On July 21, 1940, World War II was in a critical phase, with the Battle of Britain intensifying as Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe escalated air raids on British targets to prepare for a potential invasion (Operation Sea Lion). In the Atlantic, German U-boats disrupted Allied shipping, while in the Mediterranean, Italian forces were active in North Africa, and Malta faced ongoing air raids. In Asia, Japan pursued its expansionist policies in China and French Indochina, escalating tensions with the Allies.
European and Atlantic Theatre
In the European Theatre, the Battle of Britain was in its early phase, known as the Kanalkampf (Channel Battles), with the Luftwaffe, under Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, targeting British shipping and coastal defenses to weaken the Royal Air Force (RAF). On July 21, Luftwaffe units, including Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and Heinkel He 111 bombers from Luftflotte 2, conducted raids on convoys in the English Channel, particularly near Dover and Portsmouth. RAF Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, responded with squadrons like No. 74 Squadron, flying Spitfires, and No. 111 Squadron, flying Hurricanes, engaging German formations. These skirmishes resulted in losses on both sides, with the RAF downing several German aircraft, though specific figures for July 21 are not recorded. The Luftwaffe aimed to test British radar and fighter response times, with Chain Home radar stations playing a critical role in coordinating defenses.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-46 under Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass, targeting Allied merchant convoys. On July 21, no specific sinkings are noted, but U-boats were active in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including destroyers like HMS Scimitar, used ASDIC (sonar) to counter wolfpack tactics, though Allied losses were significant, with over 1.5 million tons of shipping sunk by July 1940. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raiders, such as the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis, also operated in the Atlantic, disrupting trade routes.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1940, but Nazi persecution of Jews was intensifying across occupied Europe. In Poland, the establishment of the Warsaw Ghetto was progressing, with over 400,000 Jews being confined under brutal conditions, though its official sealing occurred in November 1940. The ghetto, overseen by SS authorities, faced severe overcrowding, with rations limited to 184 calories per day for Jews. In Vichy France, following the June armistice, anti-Semitic measures, such as the exclusion of Jews from public office under the Statut des Juifs, were being drafted, with implementation starting in October 1940. In occupied Poland and Norway, Einsatzgruppen and local collaborators conducted sporadic killings of Jewish civilians, though no specific actions are recorded for this date. The “Final Solution” was not yet formalized, but policies like forced labor and property confiscation laid the groundwork for future atrocities. Jewish responses included early resistance efforts, with Zionist youth groups like Dror and Hashomer Hatzair in Poland beginning to form underground networks, smuggling food and information to counter Nazi restrictions.
Outcome: The RAF’s resilience in the Battle of Britain prevented German air superiority, delaying Operation Sea Lion and preserving Britain’s defense. In the Atlantic, U-boat attacks strained Allied supply lines, but improving escorts began to reduce losses. Jewish communities faced escalating oppression, with early resistance networks forming under severe constraints, though limited in scope.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft, including SM.79 bombers and CR.42 fighters, targeting the British-held island. On July 21, Italian air raids struck Maltese airfields and harbors, aiming to neutralize the island as a Royal Navy and RAF base. RAF defenders, equipped with a small number of Gloster Gladiator biplanes and early Hurricane deployments, repelled attacks, though Malta’s defenses were strained, with limited supplies and aircraft. The Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, based in Alexandria and led by Admiral Andrew Cunningham, conducted operations to protect Malta-bound convoys, though no specific actions are noted for this date.
In North Africa, Italian forces under Marshal Rodolfo Graziani were preparing for an offensive into Egypt from Libya, mobilizing the 10th Army, including divisions like the 62nd Infantry Division Marmarica. No major engagements occurred on July 21, but Italian troops were fortifying positions along the Egyptian border, supported by Fiat M13/40 tanks, in anticipation of the September 1940 invasion. British forces, including the Western Desert Force under General Richard O’Connor, were reinforcing defenses in Egypt with units like the 7th Armoured Division, preparing to counter Italian advances.
Outcome: Malta’s resistance disrupted Axis supply lines to North Africa, maintaining its strategic importance despite heavy bombardment. Italian preparations in Libya set the stage for future offensives, but British control of Egypt and the Suez Canal remained secure, bolstered by defensive preparations.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 21, 1940. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was consolidating positions and planning future operations in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral James O. Richardson, was strengthening defenses amid rising tensions due to U.S. economic sanctions, including oil and steel embargoes, in response to Japanese aggression in China and Indochina. The U.S. Navy’s Patrol Wing 2, equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats, conducted reconnaissance in the Pacific to monitor Japanese movements.
Outcome: The Pacific remained calm, but Japan’s strategic planning and U.S. countermeasures foreshadowed future conflicts, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands, as tensions escalated.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hubei and Hunan provinces. On July 21, no specific battles are noted, but Japanese troops faced ongoing resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist guerrillas led by Mao Zedong. The Japanese “Three Alls Policy” (Kill All, Burn All, Loot All) caused widespread civilian suffering, with millions displaced or killed by 1940. Japan was also negotiating with Vichy France to secure bases in northern French Indochina, with agreements nearing completion for troop deployments in September 1940, escalating tensions with the Western Allies. The Japanese 22nd Army was preparing to move into Tonkin, supported by aircraft from the 5th Air Division.
Outcome: Japan’s occupation of China and moves into Indochina strained resources and provoked Allied sanctions, limiting immediate offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
Winston Churchill: British Prime Minister, rallying the nation during the Battle of Britain and securing U.S. support through Lend-Lease discussions.
Hugh Dowding: Commander of RAF Fighter Command, orchestrating Britain’s air defense against the Luftwaffe.
Hermann Göring: Reichsmarschall, directing the Luftwaffe’s campaign to weaken British defenses.
Rodolfo Graziani: Italian Marshal, preparing the 10th Army for the North African offensive.
Andrew Cunningham: British Admiral, leading the Mediterranean Fleet to protect Malta and Allied shipping.
Tomoyuki Yamashita: Japanese general, overseeing operations in China and planning Indochina expansion.
World War II Events on July 21, 1941
German air raid over Moscow – July 1941
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1941, World War II was marked by significant developments, particularly on the Eastern Front, where Operation Barbarossa drove German forces deeper into the Soviet Union during the Battle of Smolensk. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to threaten Allied shipping, while in the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta and preparations in North Africa persisted. In Asia, Japan was consolidating its recent moves into French Indochina, escalating tensions with the Allies. The key event listed for July 21, 1941, is the Luftwaffe bombing of Moscow, highlighted due to its explicit mention and direct relevance to the war. The broader context of military operations and intensifying Holocaust-related atrocities shaped the day’s significance.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 21, 1941, the German Luftwaffe conducted its first major bombing raid on Moscow, targeting the Soviet capital to disrupt morale and infrastructure. Aircraft from Luftflotte 2, including Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88 bombers, struck military and civilian targets, such as rail yards and residential areas. The raid, involving approximately 200 bombers, caused limited damage due to strong Soviet anti-aircraft defenses and poor weather, with fewer than 100 bombs hitting central Moscow. Soviet fighter squadrons, including the 6th Fighter Corps equipped with MiG-3s, intercepted the raiders, downing several aircraft. The attack marked the beginning of a series of Luftwaffe raids on Moscow, aimed at weakening Soviet resistance during Operation Barbarossa.
On the Eastern Front, the Battle of Smolensk (July 10–September 10, 1941) saw German Army Group Center, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, encircling Soviet forces west of Moscow. On July 21, German Panzer Group 2, led by General Heinz Guderian, and Panzer Group 3, under General Hermann Hoth, tightened their grip on Soviet 16th Army and 20th Army, commanded by General Konstantin Rokossovsky. The German 7th Panzer Division and 10th Panzer Division clashed with Soviet T-34 tank units, capturing thousands of prisoners. Soviet counterattacks, supported by the 13th Army, delayed German advances but suffered heavy losses, with over 300,000 Soviet troops encircled by late July.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-203 under Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg, targeting Allied merchant convoys. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats were active against convoys like OG-69 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying vital supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including corvettes like HMS Rhododendron and destroyers like HMS Veteran, used improved radar and depth charges, though Allied losses remained significant, with over 2 million tons of shipping sunk in 1941.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1941, but Nazi persecution was escalating rapidly. The Majdanek concentration camp, established near Lublin, Poland, on July 20, began operations as a labor and extermination site under SS command. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe B under Arthur Nebe, conducted mass shootings of Jews, particularly in Belarus and Ukraine. For instance, the Minsk Ghetto, established in July 1941, saw thousands of Jews rounded up, with early massacres killing over 2,000 by late July. The Warsaw Ghetto, with over 400,000 Jews confined, faced starvation and disease, with daily deaths averaging 2,000. Jewish resistance was emerging, with the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz, forming in the Warsaw Ghetto to coordinate underground activities, including smuggling food and information. In the Vilna Ghetto, established in September but with preparations underway, groups like the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, began organizing to resist deportations.
