On July 22, 1940, World War II was intensifying as the Battle of Britain entered its early stages, with the German Luftwaffe escalating air raids to weaken British defences ahead of a potential invasion (Operation Sea Lion). In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to disrupt Allied shipping, while in the Mediterranean, Italian forces prepared for offensives in North Africa, and Malta faced Axis air raids. In Asia, Japan’s expansionist policies in China and French Indochina heightened tensions with the Allies.
European and Atlantic Theatre
In the European Theatre, the Battle of Britain was in its Kanalkampf phase, with the Luftwaffe, under Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, targeting British shipping and coastal defences in the English Channel to disrupt supply lines and test RAF defences. On July 22, Luftflotte 2, commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, deployed Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers against convoys near Dover and Folkestone. RAF Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, countered with squadrons such as No. 54 Squadron (Spitfires) and No. 610 Squadron (Hurricanes), using Chain Home radar to intercept German raids. The RAF lost approximately 10 aircraft, while the Luftwaffe lost 15, with both sides facing pilot shortages. These skirmishes were part of the Luftwaffe’s strategy to achieve air superiority before a planned invasion.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-46 under Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass, attacking Allied merchant convoys. On July 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats targeted convoys like HX-59 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including destroyers like HMS Scimitar and corvettes like HMS Clarkia, used ASDIC (sonar) to counter U-boat wolfpack tactics, though Allied losses exceeded 1.5 million tons of shipping by mid-1940. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raider, the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis, also operated in the Atlantic, disrupting trade routes to Britain.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1940, but Nazi persecution of Jews was escalating across occupied Europe. In occupied Poland, preparations for the Warsaw Ghetto were underway, with over 400,000 Jews to be confined by November 1940 under brutal conditions, overseen by SS authorities like Hans Frank, Governor-General of the General Government. Rations in ghettos were limited to 184 calories daily, causing widespread starvation and disease, with thousands dying monthly. In Vichy France, following the June 1940 armistice, anti-Semitic policies were being drafted, with the Statut des Juifs (enacted October 1940) set to strip Jews of citizenship and public roles. In Germany, forced labour programs expanded, with Jews conscripted into factories like those in Munich’s BMW plants. Early Jewish resistance included underground networks like Hashomer Hatzair in Poland, which smuggled food and information, and cultural preservation efforts in ghettos, though armed resistance was limited due to lack of weapons and organization. The “Final Solution” was not yet formalized, but Einsatzgruppen units were beginning to target Jewish communities in occupied territories, particularly in Poland, setting the stage for mass killings.
Outcome: The RAF’s defence in the Battle of Britain maintained air superiority, delaying German invasion plans. In the Atlantic, U-boat attacks strained Allied supply lines, but improving escorts began to mitigate losses. Jewish communities faced increasing oppression, with early resistance efforts forming under severe constraints, foreshadowing the Holocaust’s escalation.
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, bombing the British-held island to disrupt its role as a Royal Navy and RAF base. On July 22, RAF defenders, equipped with Gloster Gladiator biplanes from No. 261 Squadron and early Hurricane deployments, repelled Italian raids, though Malta’s supply shortages strained its defences. The Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, based in Alexandria, protected convoys to Malta, with ships like HMS Warspite conducting operations against Italian naval forces, 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 the 63rd Infantry Division Cirene and Maletti Group with Fiat M11/39 tanks. On July 22, no major engagements occurred, but Italian troops were fortifying positions near Sidi Barrani, planning the September 1940 invasion. British forces, including the Western Desert Force under General Richard O’Connor, with units like the 7th Armoured Division, were reinforcing defences in Egypt to counter the Italian threat.
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 defences in Egypt remained robust, protecting the Suez Canal.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 22, 1940. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was conducting training for carrier-based operations, preparing for future expansion in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral James O. Richardson, strengthened defences amid rising tensions due to U.S. economic sanctions, including oil and steel embargoes, in response to Japan’s actions in China and Indochina. U.S. Navy Patrol Wing 2, equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats, conducted reconnaissance to monitor Japanese movements in the Pacific.
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 22, 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 1940. Japan was 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 Allies. The Japanese 22nd Army was preparing to occupy 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 offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
Hermann Göring: Reichsmarschall, directing Luftwaffe operations in the Battle of Britain.
Hugh Dowding: RAF Fighter Command leader, orchestrating Britain’s air defense.
Andrew Cunningham: British Admiral, leading the Mediterranean Fleet to protect Malta.
Rodolfo Graziani: Italian Marshal, preparing the 10th Army for North African offensives.
Tomoyuki Yamashita: Japanese general, overseeing operations in China and Indochina.
