mass killings, began forming, coordinating through coded messages and smuggled arms. Resistance, ongoing since 1940, grew into uprisings like Warsaw’s in 1943.
Outcomes: German advances in Case Blue gained ground but faced increasing Soviet resistance, straining resources. Holocaust deportations under Operation Reinhard killed thousands daily, advancing the Final Solution, while Jewish resistance networks strengthened despite overwhelming odds.

Mediterranean and African Theatre

First Battle of El Alamein (Ongoing): Launched on July 1, 1942, the First Battle of El Alamein saw intense fighting on July 13. General Erwin Rommel’s Panzer Army Africa, comprising the 15th Panzer Division, 21st Panzer Division, and Italian XX Corps (Ariete and Littorio Divisions), pressed British defenses at El Alamein, Egypt, aiming to break through to the Suez Canal. The British Eighth Army (under General Claude Auchinleck), including the 2nd South African Division, 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, and 1st Armoured Division, held key positions like Ruweisat Ridge. On July 13, British forces launched a counterattack, with the 2/24th Australian Battalion and 44th Royal Tank Regiment (Matilda II tanks) engaging German Panzer IVs and 88mm Flak guns. Auchinleck’s defensive tactics exploited Axis overextension, with RAF No. 211 Group (Hurricane fighters and Wellington bombers) disrupting German supply lines, particularly fuel convoys from Tobruk. The battle, ongoing until July 27, 1942, saw daily casualties of approximately 100–200 per side, with Axis forces losing 10–15 tanks daily. The Eighth Army’s stand prevented a breakthrough, preserving Allied control of Egypt.
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 13, 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), including coastal fortifications and the 11th Construction Unit building an airfield. U.S. intelligence, aided by Australian coastwatchers, confirmed Japanese troop strengths of approximately 3,000 on Guadalcanal. 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). On July 13, Chinese guerrilla resistance from the 8th Route Army (under General Zhu De) disrupted Japanese control, attacking railways and outposts to secure airfields used in the Doolittle Raid (April 1942). The campaign saw limited engagements, with Japanese forces focusing on consolidating gains against sporadic Chinese counterattacks. 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. On July 13, Japanese garrisons, including the 301st Independent Infantry Battalion, faced logistical challenges due to U.S. naval blockades and occasional air raids by the U.S. 11th Air Force (B-24 Liberators). The occupation, ongoing until August 1943, diverted Japanese resources with minimal strategic impact.
Outcomes: Japanese efforts in China met persistent guerrilla resistance, limiting consolidation. Aleutian occupations strained Japanese logistics, offering little strategic advantage.

Key Personalities

Field Marshal Fedor von Bock: Led Army Group South in Case Blue until replaced on July 13.
General Maximilian von Weichs: Assumed command of Army Group South on July 13.
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 and Belzec.
General Yasuji Okamura: Directed Japanese operations in China.
Adam Czerniaków: Head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, managed welfare under duress