Outcome: The Luftwaffe’s Moscow bombing had limited strategic impact but signaled Germany’s intent to target Soviet morale. German advances in Smolensk gained ground but met fierce Soviet resistance, foreshadowing a prolonged campaign. In the Atlantic, Allied convoys endured losses, though anti-submarine measures were improving. The Holocaust’s intensification saw Jewish communities under increasing threat, with early resistance efforts struggling against Nazi oppression.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, a stalemate followed the failed British Operation Battleaxe in June 1941. On July 21, British forces, including the 7th Armoured Division, were regrouping in Egypt under General Claude Auchinleck, preparing for Operation Crusader in November. Axis forces, led by General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, including the 15th Panzer Division and Italian Bologna Division, maintained the siege of Tobruk, where Australian 9th Division troops endured relentless artillery fire and supply shortages. No major engagements occurred on this date, but both sides were reinforcing their positions.
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Italian Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe aircraft, including Ju 87 Stukas, bombing the island. On July 21, RAF defenders, equipped with Hurricane fighters from No. 185 Squadron, repelled Italian raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, exacerbated by Axis blockades, limited its effectiveness. The Royal Navy’s Force H, based in Gibraltar and led by Admiral James Somerville, was protecting Malta-bound convoys, with Operation Substance (July 21–27) underway to deliver critical supplies, including food and ammunition, escorted by ships like HMS Renown.
Outcome: The North African stalemate favored the Axis, with Tobruk under siege, but British preparations signaled future counteroffensives. Malta’s resilience, bolstered by Operation Substance, disrupted Axis logistics, preserving Allied influence in the Mediterranean.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 21, 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was planning the Pearl Harbor attack (December 7, 1941), with training and reconnaissance ongoing. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, was strengthening defenses, with ships like USS Enterprise conducting patrols. Tensions were escalating due to Japan’s occupation of northern French Indochina in 1940 and ongoing negotiations for southern Indochina, which would conclude on July 27, prompting U.S. oil embargoes.
Outcome: The Pacific remained calm, but Japan’s strategic planning and Allied sanctions set the stage for future conflict, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hubei and Hunan provinces. On July 21, no specific battles are noted, but Japanese troops faced guerrilla resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Japanese “Three Alls Policy” caused widespread civilian suffering, with millions displaced or killed by 1941. Japan was negotiating with Vichy France to occupy southern French Indochina, with the 25th Army preparing to move into Saigon and Cambodia, a move completed by July 27, escalating tensions with the Allies.
Outcome: Japan’s occupation of China and moves into Indochina strained resources and provoked Allied sanctions, limiting offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
Fedor von Bock: German Field Marshal leading Army Group Center in the Battle of Smolensk.
Heinz Guderian: German general commanding Panzer Group 2, driving the Smolensk encirclement.
Konstantin Rokossovsky: Soviet general organizing defenses against German advances.
Hermann Göring: Reichsmarschall, directing the Luftwaffe’s bombing of Moscow and other targets.
Claude Auchinleck: British general preparing for North African counteroffensives.
Erwin Rommel: German general maintaining the Tobruk siege.
Tomoyuki Yamashita: Japanese general overseeing operations in China and Indochina.
World War II Events on July 21, 1942
Ariete Division tanks advancing, El Alamein – July 1942
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1942, World War II was marked by significant developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced toward Stalingrad and the Caucasus as part of Operation Blue, facing intensifying Soviet resistance. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to target Allied convoys, though Allied countermeasures were reducing their effectiveness. In the Mediterranean, the First Battle of El Alamein was ongoing, with British forces holding the line against Axis advances. In the Pacific, Japanese forces were preparing for operations in the Solomon Islands, while in Asia, the Second Sino-Japanese War saw continued fighting. The Holocaust escalated with the onset of mass deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp, a pivotal moment in Nazi genocide.
European and Atlantic Theatre (Including Jewish Affairs)
On the Eastern Front, Operation Blue, launched in June 1942, drove German Army Group South, under Field Marshal Wilhelm List, toward the Caucasus oil fields and Stalingrad. On July 21, the German 6th Army, led by General Friedrich Paulus, was advancing toward the Don River, engaging Soviet 62nd Army units under General Vasily Chuikov in skirmishes west of Stalingrad. The German 4th Panzer Army, supported by the 17th Army, clashed with Soviet forces, including T-34 tank brigades, in the Don Bend region. Soviet defenses, bolstered by the 64th Army, conducted counterattacks, suffering heavy losses but delaying German progress. By late July, the Germans had captured Rostov-on-Don (July 23), but Soviet resistance was stiffening, with over 200,000 Soviet troops lost in the region.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-84 under Kapitänleutnant Horst Uphoff, targeting Allied merchant convoys. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats were active off the U.S. East Coast and in the mid-Atlantic, particularly against convoys like ON-113. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy destroyers like HMS Walker and U.S. Navy corvettes, employed improved radar, depth charges, and air cover from aircraft like the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, reducing U-boat effectiveness. By mid-1942, over 20 U-boats had been sunk, though Allied merchant losses exceeded 3 million tons in 1942.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1942, but the genocide was intensifying. On July 22, mass deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp began under Operation Reinhard, orchestrated by SS officers like Odilo Globocnik and Hermann Höfle. Preparations for these deportations were likely underway on July 21, with SS units and the Jewish Ghetto Police organizing roundups of over 400,000 Jews confined in the ghetto. Transports to Treblinka, where gas chambers killed over 800,000 people by 1943, involved brutal selections, with 6,000–7,000 Jews deported daily starting the next day. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe A under Walter Stahlecker, conducted mass shootings, targeting Jewish communities in Ukraine and Belarus, with killings like those in the Minsk Ghetto (over 2,000 killed in July 1942). The Łódź Ghetto, with over 160,000 Jews, faced starvation and deportations to Chełmno extermination camp, where over 150,000 were killed by 1942. Jewish resistance was growing, with the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz in the Warsaw Ghetto, forming to plan armed resistance, smuggling weapons and coordinating with Polish underground groups. In the Vilna Ghetto, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, was organizing to resist deportations, linking with Soviet partisans.
Outcome: German advances on the Eastern Front gained ground but met increasing Soviet resistance, foreshadowing the Battle of Stalingrad. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures reduced U-boat threats, though merchant losses persisted. The Holocaust’s escalation, with imminent Warsaw Ghetto deportations, marked a grim phase, with Jewish resistance organizing despite overwhelming Nazi oppression.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, the First Battle of El Alamein (July 1–27, 1942) saw the British 8th Army, under General Claude Auchinleck, holding the line against General Erwin Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika. On July 21, intense fighting continued around the Ruweisat Ridge, with British units, including the 9th Australian Division and 1st Armoured Division, engaging German 15th Panzer Division and Italian Ariete Division. The Australian 2/24th Battalion launched attacks to disrupt Axis positions, supported by RAF Hurricane fighters and U.S. B-25 Mitchell bombers. Rommel’s forces, stretched by supply shortages, were unable to break through, with over 7,000 Axis prisoners taken by late July. The Tobruk garrison, though no longer besieged, remained a focal point for Allied defenses.
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Luftwaffe Ju 88 bombers and Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft targeting the island. On July 21, RAF defenders, equipped with Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron, repelled Axis raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, exacerbated by Axis blockades, limited its effectiveness. The Royal Navy’s Force K, operating from Malta, targeted Axis supply convoys to North Africa, sinking several Italian ships in July, weakening Rommel’s logistics.
Outcome: The Allied stand at El Alamein preserved Egypt and the Suez Canal, setting the stage for the Second Battle of El Alamein. Malta’s resilience disrupted Axis supply lines, weakening their North African campaign, though the island remained under pressure.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, Japanese forces were consolidating positions after their defeat at the Battle of Midway (June 1942). On July 21, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Nobutake Kondo, was preparing for the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, set for August 7, 1942. Japanese troops, including the 17th Army under General Harukichi Hyakutake, were assembling in Rabaul, supported by the 8th Fleet’s destroyers and cruisers. U.S. forces, including the 1st Marine Division under Major General Alexander Vandegrift, were training for the Guadalcanal landings, with U.S. Navy Task Force 61, including carriers like USS Hornet, conducting reconnaissance. No major engagements occurred on July 21, but both sides were finalizing plans for the upcoming campaign.
Outcome: The Pacific was in a strategic lull, with Japan planning further expansion and the Allies preparing for the Guadalcanal campaign, which would mark a turning point in the theatre.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Yasuji Okamura, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hunan and Zhejiang provinces. On July 21, no specific battles are recorded, but Japanese troops faced fierce guerrilla resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Battle of Changsha (September 1941–January 1942) was in its preparatory phase, with Japanese forces regrouping after earlier setbacks. The Japanese “Three Alls Policy” continued to devastate Chinese civilians, with millions displaced or killed by 1942. In occupied Southeast Asia, including Burma and the Philippines, the Japanese 25th Army maintained control, though local resistance, such as Filipino guerrillas, disrupted operations.
Outcome: Japan’s control in occupied territories held, but Chinese guerrilla tactics and Allied embargoes strained resources, limiting offensive capabilities and foreshadowing prolonged resistance.
Key Personalities
Friedrich Paulus: German general commanding the 6th Army, advancing toward Stalingrad.
Vasily Chuikov: Soviet general leading the 62nd Army’s early defenses near Stalingrad.