Hans Frank: Nazi Governor-General, enforcing anti-Jewish policies in occupied Poland.
World War II Events on July 22, 1941
Japanese troops burn a village in China as part of the “3 alls” – 1941
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1941, World War II was marked by significant developments across multiple fronts. On the Eastern Front, Operation Barbarossa drove German forces deeper into the Soviet Union, with the Battle of Smolensk intensifying and Soviet resistance stiffening. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to disrupt Allied shipping, though Allied countermeasures were improving. In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta persisted, and Axis forces prepared for North African operations. In Asia, Japan’s occupation of southern French Indochina, nearing completion, escalated tensions with the Allies. The key event listed for July 22, 1941 is the Luftwaffe’s bombing of Moscow.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1941, the German Luftwaffe conducted its first bombing raid on Moscow, targeting the Soviet capital to disrupt morale and infrastructure. Luftflotte 2, under Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, deployed Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88 bombers, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, from bases in occupied Belarus. The raid, involving over 100 aircraft, dropped high-explosive and incendiary bombs on central Moscow, including areas near the Kremlin, causing limited damage due to Soviet anti-aircraft defenses and searchlights manned by the 6th Air Defense Corps. Soviet night fighters, including Polikarpov I-16s, intercepted some bombers, with approximately 10 German aircraft lost. Civilian casualties were minimal, with around 150 deaths, but the raid marked a psychological escalation in the war on the Eastern Front.
On the Eastern Front, Operation Barbarossa saw the Battle of Smolensk (July 10–September 10, 1941) intensify. German Army Group Center, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, aimed to encircle Soviet forces. On July 22, Panzer Group 2, led by General Heinz Guderian, and Panzer Group 3, under General Hermann Hoth, advanced, engaging Soviet Western Front units, including the 16th and 20th Armies under General Konstantin Rokossovsky. The German 7th Panzer Division and 20th Motorized Division clashed with Soviet T-34 tank brigades near Smolensk, capturing over 100,000 Soviet prisoners by late July. Soviet counterattacks, supported by the 24th Army, inflicted heavy losses but failed to break the encirclement, with Soviet casualties exceeding 250,000.
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 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats attacked convoys like HX-138 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including destroyers like HMS Veteran and corvettes like HMS Aubrietia, used ASDIC (sonar) and depth charges, though Allied losses surpassed 2 million tons in 1941. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raider, the auxiliary cruiser Orion, also disrupted Allied shipping in the Atlantic.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1941, but the genocide was intensifying. In occupied Poland, the Minsk Ghetto, established on July 20, confined over 100,000 Jews, with Einsatzgruppe B, under Arthur Nebe, initiating mass shootings, killing over 1,500 Jews in late July. In Ukraine, Einsatzgruppe C, under Otto Rasch, orchestrated pogroms, such as those in Zhytomyr, where thousands were murdered by SS units and local collaborators. The Warsaw Ghetto, with over 400,000 Jews, faced severe starvation, with daily deaths averaging 2,000 due to rations limited to 184 calories. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 160,000 Jews, saw forced labor and deportations to Chełmno extermination camp, which began later in 1941. Jewish resistance included the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz in Warsaw, smuggling weapons and organizing underground networks. In the Vilna Ghetto, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, began coordinating with Soviet partisans, though limited by scarce resources. The “Final Solution” was formalized nine days later, on July 31, with Göring’s order to Heydrich, signaling the genocide’s escalation.
Outcome: The Luftwaffe’s Moscow raid had limited strategic impact but marked a new phase of aerial warfare. German advances in Smolensk gained ground but faced fierce Soviet resistance, foreshadowing prolonged fighting. In the Atlantic, U-boat attacks strained Allied supply lines, but improving escorts reduced losses. Jewish communities faced escalating persecution, with resistance groups forming despite overwhelming Nazi oppression.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Italian Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe aircraft, including Ju 87 Stukas and Macchi C.202 fighters, bombing the island to neutralize its role as a Royal Navy and RAF base. On July 22, RAF defenders, equipped with Hurricane fighters from No. 185 Squadron, repelled Axis raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, worsened by Axis blockades, strained its defenses. The Royal Navy’s Force H, under Admiral James Somerville, had completed Operation Substance (July 21–27), delivering supplies to Malta despite Italian air attacks, with ships like HMS Ark Royal ensuring convoy protection.
In North Africa, a stalemate persisted after the failed British Operation Battleaxe in June 1941. On July 22, British forces, including the 7th Armoured Division under General Claude Auchinleck, were regrouping in Egypt, preparing for Operation Crusader in November. Axis forces, led by General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, including the 15th Panzer Division and Italian Ariete Division, maintained the siege of Tobruk, where Australian 9th Division troops endured heavy bombardment and supply shortages. No major engagements occurred on this date.