July 13, 1943

German infantry near Kuban, Soviet Union – 1943

Overview of Key Events

On July 13, 1943, the Battle of Kursk on the Eastern Front continued, with Soviet forces consolidating their position after the Battle of Prokhorovka (July 12), a pivotal tank battle that halted Germany’s Operation Citadel. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) progressed, 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): Launched on July 5, 1943, Operation Citadel aimed to pinch off the Soviet salient around Kursk. On July 13, following the massive tank clash at Prokhorovka on July 12, Soviet forces of the Voronezh Front (under General Nikolai Vatutin) and Central Front (under General Konstantin Rokossovsky) consolidated defensive positions. The Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army (under Lieutenant General Pavel Rotmistrov), equipped with over 500 T-34 and T-70 tanks, and supported by IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft, repelled further assaults by the German II SS Panzer Corps (under SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser), including the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte and 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. Prokhorovka’s losses—approximately 200–300 German tanks (Panzer IV, Tiger I, Panther) and 300–400 Soviet tanks—crippled German offensive capabilities. On July 13, German Army Group South (under Field Marshal Erich von Manstein) attempted limited attacks near Oboyan, but Soviet counteroffensives, including the 69th Army’s artillery barrages, disrupted German lines. Luftwaffe Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 87 Stukas) faced heavy losses from Soviet Yak-9 fighters. The battle, ongoing until July 23, 1943, shifted momentum to the Soviets, with total German losses exceeding 50,000 men and 700 tanks by mid-July.
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 13, RAF No. 5 Group (Avro Lancasters) targeted Aachen’s industrial facilities, while the U.S. 100th Bomb Group (B-17 Flying Fortresses) struck Bremen’s U-boat pens, with each raid involving 200–300 aircraft. The page estimates 50–100 civilian deaths per raid and 5–10% aircraft losses due to German flak and Fw 190 fighters. These raids, ongoing since 1942, continued through 1945, aiming to disrupt German production.
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 13, following its initiation in June 1943. Most of the remaining 20,000 Jews were deported to Belzec death camp or executed at Janowska labor camp, with daily transports of 1,000–2,000 victims gassed using carbon monoxide. 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 the Bialystok Ghetto to Treblinka and Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, with 1,000–2,000 Jews 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 13, a transport of approximately 1,000 Jews from Westerbork was sent to Auschwitz, where 80–90% were gassed upon arrival using Zyklon B. In occupied France, anti-Jewish measures 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 the British 1939 White Paper limiting Palestine entry to 75,000 Jewish immigrants over five years. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) provided limited aid, reaching about 20% of survivors with food and medical supplies. Surviving Jewish resistance groups, such as the ŻOB (Jewish Fighting Organization) in Poland, coordinated underground activities post-Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, focusing on survival and sabotage. Resistance, ongoing since 1942, persisted in hiding through 1945.
Outcomes: Soviet consolidation at Kursk after Prokhorovka marked a decisive shift, crippling German offensive power with losses of over 200,000 men by July’s end. Allied air raids weakened German infrastructure, though at high cost (5–10 aircraft per raid). 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 13. 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, pushed from Gela toward Caltagirone, facing the German Hermann Göring Division and Italian Livorno Division. On July 13, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division repelled a counterattack near Gela, destroying 10–15 German Panzer IV tanks, while Montgomery’s XXX Corps captured Augusta, per the page. 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 daily casualties of 500–1,000 per side. The campaign, ongoing until August 17, 1943, aimed to capture Sicily and weaken Axis control in the Mediterranean.
Outcomes: Allied advances in Sicily gained key towns, 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 on July 13. The U.S. 43rd Infantry Division and 37th Infantry Division (under Major General John H. Hester), supported by the 4th Marine Raider Battalion, advanced toward Munda Point airfield, engaging Japanese 17th Army (under General Harukichi Hyakutake), including the 229th Infantry Regiment. On July 13, U.S. forces captured Enogai, a key coastal position, after intense jungle combat, with daily casualties of 50–100 per side, per the page. P-38 Lightning fighters of the 339th Fighter Squadron and naval support from Task Force 31 (under Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner), including USS Ralph Talbot, countered Japanese A6M Zero fighters from the 251st Air Group. The campaign, ongoing until August 25, 1943, aimed to capture airfields critical for Allied operations in the Solomons.
Outcomes: The capture of Enogai advanced U.S. control in New Georgia, though heavy Japanese resistance slowed 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). On July 13, Chinese guerrilla units disrupted Japanese supply lines, targeting railways and outposts with small-scale attacks involving 100–200 troops. Limited air support from the Japanese 5th Air Army (Ki-43 fighters) faced U.S. 14th Air Force (P-51 Mustang fighters). 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). On July 13, Allied forces conducted probing attacks near Salamaua, with daily engagements of 200–300 troops per side. These operations, ongoing since 1942, continued through 1944.
Outcomes: Japanese control in Hubei faced persistent Chinese resistance, limiting consolidation. Allied pressure in New Guinea strained Japanese defenses, preparing for major offensives.

Key Personalities

General Konstantin Rokossovsky: Commanded Soviet Central Front at Kursk.
Field Marshal Erich von Manstein: Led German Army Group South at 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 13, 1944

Polish Home Army and Soviet troops patrol together in newly captured Vilnius – July 1944