Claude Auchinleck: British general securing the Allied position at El Alamein.
Erwin Rommel: German general pressing the offensive at El Alamein.
Odilo Globocnik: SS officer overseeing Operation Reinhard and Warsaw Ghetto deportations.
Mordechai Anielewicz: Jewish resistance leader in the Warsaw Ghetto, organizing against deportations.
World War II Events on July 21, 1943
Panzer IV and Tiger I, near Orel – July 1943
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1943, World War II saw significant developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces pressed their counteroffensives following the Battle of Kursk, reclaiming territory from German forces. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) continued, pushing Axis forces toward retreat. In the Pacific, U.S. and Allied forces advanced in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, while in Asia, Japanese troops faced resistance in China and Burma. The Holocaust continued with ongoing deportations and extermination operations.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces were capitalizing on their victory in the Battle of Kursk (July 5–16, 1943). On July 21, the Soviet Central Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, and Voronezh Front, under General Nikolai Vatutin, were advancing in the Orel salient, engaging German Army Group South, led by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. Soviet units, including the 3rd Guards Tank Army and 11th Guards Army, targeted German positions, such as the 9th Army under General Walter Model, in intense fighting around Orel. The Soviet offensive, part of Operation Kutuzov, aimed to disrupt German logistics, with over 150,000 German casualties reported by late July. Soviet T-34 tanks and Katyusha rocket launchers overwhelmed German defenses, forcing retreats.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-662 under Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Hermann, attempting to disrupt Allied convoys, though their effectiveness was declining due to Allied advancements. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats operated in the mid-Atlantic, targeting convoys like ON-192. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy destroyers like HMS Winchelsea and U.S. Navy destroyer escorts, used Hedgehog anti-submarine weapons and air cover from RAF Coastal Command’s B-24 Liberators, sinking over 30 U-boats by July 1943. Allied merchant losses were decreasing, with improved convoy tactics securing supply lines to Britain.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1943, but the genocide was at its height. Operation Reinhard continued, with extermination camps like Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec murdering thousands daily. Deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka, which began in July 1942, had largely concluded by May 1943 following the ghetto uprising, but smaller transports persisted, with SS units under Odilo Globocnik overseeing operations. In the Netherlands, deportations from the Westerbork transit camp to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, with over 100,000 Dutch Jews sent to camps by 1943. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe C under Otto Rasch, conducted mass shootings, targeting Jewish communities in Ukraine and Belarus, with killings like those in the Babi Yar massacre (September 1941) followed by ongoing pogroms in 1943. The Białystok Ghetto, with over 30,000 Jews, faced increasing deportations, with resistance groups, including the Anti-Fascist Military Organization, preparing for an uprising in August 1943. Jewish resistance included sabotage in camps, such as at Sobibor, where prisoners like Alexander Pechersky were organizing escapes, and partisan activities, such as those led by the Bielski partisans in Belarus, who sheltered over 1,200 Jews in forest camps.
Outcome: Soviet advances in the Orel salient weakened German defenses, setting the stage for further liberations. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures secured supply lines, reducing U-boat threats. The Holocaust’s ongoing atrocities saw Jewish communities decimated, with resistance efforts growing but limited against Nazi extermination.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In Sicily, Operation Husky (July 10–August 17, 1943) saw Allied forces advancing against Axis defenses. On July 21, the U.S. 7th Army, under General George S. Patton, was pushing toward Palermo, engaging Italian units like the Assietta Division and German 15th Panzergrenadier Division. The U.S. 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Infantry Division, supported by M4 Sherman tanks, captured key towns, overcoming resistance in rugged terrain. The British 8th Army, under General Bernard Montgomery, advanced toward Catania, facing German Hermann Göring Division defenses. Allied air support, including RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-40 Warhawks, targeted Axis positions, disrupting supply lines. The fall of Mussolini on July 25, days away, was weakening Italian morale, with German forces under General Hans-Valentin Hube reinforcing defenses. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The siege of Malta had eased, but the island remained a vital Allied base. On July 21, no major Axis raids are noted, but RAF squadrons, including No. 126 Squadron with Spitfires, continued to interdict Axis shipping to Sicily, sinking several vessels in July and weakening Axis logistics.
Outcome: Allied progress in Sicily pressured Axis forces, hastening Italy’s collapse and setting the stage for the invasion of mainland Italy. Malta’s role ensured Allied dominance in the Mediterranean, supporting operations in Sicily.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the New Guinea Campaign and Solomon Islands Campaign continued. On July 21, U.S. and Australian forces, including the U.S. 41st Infantry Division and Australian 7th Division, were engaged in the Salamaua-Lae campaign in New Guinea, under General Douglas MacArthur. Allied troops, supported by the 3rd Australian Brigade, fought Japanese 51st Division forces under General Hatazō Adachi around Mubo, capturing key positions in dense jungle terrain. In the Solomon Islands, U.S. forces, including the 1st Marine Division and 37th Infantry Division, were fighting on New Georgia, targeting Japanese defenses under General Noboru Sasaki around Munda airfield. The Battle of Munda Point, ongoing since early July, saw U.S. troops advancing slowly, supported by naval gunfire from destroyers like USS Fletcher. No major naval engagements occurred on July 21, but U.S. Navy Task Force 74 patrolled the region, preparing for future operations.
Outcome: Allied advances in New Guinea and the Solomons eroded Japanese defenses, though difficult terrain delayed progress, setting the stage for the capture of key bases like Munda airfield in August.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 13th Army under General Shigeru Sawada, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hubei and Hunan provinces. On July 21, no major battles are recorded, but Japanese troops faced guerrilla attacks from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Battle of Western Hubei (May–July 1943) was nearing its end, with Chinese forces under General Chen Cheng repelling Japanese advances, inflicting over 20,000 casualties. U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks, under General Claire Chennault, disrupted Japanese supply lines. In Burma, Japanese occupation forces, including the 33rd Division, faced Allied Chindit operations under General Orde Wingate, with skirmishes disrupting Japanese logistics in northern Burma.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support limited Japanese gains in China, while Allied operations in Burma weakened Japanese control, isolating their forces in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
Konstantin Rokossovsky: Soviet general leading Central Front’s counteroffensives in the Orel salient.
Erich von Manstein: German Field Marshal struggling to stabilize the Eastern Front.
George S. Patton: U.S. general driving the 7th Army’s advance in Sicily.
Bernard Montgomery: British general leading the 8th Army in Sicily.
Odilo Globocnik: SS officer overseeing Operation Reinhard and extermination camps.
Douglas MacArthur: Allied commander directing Pacific operations in New Guinea.
World War II Events on July 21, 1944
Admiral Karl Donitz giving a radio speech after the Bomb Plot – 21st July 1944
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1944, World War II saw critical developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces advanced in Operation Bagration, pushing toward Poland and the Baltic states. In the Western Front, Allied forces in Normandy prepared for Operation Cobra, while the aftermath of the failed July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler reverberated in Germany. In the Pacific, U.S. forces landed on Guam, escalating the Mariana Islands campaign. In Asia, Japanese troops faced setbacks in China and Burma. The Holocaust’s atrocities continued, with deportations and camp liberations exposing its scale. The key event listed for July 21, 1944, is the U.S. Marine landing on Guam, highlighted due to its explicit mention and direct relevance to the Pacific Theatre.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, Operation Bagration, launched on June 22, 1944, continued to drive Soviet forces westward. On July 21, the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, advanced toward Lublin and the Vistula River, engaging remnants of German Army Group Center, led by General Walter Model. Soviet units, including the 2nd Tank Army and 65th Army, clashed with German 4th Army and 2nd Army, capturing key towns like Chełm and approaching Lublin, which was liberated on July 23. The Soviet offensive, supported by T-34/85 tanks and Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft, inflicted over 300,000 German casualties by late July, decimating 28 divisions.
In the Western Front, Allied forces in Normandy were consolidating positions after Operation Goodwood (July 18–20). On July 21, the U.S. 1st Army, under General Omar Bradley, prepared for Operation Cobra, set to begin July 25, targeting a breakout from Saint-Lô. The U.S. 29th Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division faced German Panzergruppe West, under General Heinrich Eberbach, with the 7th Army’s Panzer Lehr Division holding defensive lines. British and Canadian forces, including the 2nd Canadian Corps under General Guy Simonds, engaged German 1st SS Panzer Division near Caen, securing key positions despite heavy casualties.
The failed July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler, led by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, had immediate repercussions. On July 21, the Nazi regime, under Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, began mass arrests of conspirators, including General Friedrich Olbricht and Colonel Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim, who were executed. The Gestapo targeted over 7,000 suspects, with the purge intensifying internal repression.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic was largely won by the Allies. German U-boats, such as U-212 under Kapitänleutnant Helmut Vogler, faced relentless Allied patrols. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but Allied escorts, including Royal Navy frigates like HMS Mourne and U.S. Navy destroyer escorts, used advanced radar and air cover from B-24 Liberators, sinking over 40 U-boats in 1944.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1944, but the genocide’s scale was becoming undeniable. The Soviet advance toward Lublin set the stage for the liberation of the Majdanek extermination camp on July 24, revealing gas chambers and mass graves where over 79,000 Jews and others were murdered. Deportations to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, particularly from Hungary, orchestrated by Adolf Eichmann, with over 400,000 Hungarian Jews sent to the camp by July, most killed upon arrival. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 70,000 Jews, faced imminent liquidation, with deportations to Auschwitz planned for August 1944. Jewish resistance included sabotage by the Auschwitz Sonderkommando, who smuggled information to the Polish underground, and partisan activities, such as those led by the Bielski partisans in Belarus, who sheltered over 1,200 Jews. In the Warsaw Ghetto, liquidated in 1943, survivors in hiding supported the Polish Home Army, preparing for the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944.