Outcome: Malta’s resilience, bolstered by Operation Substance, disrupted Axis supply lines to North Africa, maintaining its strategic importance. The North African stalemate favored the Axis, but British preparations signaled future counteroffensives.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 22, 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was intensifying preparations for the Pearl Harbor attack (December 7, 1941), with training for carrier-based operations ongoing. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, strengthened defenses, with ships like USS Enterprise conducting patrols. Japan’s imminent occupation of southern French Indochina, finalized by July 28, prompted U.S., British, and Dutch economic sanctions, including oil embargoes, escalating tensions. U.S. Navy Patrol Wing 2, equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats, monitored Japanese movements in the Pacific.
Outcome: The Pacific remained calm, but Japan’s 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 22, 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’s negotiations with Vichy France to occupy southern French Indochina were nearing completion, with the 25th Army and 5th Air Division preparing to deploy by July 28, triggering U.S. sanctions that cut off 80% of Japan’s oil supply.
Outcome: Japan’s occupation of China and Indochina strained resources and provoked Allied sanctions, limiting offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
Albert Kesselring: German Luftwaffe commander, directing the Moscow bombing raid.
Fedor von Bock: German Field Marshal leading Army Group Center in Smolensk.
Heinz Guderian: German general commanding Panzer Group 2, driving the Smolensk encirclement.
Konstantin Rokossovsky: Soviet general organizing defenses near Smolensk.
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 22, 1942
Panzer III advance near River Don – 1942
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1942, World War II saw critical developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced toward Stalingrad and the Caucasus as part of Operation Blue, facing growing Soviet resistance. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to target Allied convoys, though Allied countermeasures were intensifying. In the Mediterranean, the First Battle of El Alamein was winding down, with British forces holding against Axis advances. In the Pacific, Japanese forces prepared for the Guadalcanal Campaign, while in Asia, the Second Sino-Japanese War saw ongoing fighting. The key event listed for July 22, 1942, is the beginning of mass deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1942, the mass deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp began under Operation Reinhard, marking a horrific escalation of the Holocaust. Over 400,000 Jews were confined in the ghetto, and on this date, SS authorities, led by Odilo Globocnik and Hermann Höfle, initiated daily deportations of 6,000–7,000 Jews to Treblinka, 80 miles northeast of Warsaw. Transported in overcrowded cattle cars, most were killed in gas chambers upon arrival, with Treblinka’s capacity enabling the murder of over 800,000 by 1943. The Jewish Ghetto Police were coerced into assisting, while the Jewish Council (Judenrat), led by Adam Czerniaków, faced impossible choices; Czerniaków died by suicide on July 23, unable to bear the deportations’ horror.
On the Eastern Front, Operation Blue drove German Army Group South, under Field Marshal Wilhelm List, toward the Caucasus oil fields and Stalingrad. On July 22, the German 6th Army, led by General Friedrich Paulus, approached the Don River, engaging Soviet 62nd Army units under General Vasily Chuikov west of Stalingrad. The German 4th Panzer Army, supported by Luftwaffe Ju 87 Stukas, clashed with Soviet T-34 tank brigades in the Don Bend, capturing key crossings. Soviet counterattacks, including those by the 64th Army, inflicted heavy losses but could not halt the German advance, with over 200,000 Soviet troops lost in the region by late July. Luftwaffe air superiority, with Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters, targeted Soviet supply lines.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-90 under Kapitänleutnant Hans-Jürgen Oldörp, attacking Allied merchant convoys. On July 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats targeted convoys like HX-199 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy destroyers like HMS Walker and U.S. Navy corvettes, used improved radar and air cover from B-24 Liberators, sinking over 20 U-boats by July 1942. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raider, the auxiliary cruiser Stier, also disrupted Allied shipping.
Jewish Affairs: The Warsaw Ghetto deportations were a pivotal moment in the Holocaust, part of the “Final Solution” formalized in January 1942 at the Wannsee Conference. By July 22, over 65,000 Jews were deported from Warsaw in the first weeks, with SS units under Adolf Eichmann overseeing operations. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe B under Arthur Nebe, conducted mass shootings, killing over 5,000 Jews in the Minsk Ghetto in July 1942. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 160,000 Jews, faced ongoing deportations to Chełmno extermination camp, where over 150,000 were killed by 1942. In Ukraine, pogroms in places like Rovno saw thousands murdered by SS and local collaborators. Jewish resistance grew, with the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz in Warsaw, smuggling weapons and planning the 1943 uprising. In the Vilna Ghetto, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, coordinated with Soviet partisans, while groups like the Bielski partisans in Belarus sheltered over 1,000 Jews in forest camps.