Overview of Key Events

On July 13, 1944, Soviet forces advanced in Operation Bagration, pushing toward Poland after devastating German Army Group Center. In Normandy, Allied forces consolidated gains following the capture of Caen during Operation Charnwood (ended July 9), with ongoing operations to expand the bridgehead,. In the Pacific, mopping-up operations continued on Saipan after its capture on July 9, strengthening the U.S. position in the Mariana Islands. Holocaust deportations from Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau peaked, 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, with Capture of Vilnius): Launched on June 22, 1944, Operation Bagration aimed to liberate Belarus and push into Poland. On July 13, the Soviet 3rd Belorussian Front (under General Ivan Chernyakhovsky) captured Vilnius, Lithuania, after heavy fighting against German Army Group Center (under Field Marshal Walter Model). The Soviet 5th Army and 5th Guards Tank Army, equipped with T-34/85 tanks and supported by IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft, overwhelmed the German 3rd Panzer Army (under General Georg-Hans Reinhardt), including the 6th Panzer Division, which suffered heavy losses (approximately 80% of its tanks destroyed by mid-July). Vilnius’s capture involved urban combat, with Soviet forces encircling German defenders, including the 707th Infantry Division, and liberating over 10,000 civilians. Luftwaffe support from Kampfgeschwader 4 (Heinkel He 111 bombers) was minimal due to fuel shortages. The operation, ongoing until August 29, 1944, destroyed 28 of 34 German divisions in Army Group Center, with Soviet casualties estimated at 180,000 by mid-July.
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 13. 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), with units like 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, supported by Panzer IV and Panther tanks. 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, targeted German fortifications. Allied forces faced heavy resistance, with daily casualties of 1,000–2,000, but secured bridgeheads for further operations like Operation Cobra (July 25–31). The campaign, ongoing since June 6, 1944, continued until August 30, 1944.
V-1 Attacks (Ongoing): Germany’s V-1 flying bomb campaign, launched from Pas-de-Calais, targeted London, operated by Flak-Regiment 155 (W). On July 13, British defenses, including anti-aircraft batteries with 3.7-inch guns and RAF Tempest fighters of No. 3 Squadron, intercepted several V-1s, though approximately 20–30 bombs hit London daily, causing civilian casualties (averaging 100 deaths per day). The campaign, ongoing since June 13, 1944, continued into early 1945, disrupting civilian life but with 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 13, hundreds of Jews, including workers and families, were deported, with most gassed at Auschwitz using Zyklon B or at Chelmno via gas vans. The page notes that the ghetto’s population had dropped to around 70,000 by mid-1944, with daily deportations of 1,000–2,000. The Warsaw Ghetto, largely destroyed after the 1943 uprising, saw surviving Jews in hiding or forced labor camps facing ongoing persecution.
- Hungary: Deportations from Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau, organized by Adolf Eichmann, peaked. On or around July 13, daily trains from Budapest and provincial towns carried 2,000–3,000 Jews, with 80–90% gassed upon arrival. The page highlights that over 400,000 Hungarian Jews had been deported since May 15, 1944, but international pressure, including from the War Refugee Board and neutral countries like Sweden (via diplomat Raoul Wallenberg), led Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy to slow transports by late July. Deportations, ongoing since May 1944, largely ceased by August 1944.
- 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 the British 1939 White Paper limiting Palestine entry to 75,000 Jewish immigrants over five years. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) provided food and medical aid, reaching about 20% of survivors in Western Europe. 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 through 1945.
Outcomes: The capture of Vilnius in Operation Bagration marked a major Soviet advance, weakening German defenses and opening the path to Poland. Consolidation in Normandy strengthened Allied positions, with daily advances of 1–2 kilometers. V-1 attacks disrupted British civilians but had minimal strategic impact. Holocaust deportations, particularly 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,. On July 13, the U.S. 34th Infantry Division and British 78th Division clashed with German 10th Army (under General Heinrich von Vietinghoff) near Florence, engaging the 14th Panzer Corps and 4th Parachute Division. Supported by U.S. 12th Air Force (B-25 Mitchell bombers) and RAF No. 239 Wing (Kittyhawk fighters), Allied forces faced German defensive lines along the Arno River, with daily casualties of 200–300 per side. The page notes that the campaign aimed to tie down German forces, with Florence’s capture imminent by August 1944. The campaign, ongoing since June 1944, continued until May 1945.
Operation Dragoon Preparations (Ongoing): Planning for the invasion of southern France (set for August 15, 1944) continued. On July 13, the U.S. Seventh Army (under General Alexander Patch) and Free French Army B (under General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny) organized in North Africa, assembling 1,000 ships and 400,000 troops, including the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division and French 1st Armored Division. Coordination with French Resistance groups, including the Maquis, intensified via radio networks. Preparations, ongoing since early 1944, culminated in August 1944.
Outcomes: Allied advances in Italy pressured German defenses, diverting resources from other fronts. Dragoon preparations set the stage for a second European front, further straining Axis forces.

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 13,. 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 in northern Saipan’s caves, with daily Japanese casualties of 50–100. The page notes that over 30,000 Japanese troops and civilians died, with 12,000 U.S. casualties by July 9. 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, with Capture of Hengyang): In China, the Japanese China Expeditionary Army (under General Yasuji Okamura) advanced in Hunan province, capturing Hengyang on July 13. The Japanese 11th Army, including the 68th Division, overran Chinese 10th Army defenses (under General Fang Xianjue) after weeks of siege, using artillery and air support from the 5th Air Army (Ki-43 fighters). The page details that Hengyang’s fall, a key rail hub, disrupted Chinese supply lines, with 7,000 Chinese defenders killed or captured. Chinese 4th War Area forces (under General Zhang Fakui) retreated, supported by U.S. 14th Air Force (P-51 Mustang fighters) conducting raids on Japanese positions. 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 13. Engagements in the Sittang Bend involved the Indian 11th East African Division, supported by RAF No. 221 Group (Hurricane fighters), against Japanese rearguards, with daily casualties of 50–100 per side. The Burma Campaign, ongoing since 1944, continued until August 1945.
Outcomes: The capture of Hengyang advanced Japanese control in China but stretched resources, with Chinese resistance disrupting consolidation. The Imphal victory and pursuit strengthened Allied control in Burma, weakening Japanese forces.