Outcome: Soviet advances in Operation Bagration crippled German defenses, bringing the Red Army closer to Poland. In Normandy, Allied preparations for Operation Cobra set the stage for a breakout, while the failed July 20 plot strengthened Nazi control. In the Atlantic, Allied dominance secured supply lines. The Holocaust’s atrocities were increasingly exposed, with Jewish resistance persisting despite overwhelming odds.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In Italy, the Italian Campaign continued after the fall of Rome in June 1944. On July 21, Allied forces, including the U.S. 5th Army under General Mark Clark and the British 8th Army under General Oliver Leese, advanced toward the Arno River, engaging German 10th Army units, such as the 14th Panzer Corps and 26th Panzer Division. The U.S. 34th Infantry Division and British 4th Division faced German defensive lines, supported by Luftwaffe Fw 190 aircraft, though Allied air superiority, with RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-51 Mustangs, disrupted German logistics. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The Mediterranean saw Allied dominance, with Malta serving as a key base. On July 21, no significant naval or air actions are noted, but RAF squadrons from Malta, including No. 229 Squadron with Spitfires, continued to interdict German supply lines to Italy, sinking several vessels in July.
Outcome: Allied progress in Italy pressured German defenses, though the Gothic Line slowed advances. The Mediterranean’s stability supported Allied logistics, facilitating operations in Europe and the Pacific.
Pacific Theatre
Key Event: On July 21, 1944, U.S. forces landed on Guam, initiating a major operation in the Mariana Islands Campaign. The 3rd Marine Division and 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, under General Holland Smith, landed on Guam’s western beaches, supported by the 77th Infantry Division and naval gunfire from Task Force 53, including battleships like USS New Mexico. Japanese defenders, led by General Takeshi Takashina with the 29th Division and 48th Independent Mixed Brigade, numbering over 18,000, resisted fiercely, with fortified positions in the Orote Peninsula. Initial landings faced heavy machine-gun fire and artillery, with over 1,000 U.S. casualties on the first day, but Marines secured beachheads by nightfall. The operation aimed to recapture Guam, a U.S. territory lost in 1941, and establish airfields for B-29 bombers.
Elsewhere, U.S. forces were securing Saipan (concluded July 9) and preparing for Tinian (landings began July 24). U.S. Navy Task Force 58, under Admiral Marc Mitscher, provided air cover with F6F Hellcats, neutralizing Japanese aircraft. Japanese naval forces, weakened after the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June, offered limited resistance.
Outcome: The Guam landings secured critical beachheads, paving the way for the island’s recapture by August 10, enabling B-29 operations against Japan. The Mariana Islands campaign weakened Japanese defenses, bringing the war closer to the Japanese homeland.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan’s Operation Ichi-Go, launched in April 1944, continued in southern China. On July 21, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Isamu Yokoyama, advanced in Hunan Province, clashing with Chinese Nationalist forces under General Xue Yue. The Chinese 58th Army and 74th Army, supported by U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks under General Claire Chennault, conducted defensive operations, disrupting Japanese supply lines. In Burma, Allied forces, including the British 14th Army under General William Slim, were mopping up Japanese 15th Army remnants under General Renya Mutaguchi after victories at Imphal and Kohima in June 1944. The Chindits, under General Orde Wingate, continued guerrilla operations, harassing Japanese positions in northern Burma.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support limited Japanese gains in China, while Allied successes in Burma isolated Japanese forces, weakening their Southeast Asian position.
Key Personalities
Konstantin Rokossovsky: Soviet general leading the 1st Belorussian Front in Operation Bagration.
Omar Bradley: U.S. general preparing Operation Cobra in Normandy.
Walter Model: German general attempting to stabilize Army Group Center.
Holland Smith: U.S. Marine general directing the Guam landings.
Mark Clark: U.S. general leading the 5th Army in Italy.
Adolf Eichmann: SS officer overseeing Hungarian Jewish deportations to Auschwitz.
World War II Events on July 21, 1945
Hawker Hurricane bombs Japanese held bridge, Burma – 1945
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1945, World War II in Europe had concluded with Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945, but intense fighting persisted in the Pacific and Asian theatres as the Allies pressured Japan toward surrender. The Potsdam Conference, ongoing since July 17, saw Allied leaders refining postwar plans and preparing the Potsdam Declaration, issued on July 26, demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender. In the Pacific, the Philippines and Borneo campaigns were nearing completion, while U.S. forces consolidated gains in the Mariana Islands. In Asia, Chinese forces countered Japanese operations, and Allied efforts in Burma were concluding. The key event listed for July 21, 1945, is the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 38 launching air strikes on Japanese ships in the Inland Sea and airfields around Tokyo, highlighted due to its explicit mention and direct relevance to the Pacific Theatre. The aftermath of the Holocaust remained a critical focus in Europe.
European and Atlantic Theatre
With Germany’s surrender, active combat in Europe had ceased by July 21, 1945. The European and Atlantic Theatre focused on postwar occupation and reconstruction. Allied forces, including the U.S. 3rd Army under General George S. Patton and the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front under Marshal Georgy Zhukov, administered occupied Germany, managing displaced persons (DP) camps and securing war criminals for the Nuremberg Trials. The Potsdam Conference in Potsdam, Germany, involved U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee on July 26), discussing Germany’s demilitarization, reparations, and Japan’s surrender terms. No active naval engagements occurred in the Atlantic, as the Battle of the Atlantic had ended with Germany’s defeat.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are recorded for July 21, 1945, but the genocide’s aftermath, which claimed approximately 6 million Jewish lives, was a central concern. Major extermination camps like Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Majdanek had been liberated, and Allied forces managed DP camps, such as Bergen-Belsen under British administration, where Jewish survivors faced severe malnutrition and disease, with over 10,000 deaths post-liberation due to weakened conditions. The Bricha movement was accelerating, facilitating the illegal emigration of Jewish survivors to Palestine, with over 50,000 Jews moving by year’s end despite British restrictions. The Jewish Brigade, part of the British Army, aided survivors in reuniting with families and documenting atrocities, collecting testimonies from camps like Buchenwald and Dachau. Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials targeted Nazi perpetrators like Adolf Eichmann (still at large) and Hermann Göring, with evidence of the “Final Solution” compiled from liberated camp records and Einsatzgruppen reports. Jewish resistance groups, such as the United Partisan Organization, transitioned to aiding survivors, while organizations like the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided relief supplies.
Outcome: Europe focused on postwar administration, with the Potsdam Conference shaping Germany’s future and Japan’s surrender terms. Jewish survivors in DP camps sought recovery and emigration, supported by groups like Bricha, while Allied efforts intensified to prosecute Nazi war criminals, laying the groundwork for justice.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No active combat occurred in the Mediterranean and African Theatre by July 21, 1945, as Axis forces had been defeated in North Africa (May 1943) and Italy (April 1945). Allied forces, including the U.S. 5th Army and British 8th Army, managed occupation duties in Italy, overseeing surrendered German and Italian troops. The Mediterranean served as a logistical hub, with bases like Malta and Gibraltar facilitating Allied shipping to the Pacific via the Suez Canal. No significant military actions are noted for this date.
Outcome: The Mediterranean remained a stable Allied-controlled zone, supporting logistics for Pacific operations and postwar administration in Italy.
Pacific Theatre
Key Event: On July 21, 1945, the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 38, under Admiral William Halsey, launched air strikes on Japanese naval ships in the Inland Sea and airfields around Tokyo. Operating from carriers like USS Essex and USS Yorktown, aircraft including F6F Hellcats and TBM Avengers targeted remnants of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), such as the battleship Nagato and cruiser Aoba, anchored at Kure and Yokosuka. The strikes, involving over 1,000 sorties, damaged several ships and destroyed numerous aircraft on the ground, further crippling Japan’s naval and air capabilities. Japanese defenses, including anti-aircraft guns and limited fighter resistance, were overwhelmed by U.S. air superiority.
Elsewhere, the Luzon Campaign in the Philippines was nearing its end, with U.S. 6th Army units under General Walter Krueger engaging Japanese 14th Area Army remnants, led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita, in northern Luzon’s Cordillera Mountains. Filipino guerrillas, including the 15th Infantry Regiment, aided U.S. forces in mop-up operations, capturing key positions. In Borneo, the Battle of Balikpapan (July 1–21) concluded, with Australian 7th Division under Major General Edward Milford securing the port against Japanese 22nd Naval Base Force remnants. U.S. B-29 Superfortress raids from the Mariana Islands continued targeting Japanese cities, with over 100,000 tons of bombs dropped by July 1945, though no specific raids are noted for July 21.
Outcome: Task Force 38’s strikes devastated Japan’s remaining naval and air forces, accelerating their collapse. Allied advances in the Philippines and Borneo isolated Japanese garrisons, while B-29 raids weakened Japan’s industrial capacity, setting the stage for the atomic bombings in August.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Nationalist forces under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, supported by the U.S. 14th Air Force under General Claire Chennault, were reclaiming territory in Hunan and Guangxi provinces. On July 21, no major battles are recorded, but Chinese forces, including the 74th Army, engaged Japanese 11th Army units under General Isamu Yokoyama, disrupting their control in southern China with P-51 Mustang air support. In Burma, the campaign had largely ended by May 1945, but Allied forces, including the British 14th Army under General William Slim, conducted mop-up operations against Japanese 28th Army remnants, weakened by disease and starvation. The Potsdam Declaration, set to be issued on July 26, increased diplomatic pressure on Japan, with no response by July 21.
Outcome: Chinese advances and U.S. air support eroded Japanese control in China, while Allied successes in Burma isolated Japanese forces. The impending Potsdam Declaration signaled Japan’s imminent defeat, though resistance persisted.
Key Personalities
Harry S. Truman: U.S. President at the Potsdam Conference, pressing for Japan’s surrender.
Joseph Stalin: Soviet Premier, shaping postwar Europe and preparing for Pacific involvement.
Winston Churchill: British Prime Minister, negotiating at Potsdam until replaced by Attlee.
William Halsey: U.S. Admiral leading Task Force 38’s strikes on Japan.
Walter Krueger: U.S. general concluding the Luzon Campaign.
Tomoyuki Yamashita: Japanese general resisting in the Philippines.
William Slim: British general overseeing Burma mop-up operations.
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Each Day in World War II – 21st July
World War II Events on July 21, 1940
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1940, World War II was in a critical phase, with the Battle of Britain intensifying as Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe escalated air raids on British targets to prepare for a potential invasion (Operation Sea Lion). In the Atlantic, German U-boats disrupted Allied shipping, while in the Mediterranean, Italian forces were active in North Africa, and Malta faced ongoing air raids. In Asia, Japan pursued its expansionist policies in China and French Indochina, escalating tensions with the Allies.
European and Atlantic Theatre
In the European Theatre, the Battle of Britain was in its early phase, known as the Kanalkampf (Channel Battles), with the Luftwaffe, under Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, targeting British shipping and coastal defenses to weaken the Royal Air Force (RAF). On July 21, Luftwaffe units, including Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and Heinkel He 111 bombers from Luftflotte 2, conducted raids on convoys in the English Channel, particularly near Dover and Portsmouth. RAF Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, responded with squadrons like No. 74 Squadron, flying Spitfires, and No. 111 Squadron, flying Hurricanes, engaging German formations. These skirmishes resulted in losses on both sides, with the RAF downing several German aircraft, though specific figures for July 21 are not recorded. The Luftwaffe aimed to test British radar and fighter response times, with Chain Home radar stations playing a critical role in coordinating defenses.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-46 under Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass, targeting Allied merchant convoys. On July 21, no specific sinkings are noted, but U-boats were active in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including destroyers like HMS Scimitar, used ASDIC (sonar) to counter wolfpack tactics, though Allied losses were significant, with over 1.5 million tons of shipping sunk by July 1940. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raiders, such as the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis, also operated in the Atlantic, disrupting trade routes.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1940, but Nazi persecution of Jews was intensifying across occupied Europe. In Poland, the establishment of the Warsaw Ghetto was progressing, with over 400,000 Jews being confined under brutal conditions, though its official sealing occurred in November 1940. The ghetto, overseen by SS authorities, faced severe overcrowding, with rations limited to 184 calories per day for Jews. In Vichy France, following the June armistice, anti-Semitic measures, such as the exclusion of Jews from public office under the Statut des Juifs, were being drafted, with implementation starting in October 1940. In occupied Poland and Norway, Einsatzgruppen and local collaborators conducted sporadic killings of Jewish civilians, though no specific actions are recorded for this date. The “Final Solution” was not yet formalized, but policies like forced labor and property confiscation laid the groundwork for future atrocities. Jewish responses included early resistance efforts, with Zionist youth groups like Dror and Hashomer Hatzair in Poland beginning to form underground networks, smuggling food and information to counter Nazi restrictions.
Outcome: The RAF’s resilience in the Battle of Britain prevented German air superiority, delaying Operation Sea Lion and preserving Britain’s defense. In the Atlantic, U-boat attacks strained Allied supply lines, but improving escorts began to reduce losses. Jewish communities faced escalating oppression, with early resistance networks forming under severe constraints, though limited in scope.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft, including SM.79 bombers and CR.42 fighters, targeting the British-held island. On July 21, Italian air raids struck Maltese airfields and harbors, aiming to neutralize the island as a Royal Navy and RAF base. RAF defenders, equipped with a small number of Gloster Gladiator biplanes and early Hurricane deployments, repelled attacks, though Malta’s defenses were strained, with limited supplies and aircraft. The Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, based in Alexandria and led by Admiral Andrew Cunningham, conducted operations to protect Malta-bound convoys, though no specific actions are noted for this date.
In North Africa, Italian forces under Marshal Rodolfo Graziani were preparing for an offensive into Egypt from Libya, mobilizing the 10th Army, including divisions like the 62nd Infantry Division Marmarica. No major engagements occurred on July 21, but Italian troops were fortifying positions along the Egyptian border, supported by Fiat M13/40 tanks, in anticipation of the September 1940 invasion. British forces, including the Western Desert Force under General Richard O’Connor, were reinforcing defenses in Egypt with units like the 7th Armoured Division, preparing to counter Italian advances.
Outcome: Malta’s resistance disrupted Axis supply lines to North Africa, maintaining its strategic importance despite heavy bombardment. Italian preparations in Libya set the stage for future offensives, but British control of Egypt and the Suez Canal remained secure, bolstered by defensive preparations.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 21, 1940. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was consolidating positions and planning future operations in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral James O. Richardson, was strengthening defenses amid rising tensions due to U.S. economic sanctions, including oil and steel embargoes, in response to Japanese aggression in China and Indochina. The U.S. Navy’s Patrol Wing 2, equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats, conducted reconnaissance in the Pacific to monitor Japanese movements.
Outcome: The Pacific remained calm, but Japan’s strategic planning and U.S. countermeasures foreshadowed future conflicts, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands, as tensions escalated.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hubei and Hunan provinces. On July 21, no specific battles are noted, but Japanese troops faced ongoing resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist guerrillas led by Mao Zedong. The Japanese “Three Alls Policy” (Kill All, Burn All, Loot All) caused widespread civilian suffering, with millions displaced or killed by 1940. Japan was also negotiating with Vichy France to secure bases in northern French Indochina, with agreements nearing completion for troop deployments in September 1940, escalating tensions with the Western Allies. The Japanese 22nd Army was preparing to move into Tonkin, supported by aircraft from the 5th Air Division.
Outcome: Japan’s occupation of China and moves into Indochina strained resources and provoked Allied sanctions, limiting immediate offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 21, 1941
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1941, World War II was marked by significant developments, particularly on the Eastern Front, where Operation Barbarossa drove German forces deeper into the Soviet Union during the Battle of Smolensk. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to threaten Allied shipping, while in the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta and preparations in North Africa persisted. In Asia, Japan was consolidating its recent moves into French Indochina, escalating tensions with the Allies. The key event listed for July 21, 1941, is the Luftwaffe bombing of Moscow, highlighted due to its explicit mention and direct relevance to the war. The broader context of military operations and intensifying Holocaust-related atrocities shaped the day’s significance.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 21, 1941, the German Luftwaffe conducted its first major bombing raid on Moscow, targeting the Soviet capital to disrupt morale and infrastructure. Aircraft from Luftflotte 2, including Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88 bombers, struck military and civilian targets, such as rail yards and residential areas. The raid, involving approximately 200 bombers, caused limited damage due to strong Soviet anti-aircraft defenses and poor weather, with fewer than 100 bombs hitting central Moscow. Soviet fighter squadrons, including the 6th Fighter Corps equipped with MiG-3s, intercepted the raiders, downing several aircraft. The attack marked the beginning of a series of Luftwaffe raids on Moscow, aimed at weakening Soviet resistance during Operation Barbarossa.