Key Personalities

General Ivan Chernyakhovsky: Commanded Soviet 3rd Belorussian Front, capturing Vilnius.
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, capturing Hengyang.

July 13, 1945

British officer speaks to former ‘Comfort’ woman, Burma – 1945

Overview of Key Events

On July 13, 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 liberations. In Asia, Japanese forces faced retreats in China and Burma under intensifying Allied pressure.

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 13, 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, with administrative transitions ongoing. Preparations for the Potsdam Conference, involving U.S. President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee mid-conference), and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, intensified, with Allied leaders finalizing agendas on reparations, German demilitarization, and Polish borders. Occupation efforts, ongoing since May 1945, continued through the late 1940s, with over 7 million Displaced Persons (DPs), including 50,000–100,000 Jewish survivors, under Allied management.
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 13, survivors at Bergen-Belsen, liberated on April 15, 1945, faced ongoing health challenges, with 500–1,000 deaths monthly from typhus, dysentery, and malnutrition (daily caloric intake often below 1,500 calories). British medical units, including the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station, provided care, administering penicillin and vaccinations. At Feldafing, Jewish survivors, numbering around 4,000, organized self-governance, schools, and Yiddish newspapers, though psychological trauma and overcrowding persisted, per the page. These conditions, ongoing since spring 1945, continued 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 13, 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, bypassing British 1939 White Paper restrictions limiting Palestine entry to 75,000 Jewish immigrants over five years. Emigration efforts, ongoing through the 1940s, saw 10,000–20,000 Jews reach Palestine by late 1945.
- 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, with Potsdam preparations setting Cold War boundaries. 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 13, efforts emphasized infrastructure repair, repatriation of 100,000 prisoners, and administration of former Axis territories. These activities, ongoing since May 1945, continued through the post-war period, with minimal military activity.
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 13, . 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). On July 13, the 2/25th Battalion secured the Manggar airfield, facing Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tanks and fortified bunkers, with daily casualties of 20–50 Australians and 100–150 Japanese. 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 disrupted Japanese supply lines, per the page. The battle, ongoing until July 21, 1945, aimed to secure Borneo’s oil fields, with 229 Australian and over 2,000 Japanese deaths by its end.
Philippines Campaign (Mopping-Up Operations): Following General Douglas MacArthur’s announcement of the Philippines’ liberation on July 5, 1945, mopping-up operations continued against isolated Japanese pockets of the 14th Area Army (under General Tomoyuki Yamashita). On July 13, the U.S. Sixth Army (under General Walter Krueger) and Eighth Army (under General Robert Eichelberger), with Filipino guerrillas, conducted sweeps on Luzon and Mindanao, neutralizing small Japanese units in mountainous regions, with daily engagements involving 50–100 troops per side. Operations, ongoing since July 1945, tapered off by August 1945.
Battle of Okinawa (Mopping-Up Operations): 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 13, the U.S. 10th Army (under General Roy S. Geiger), with the 1st Marine Division and 96th Infantry Division, conducted sweeps around Mabuni, neutralizing isolated Japanese pockets and defending against sporadic kamikaze attacks by A6M Zero fighters (fewer than 10 daily). The page estimates 110,000 Japanese and 12,500 U.S. deaths by June, with minimal casualties in July sweeps. Operations, ongoing since June 1945, ended by late July 1945.
Outcomes: Australian advances in Balikpapan secured key oil resources, weakening Japanese logistics. The Philippines’ liberation restored Allied control, with minimal resistance remaining. Okinawa’s capture provided a staging base for the planned invasion of Japan, at a high human cost.

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 13, the 2/28th Battalion and 2/12th Commando Squadron pushed inland, engaging Japanese guerrilla forces, with daily casualties of 10–20 per side. 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) retreated in Guangxi and Hunan provinces, pursued by Chinese 3rd War Area forces (under General He Yingqin). On July 13, the Chinese 74th Army recaptured territory near Guilin, aided by U.S. 14th Air Force (P-51 Mustang fighters) targeting Japanese railways, with daily engagements involving 500–1,000 troops. 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 13, the British 14th Army (under General William Slim), including Indian 5th Division and British 2nd Division, engaged Japanese rearguards in the Sittang Bend, with RAF No. 221 Group (Hurricane fighters) providing support. Daily casualties averaged 50–100 per side. 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.