On the Eastern Front, the Battle of Smolensk (July 10–September 10, 1941) saw German Army Group Center, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, encircling Soviet forces west of Moscow. On July 21, German Panzer Group 2, led by General Heinz Guderian, and Panzer Group 3, under General Hermann Hoth, tightened their grip on Soviet 16th Army and 20th Army, commanded by General Konstantin Rokossovsky. The German 7th Panzer Division and 10th Panzer Division clashed with Soviet T-34 tank units, capturing thousands of prisoners. Soviet counterattacks, supported by the 13th Army, delayed German advances but suffered heavy losses, with over 300,000 Soviet troops encircled by late July.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-203 under Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg, targeting Allied merchant convoys. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats were active against convoys like OG-69 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying vital supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including corvettes like HMS Rhododendron and destroyers like HMS Veteran, used improved radar and depth charges, though Allied losses remained significant, with over 2 million tons of shipping sunk in 1941.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1941, but Nazi persecution was escalating rapidly. The Majdanek concentration camp, established near Lublin, Poland, on July 20, began operations as a labor and extermination site under SS command. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe B under Arthur Nebe, conducted mass shootings of Jews, particularly in Belarus and Ukraine. For instance, the Minsk Ghetto, established in July 1941, saw thousands of Jews rounded up, with early massacres killing over 2,000 by late July. The Warsaw Ghetto, with over 400,000 Jews confined, faced starvation and disease, with daily deaths averaging 2,000. Jewish resistance was emerging, with the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz, forming in the Warsaw Ghetto to coordinate underground activities, including smuggling food and information. In the Vilna Ghetto, established in September but with preparations underway, groups like the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, began organizing to resist deportations.
Outcome: The Luftwaffe’s Moscow bombing had limited strategic impact but signaled Germany’s intent to target Soviet morale. German advances in Smolensk gained ground but met fierce Soviet resistance, foreshadowing a prolonged campaign. In the Atlantic, Allied convoys endured losses, though anti-submarine measures were improving. The Holocaust’s intensification saw Jewish communities under increasing threat, with early resistance efforts struggling against Nazi oppression.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, a stalemate followed the failed British Operation Battleaxe in June 1941. On July 21, British forces, including the 7th Armoured Division, were regrouping in Egypt under General Claude Auchinleck, preparing for Operation Crusader in November. Axis forces, led by General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, including the 15th Panzer Division and Italian Bologna Division, maintained the siege of Tobruk, where Australian 9th Division troops endured relentless artillery fire and supply shortages. No major engagements occurred on this date, but both sides were reinforcing their positions.
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Italian Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe aircraft, including Ju 87 Stukas, bombing the island. On July 21, RAF defenders, equipped with Hurricane fighters from No. 185 Squadron, repelled Italian raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, exacerbated by Axis blockades, limited its effectiveness. The Royal Navy’s Force H, based in Gibraltar and led by Admiral James Somerville, was protecting Malta-bound convoys, with Operation Substance (July 21–27) underway to deliver critical supplies, including food and ammunition, escorted by ships like HMS Renown.
Outcome: The North African stalemate favored the Axis, with Tobruk under siege, but British preparations signaled future counteroffensives. Malta’s resilience, bolstered by Operation Substance, disrupted Axis logistics, preserving Allied influence in the Mediterranean.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 21, 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was planning the Pearl Harbor attack (December 7, 1941), with training and reconnaissance ongoing. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, was strengthening defenses, with ships like USS Enterprise conducting patrols. Tensions were escalating due to Japan’s occupation of northern French Indochina in 1940 and ongoing negotiations for southern Indochina, which would conclude on July 27, prompting U.S. oil embargoes.
Outcome: The Pacific remained calm, but Japan’s strategic planning and Allied sanctions set the stage for future conflict, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hubei and Hunan provinces. On July 21, no specific battles are noted, but Japanese troops faced guerrilla resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Japanese “Three Alls Policy” caused widespread civilian suffering, with millions displaced or killed by 1941. Japan was negotiating with Vichy France to occupy southern French Indochina, with the 25th Army preparing to move into Saigon and Cambodia, a move completed by July 27, escalating tensions with the Allies.
Outcome: Japan’s occupation of China and moves into Indochina strained resources and provoked Allied sanctions, limiting offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 21, 1942
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1942, World War II was marked by significant developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced toward Stalingrad and the Caucasus as part of Operation Blue, facing intensifying Soviet resistance. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to target Allied convoys, though Allied countermeasures were reducing their effectiveness. In the Mediterranean, the First Battle of El Alamein was ongoing, with British forces holding the line against Axis advances. In the Pacific, Japanese forces were preparing for operations in the Solomon Islands, while in Asia, the Second Sino-Japanese War saw continued fighting. The Holocaust escalated with the onset of mass deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp, a pivotal moment in Nazi genocide.
European and Atlantic Theatre (Including Jewish Affairs)
On the Eastern Front, Operation Blue, launched in June 1942, drove German Army Group South, under Field Marshal Wilhelm List, toward the Caucasus oil fields and Stalingrad. On July 21, the German 6th Army, led by General Friedrich Paulus, was advancing toward the Don River, engaging Soviet 62nd Army units under General Vasily Chuikov in skirmishes west of Stalingrad. The German 4th Panzer Army, supported by the 17th Army, clashed with Soviet forces, including T-34 tank brigades, in the Don Bend region. Soviet defenses, bolstered by the 64th Army, conducted counterattacks, suffering heavy losses but delaying German progress. By late July, the Germans had captured Rostov-on-Don (July 23), but Soviet resistance was stiffening, with over 200,000 Soviet troops lost in the region.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-84 under Kapitänleutnant Horst Uphoff, targeting Allied merchant convoys. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats were active off the U.S. East Coast and in the mid-Atlantic, particularly against convoys like ON-113. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy destroyers like HMS Walker and U.S. Navy corvettes, employed improved radar, depth charges, and air cover from aircraft like the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, reducing U-boat effectiveness. By mid-1942, over 20 U-boats had been sunk, though Allied merchant losses exceeded 3 million tons in 1942.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1942, but the genocide was intensifying. On July 22, mass deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp began under Operation Reinhard, orchestrated by SS officers like Odilo Globocnik and Hermann Höfle. Preparations for these deportations were likely underway on July 21, with SS units and the Jewish Ghetto Police organizing roundups of over 400,000 Jews confined in the ghetto. Transports to Treblinka, where gas chambers killed over 800,000 people by 1943, involved brutal selections, with 6,000–7,000 Jews deported daily starting the next day. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe A under Walter Stahlecker, conducted mass shootings, targeting Jewish communities in Ukraine and Belarus, with killings like those in the Minsk Ghetto (over 2,000 killed in July 1942). The Łódź Ghetto, with over 160,000 Jews, faced starvation and deportations to Chełmno extermination camp, where over 150,000 were killed by 1942. Jewish resistance was growing, with the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz in the Warsaw Ghetto, forming to plan armed resistance, smuggling weapons and coordinating with Polish underground groups. In the Vilna Ghetto, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, was organizing to resist deportations, linking with Soviet partisans.
Outcome: German advances on the Eastern Front gained ground but met increasing Soviet resistance, foreshadowing the Battle of Stalingrad. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures reduced U-boat threats, though merchant losses persisted. The Holocaust’s escalation, with imminent Warsaw Ghetto deportations, marked a grim phase, with Jewish resistance organizing despite overwhelming Nazi oppression.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, the First Battle of El Alamein (July 1–27, 1942) saw the British 8th Army, under General Claude Auchinleck, holding the line against General Erwin Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika. On July 21, intense fighting continued around the Ruweisat Ridge, with British units, including the 9th Australian Division and 1st Armoured Division, engaging German 15th Panzer Division and Italian Ariete Division. The Australian 2/24th Battalion launched attacks to disrupt Axis positions, supported by RAF Hurricane fighters and U.S. B-25 Mitchell bombers. Rommel’s forces, stretched by supply shortages, were unable to break through, with over 7,000 Axis prisoners taken by late July. The Tobruk garrison, though no longer besieged, remained a focal point for Allied defenses.
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Luftwaffe Ju 88 bombers and Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft targeting the island. On July 21, RAF defenders, equipped with Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron, repelled Axis raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, exacerbated by Axis blockades, limited its effectiveness. The Royal Navy’s Force K, operating from Malta, targeted Axis supply convoys to North Africa, sinking several Italian ships in July, weakening Rommel’s logistics.
Outcome: The Allied stand at El Alamein preserved Egypt and the Suez Canal, setting the stage for the Second Battle of El Alamein. Malta’s resilience disrupted Axis supply lines, weakening their North African campaign, though the island remained under pressure.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, Japanese forces were consolidating positions after their defeat at the Battle of Midway (June 1942). On July 21, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Nobutake Kondo, was preparing for the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, set for August 7, 1942. Japanese troops, including the 17th Army under General Harukichi Hyakutake, were assembling in Rabaul, supported by the 8th Fleet’s destroyers and cruisers. U.S. forces, including the 1st Marine Division under Major General Alexander Vandegrift, were training for the Guadalcanal landings, with U.S. Navy Task Force 61, including carriers like USS Hornet, conducting reconnaissance. No major engagements occurred on July 21, but both sides were finalizing plans for the upcoming campaign.
Outcome: The Pacific was in a strategic lull, with Japan planning further expansion and the Allies preparing for the Guadalcanal campaign, which would mark a turning point in the theatre.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Yasuji Okamura, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hunan and Zhejiang provinces. On July 21, no specific battles are recorded, but Japanese troops faced fierce guerrilla resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Battle of Changsha (September 1941–January 1942) was in its preparatory phase, with Japanese forces regrouping after earlier setbacks. The Japanese “Three Alls Policy” continued to devastate Chinese civilians, with millions displaced or killed by 1942. In occupied Southeast Asia, including Burma and the Philippines, the Japanese 25th Army maintained control, though local resistance, such as Filipino guerrillas, disrupted operations.
Outcome: Japan’s control in occupied territories held, but Chinese guerrilla tactics and Allied embargoes strained resources, limiting offensive capabilities and foreshadowing prolonged resistance.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 21, 1943
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1943, World War II saw significant developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces pressed their counteroffensives following the Battle of Kursk, reclaiming territory from German forces. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) continued, pushing Axis forces toward retreat. In the Pacific, U.S. and Allied forces advanced in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, while in Asia, Japanese troops faced resistance in China and Burma. The Holocaust continued with ongoing deportations and extermination operations.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces were capitalizing on their victory in the Battle of Kursk (July 5–16, 1943). On July 21, the Soviet Central Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, and Voronezh Front, under General Nikolai Vatutin, were advancing in the Orel salient, engaging German Army Group South, led by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. Soviet units, including the 3rd Guards Tank Army and 11th Guards Army, targeted German positions, such as the 9th Army under General Walter Model, in intense fighting around Orel. The Soviet offensive, part of Operation Kutuzov, aimed to disrupt German logistics, with over 150,000 German casualties reported by late July. Soviet T-34 tanks and Katyusha rocket launchers overwhelmed German defenses, forcing retreats.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-662 under Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Hermann, attempting to disrupt Allied convoys, though their effectiveness was declining due to Allied advancements. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats operated in the mid-Atlantic, targeting convoys like ON-192. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy destroyers like HMS Winchelsea and U.S. Navy destroyer escorts, used Hedgehog anti-submarine weapons and air cover from RAF Coastal Command’s B-24 Liberators, sinking over 30 U-boats by July 1943. Allied merchant losses were decreasing, with improved convoy tactics securing supply lines to Britain.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1943, but the genocide was at its height. Operation Reinhard continued, with extermination camps like Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec murdering thousands daily. Deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka, which began in July 1942, had largely concluded by May 1943 following the ghetto uprising, but smaller transports persisted, with SS units under Odilo Globocnik overseeing operations. In the Netherlands, deportations from the Westerbork transit camp to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, with over 100,000 Dutch Jews sent to camps by 1943. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe C under Otto Rasch, conducted mass shootings, targeting Jewish communities in Ukraine and Belarus, with killings like those in the Babi Yar massacre (September 1941) followed by ongoing pogroms in 1943. The Białystok Ghetto, with over 30,000 Jews, faced increasing deportations, with resistance groups, including the Anti-Fascist Military Organization, preparing for an uprising in August 1943. Jewish resistance included sabotage in camps, such as at Sobibor, where prisoners like Alexander Pechersky were organizing escapes, and partisan activities, such as those led by the Bielski partisans in Belarus, who sheltered over 1,200 Jews in forest camps.
Outcome: Soviet advances in the Orel salient weakened German defenses, setting the stage for further liberations. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures secured supply lines, reducing U-boat threats. The Holocaust’s ongoing atrocities saw Jewish communities decimated, with resistance efforts growing but limited against Nazi extermination.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In Sicily, Operation Husky (July 10–August 17, 1943) saw Allied forces advancing against Axis defenses. On July 21, the U.S. 7th Army, under General George S. Patton, was pushing toward Palermo, engaging Italian units like the Assietta Division and German 15th Panzergrenadier Division. The U.S. 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Infantry Division, supported by M4 Sherman tanks, captured key towns, overcoming resistance in rugged terrain. The British 8th Army, under General Bernard Montgomery, advanced toward Catania, facing German Hermann Göring Division defenses. Allied air support, including RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-40 Warhawks, targeted Axis positions, disrupting supply lines. The fall of Mussolini on July 25, days away, was weakening Italian morale, with German forces under General Hans-Valentin Hube reinforcing defenses. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The siege of Malta had eased, but the island remained a vital Allied base. On July 21, no major Axis raids are noted, but RAF squadrons, including No. 126 Squadron with Spitfires, continued to interdict Axis shipping to Sicily, sinking several vessels in July and weakening Axis logistics.
Outcome: Allied progress in Sicily pressured Axis forces, hastening Italy’s collapse and setting the stage for the invasion of mainland Italy. Malta’s role ensured Allied dominance in the Mediterranean, supporting operations in Sicily.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the New Guinea Campaign and Solomon Islands Campaign continued. On July 21, U.S. and Australian forces, including the U.S. 41st Infantry Division and Australian 7th Division, were engaged in the Salamaua-Lae campaign in New Guinea, under General Douglas MacArthur. Allied troops, supported by the 3rd Australian Brigade, fought Japanese 51st Division forces under General Hatazō Adachi around Mubo, capturing key positions in dense jungle terrain. In the Solomon Islands, U.S. forces, including the 1st Marine Division and 37th Infantry Division, were fighting on New Georgia, targeting Japanese defenses under General Noboru Sasaki around Munda airfield. The Battle of Munda Point, ongoing since early July, saw U.S. troops advancing slowly, supported by naval gunfire from destroyers like USS Fletcher. No major naval engagements occurred on July 21, but U.S. Navy Task Force 74 patrolled the region, preparing for future operations.
Outcome: Allied advances in New Guinea and the Solomons eroded Japanese defenses, though difficult terrain delayed progress, setting the stage for the capture of key bases like Munda airfield in August.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces, including the 13th Army under General Shigeru Sawada, were engaged in central China, particularly in Hubei and Hunan provinces. On July 21, no major battles are recorded, but Japanese troops faced guerrilla attacks from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Battle of Western Hubei (May–July 1943) was nearing its end, with Chinese forces under General Chen Cheng repelling Japanese advances, inflicting over 20,000 casualties. U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks, under General Claire Chennault, disrupted Japanese supply lines. In Burma, Japanese occupation forces, including the 33rd Division, faced Allied Chindit operations under General Orde Wingate, with skirmishes disrupting Japanese logistics in northern Burma.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support limited Japanese gains in China, while Allied operations in Burma weakened Japanese control, isolating their forces in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 21, 1944
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1944, World War II saw critical developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces advanced in Operation Bagration, pushing toward Poland and the Baltic states. In the Western Front, Allied forces in Normandy prepared for Operation Cobra, while the aftermath of the failed July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler reverberated in Germany. In the Pacific, U.S. forces landed on Guam, escalating the Mariana Islands campaign. In Asia, Japanese troops faced setbacks in China and Burma. The Holocaust’s atrocities continued, with deportations and camp liberations exposing its scale. The key event listed for July 21, 1944, is the U.S. Marine landing on Guam, highlighted due to its explicit mention and direct relevance to the Pacific Theatre.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, Operation Bagration, launched on June 22, 1944, continued to drive Soviet forces westward. On July 21, the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, advanced toward Lublin and the Vistula River, engaging remnants of German Army Group Center, led by General Walter Model. Soviet units, including the 2nd Tank Army and 65th Army, clashed with German 4th Army and 2nd Army, capturing key towns like Chełm and approaching Lublin, which was liberated on July 23. The Soviet offensive, supported by T-34/85 tanks and Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft, inflicted over 300,000 German casualties by late July, decimating 28 divisions.
In the Western Front, Allied forces in Normandy were consolidating positions after Operation Goodwood (July 18–20). On July 21, the U.S. 1st Army, under General Omar Bradley, prepared for Operation Cobra, set to begin July 25, targeting a breakout from Saint-Lô. The U.S. 29th Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division faced German Panzergruppe West, under General Heinrich Eberbach, with the 7th Army’s Panzer Lehr Division holding defensive lines. British and Canadian forces, including the 2nd Canadian Corps under General Guy Simonds, engaged German 1st SS Panzer Division near Caen, securing key positions despite heavy casualties.
The failed July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler, led by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, had immediate repercussions. On July 21, the Nazi regime, under Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, began mass arrests of conspirators, including General Friedrich Olbricht and Colonel Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim, who were executed. The Gestapo targeted over 7,000 suspects, with the purge intensifying internal repression.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic was largely won by the Allies. German U-boats, such as U-212 under Kapitänleutnant Helmut Vogler, faced relentless Allied patrols. On July 21, no specific sinkings are recorded, but Allied escorts, including Royal Navy frigates like HMS Mourne and U.S. Navy destroyer escorts, used advanced radar and air cover from B-24 Liberators, sinking over 40 U-boats in 1944.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 21, 1944, but the genocide’s scale was becoming undeniable. The Soviet advance toward Lublin set the stage for the liberation of the Majdanek extermination camp on July 24, revealing gas chambers and mass graves where over 79,000 Jews and others were murdered. Deportations to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, particularly from Hungary, orchestrated by Adolf Eichmann, with over 400,000 Hungarian Jews sent to the camp by July, most killed upon arrival. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 70,000 Jews, faced imminent liquidation, with deportations to Auschwitz planned for August 1944. Jewish resistance included sabotage by the Auschwitz Sonderkommando, who smuggled information to the Polish underground, and partisan activities, such as those led by the Bielski partisans in Belarus, who sheltered over 1,200 Jews. In the Warsaw Ghetto, liquidated in 1943, survivors in hiding supported the Polish Home Army, preparing for the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944.
Outcome: Soviet advances in Operation Bagration crippled German defenses, bringing the Red Army closer to Poland. In Normandy, Allied preparations for Operation Cobra set the stage for a breakout, while the failed July 20 plot strengthened Nazi control. In the Atlantic, Allied dominance secured supply lines. The Holocaust’s atrocities were increasingly exposed, with Jewish resistance persisting despite overwhelming odds.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In Italy, the Italian Campaign continued after the fall of Rome in June 1944. On July 21, Allied forces, including the U.S. 5th Army under General Mark Clark and the British 8th Army under General Oliver Leese, advanced toward the Arno River, engaging German 10th Army units, such as the 14th Panzer Corps and 26th Panzer Division. The U.S. 34th Infantry Division and British 4th Division faced German defensive lines, supported by Luftwaffe Fw 190 aircraft, though Allied air superiority, with RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-51 Mustangs, disrupted German logistics. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The Mediterranean saw Allied dominance, with Malta serving as a key base. On July 21, no significant naval or air actions are noted, but RAF squadrons from Malta, including No. 229 Squadron with Spitfires, continued to interdict German supply lines to Italy, sinking several vessels in July.
Outcome: Allied progress in Italy pressured German defenses, though the Gothic Line slowed advances. The Mediterranean’s stability supported Allied logistics, facilitating operations in Europe and the Pacific.
Pacific Theatre
Key Event: On July 21, 1944, U.S. forces landed on Guam, initiating a major operation in the Mariana Islands Campaign. The 3rd Marine Division and 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, under General Holland Smith, landed on Guam’s western beaches, supported by the 77th Infantry Division and naval gunfire from Task Force 53, including battleships like USS New Mexico. Japanese defenders, led by General Takeshi Takashina with the 29th Division and 48th Independent Mixed Brigade, numbering over 18,000, resisted fiercely, with fortified positions in the Orote Peninsula. Initial landings faced heavy machine-gun fire and artillery, with over 1,000 U.S. casualties on the first day, but Marines secured beachheads by nightfall. The operation aimed to recapture Guam, a U.S. territory lost in 1941, and establish airfields for B-29 bombers.
Elsewhere, U.S. forces were securing Saipan (concluded July 9) and preparing for Tinian (landings began July 24). U.S. Navy Task Force 58, under Admiral Marc Mitscher, provided air cover with F6F Hellcats, neutralizing Japanese aircraft. Japanese naval forces, weakened after the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June, offered limited resistance.
Outcome: The Guam landings secured critical beachheads, paving the way for the island’s recapture by August 10, enabling B-29 operations against Japan. The Mariana Islands campaign weakened Japanese defenses, bringing the war closer to the Japanese homeland.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan’s Operation Ichi-Go, launched in April 1944, continued in southern China. On July 21, Japanese forces, including the 11th Army under General Isamu Yokoyama, advanced in Hunan Province, clashing with Chinese Nationalist forces under General Xue Yue. The Chinese 58th Army and 74th Army, supported by U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks under General Claire Chennault, conducted defensive operations, disrupting Japanese supply lines. In Burma, Allied forces, including the British 14th Army under General William Slim, were mopping up Japanese 15th Army remnants under General Renya Mutaguchi after victories at Imphal and Kohima in June 1944. The Chindits, under General Orde Wingate, continued guerrilla operations, harassing Japanese positions in northern Burma.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support limited Japanese gains in China, while Allied successes in Burma isolated Japanese forces, weakening their Southeast Asian position.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 21, 1945
Overview of Key Events
On July 21, 1945, World War II in Europe had concluded with Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945, but intense fighting persisted in the Pacific and Asian theatres as the Allies pressured Japan toward surrender. The Potsdam Conference, ongoing since July 17, saw Allied leaders refining postwar plans and preparing the Potsdam Declaration, issued on July 26, demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender. In the Pacific, the Philippines and Borneo campaigns were nearing completion, while U.S. forces consolidated gains in the Mariana Islands. In Asia, Chinese forces countered Japanese operations, and Allied efforts in Burma were concluding. The key event listed for July 21, 1945, is the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 38 launching air strikes on Japanese ships in the Inland Sea and airfields around Tokyo, highlighted due to its explicit mention and direct relevance to the Pacific Theatre. The aftermath of the Holocaust remained a critical focus in Europe.
European and Atlantic Theatre
With Germany’s surrender, active combat in Europe had ceased by July 21, 1945. The European and Atlantic Theatre focused on postwar occupation and reconstruction. Allied forces, including the U.S. 3rd Army under General George S. Patton and the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front under Marshal Georgy Zhukov, administered occupied Germany, managing displaced persons (DP) camps and securing war criminals for the Nuremberg Trials. The Potsdam Conference in Potsdam, Germany, involved U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee on July 26), discussing Germany’s demilitarization, reparations, and Japan’s surrender terms. No active naval engagements occurred in the Atlantic, as the Battle of the Atlantic had ended with Germany’s defeat.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are recorded for July 21, 1945, but the genocide’s aftermath, which claimed approximately 6 million Jewish lives, was a central concern. Major extermination camps like Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Majdanek had been liberated, and Allied forces managed DP camps, such as Bergen-Belsen under British administration, where Jewish survivors faced severe malnutrition and disease, with over 10,000 deaths post-liberation due to weakened conditions. The Bricha movement was accelerating, facilitating the illegal emigration of Jewish survivors to Palestine, with over 50,000 Jews moving by year’s end despite British restrictions. The Jewish Brigade, part of the British Army, aided survivors in reuniting with families and documenting atrocities, collecting testimonies from camps like Buchenwald and Dachau. Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials targeted Nazi perpetrators like Adolf Eichmann (still at large) and Hermann Göring, with evidence of the “Final Solution” compiled from liberated camp records and Einsatzgruppen reports. Jewish resistance groups, such as the United Partisan Organization, transitioned to aiding survivors, while organizations like the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided relief supplies.
Outcome: Europe focused on postwar administration, with the Potsdam Conference shaping Germany’s future and Japan’s surrender terms. Jewish survivors in DP camps sought recovery and emigration, supported by groups like Bricha, while Allied efforts intensified to prosecute Nazi war criminals, laying the groundwork for justice.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No active combat occurred in the Mediterranean and African Theatre by July 21, 1945, as Axis forces had been defeated in North Africa (May 1943) and Italy (April 1945). Allied forces, including the U.S. 5th Army and British 8th Army, managed occupation duties in Italy, overseeing surrendered German and Italian troops. The Mediterranean served as a logistical hub, with bases like Malta and Gibraltar facilitating Allied shipping to the Pacific via the Suez Canal. No significant military actions are noted for this date.
Outcome: The Mediterranean remained a stable Allied-controlled zone, supporting logistics for Pacific operations and postwar administration in Italy.
Pacific Theatre
Key Event: On July 21, 1945, the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 38, under Admiral William Halsey, launched air strikes on Japanese naval ships in the Inland Sea and airfields around Tokyo. Operating from carriers like USS Essex and USS Yorktown, aircraft including F6F Hellcats and TBM Avengers targeted remnants of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), such as the battleship Nagato and cruiser Aoba, anchored at Kure and Yokosuka. The strikes, involving over 1,000 sorties, damaged several ships and destroyed numerous aircraft on the ground, further crippling Japan’s naval and air capabilities. Japanese defenses, including anti-aircraft guns and limited fighter resistance, were overwhelmed by U.S. air superiority.
Elsewhere, the Luzon Campaign in the Philippines was nearing its end, with U.S. 6th Army units under General Walter Krueger engaging Japanese 14th Area Army remnants, led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita, in northern Luzon’s Cordillera Mountains. Filipino guerrillas, including the 15th Infantry Regiment, aided U.S. forces in mop-up operations, capturing key positions. In Borneo, the Battle of Balikpapan (July 1–21) concluded, with Australian 7th Division under Major General Edward Milford securing the port against Japanese 22nd Naval Base Force remnants. U.S. B-29 Superfortress raids from the Mariana Islands continued targeting Japanese cities, with over 100,000 tons of bombs dropped by July 1945, though no specific raids are noted for July 21.
Outcome: Task Force 38’s strikes devastated Japan’s remaining naval and air forces, accelerating their collapse. Allied advances in the Philippines and Borneo isolated Japanese garrisons, while B-29 raids weakened Japan’s industrial capacity, setting the stage for the atomic bombings in August.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Nationalist forces under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, supported by the U.S. 14th Air Force under General Claire Chennault, were reclaiming territory in Hunan and Guangxi provinces. On July 21, no major battles are recorded, but Chinese forces, including the 74th Army, engaged Japanese 11th Army units under General Isamu Yokoyama, disrupting their control in southern China with P-51 Mustang air support. In Burma, the campaign had largely ended by May 1945, but Allied forces, including the British 14th Army under General William Slim, conducted mop-up operations against Japanese 28th Army remnants, weakened by disease and starvation. The Potsdam Declaration, set to be issued on July 26, increased diplomatic pressure on Japan, with no response by July 21.
Outcome: Chinese advances and U.S. air support eroded Japanese control in China, while Allied successes in Burma isolated Japanese forces. The impending Potsdam Declaration signaled Japan’s imminent defeat, though resistance persisted.
Key Personalities
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