Outcome: The Warsaw Ghetto deportations marked a grim escalation of the Holocaust, decimating Jewish communities. German advances on the Eastern Front gained ground but met fierce Soviet resistance, setting the stage for the Battle of Stalingrad. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures reduced U-boat threats, though merchant losses persisted. Jewish resistance groups organized against overwhelming odds, laying the groundwork for future uprisings.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, the First Battle of El Alamein (July 1–27, 1942) was concluding, with the British 8th Army, under General Claude Auchinleck, holding the line against General Erwin Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika. On July 22, fighting tapered off, with British units, including the 9th Australian Division and 1st South African Division, defending positions around El Alamein. The Australian 2/28th Battalion and British 50th Division repelled attacks by the German 21st Panzer Division and Italian Trento Division, supported by RAF Hurricane fighters and U.S. B-25 Mitchell bombers. Rommel’s forces, hampered by supply shortages, captured over 10,000 Allied prisoners but failed to break through, with the battle nearing a stalemate.
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Luftwaffe Ju 88 bombers and Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft targeting the island. On July 22, RAF defenders, equipped with Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron, repelled Axis raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, worsened by Axis blockades, strained its defenses. 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 in October. 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 preparing for the Guadalcanal Campaign, set to begin on August 7, 1942. On July 22, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Nobutake Kondo, assembled forces in Rabaul, including the 17th Army under General Harukichi Hyakutake, supported by the 8th Fleet’s cruisers and destroyers. Japanese troops, including the Kawaguchi Detachment, were staging for landings in the Solomon Islands. U.S. forces, including the 1st Marine Division under Major General Alexander Vandegrift, were finalizing plans for the Guadalcanal invasion, with Task Force 61, including carriers like USS Enterprise, conducting reconnaissance. No major engagements occurred on July 22, but both sides were mobilizing for the imminent campaign.
Outcome: The Pacific was in a strategic lull, with Japan and the Allies preparing for the Guadalcanal Campaign, which would mark a turning point by shifting momentum to the Allies.
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 22, no specific battles are recorded, but Japanese troops faced guerrilla resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign (May–September 1942) saw Japanese forces targeting Chinese airfields used by U.S. Doolittle Raiders, causing heavy civilian casualties due to the “Three Alls Policy,” which killed or displaced millions. In Burma, Japanese occupation forces, including the 33rd Division, maintained control, though Allied guerrilla operations, including early Chindit missions under General Orde Wingate, disrupted Japanese logistics.
Outcome: Japanese control in China held, but Chinese guerrilla tactics and U.S. air support from the 14th Air Force’s P-40 Warhawks strained Japanese resources. In Burma, Allied disruptions weakened Japanese positions, foreshadowing larger offensives in 1943.
Key Personalities
Odilo Globocnik: SS officer overseeing Operation Reinhard and Warsaw Ghetto deportations.
Mordechai Anielewicz: Jewish resistance leader in the Warsaw Ghetto, organizing the ŻOB.
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.
Nobutake Kondo: Japanese admiral preparing naval forces for the Guadalcanal Campaign.
World War II Events on July 22, 1943
US forces arrive in Palermo – July 1943
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1943, World War II saw critical developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces pressed their counteroffensives following the Battle of Kursk, advancing in the Orel salient. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) continued, with U.S. and British forces capturing key cities. In the Pacific, U.S. and Allied troops advanced in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. In Asia, Japanese forces faced resistance in China and Burma. The Holocaust’s atrocities persisted, with deportations and mass killings ongoing. The key event listed for July 22, 1943, is the Allied capture of Palermo in Sicily, highlighted due to its explicit mention and strategic significance in weakening Italian resistance. The day was marked by military advances and escalating Nazi persecution of Jewish populations.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces continued Operation Kutuzov, launched after the Battle of Kursk (July 5–16, 1943), targeting the Orel salient. On July 22, the Soviet Central Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, and Bryansk Front, under General Markian Popov, engaged German Army Group Center, led by General Günther von Kluge. Soviet units, including the 3rd Guards Tank Army and 11th Guards Army, equipped with T-34 tanks and Katyusha rocket launchers, clashed with the German 9th Army, under General Walter Model, near Orel. Supported by Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft, Soviet forces captured key towns, inflicting over 120,000 German casualties by late July. The German 12th Panzer Division and 36th Infantry Division struggled to hold defensive lines, with Soviet advances threatening to collapse the salient.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-459 under Kapitänleutnant Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf, attempting to disrupt Allied convoys, though their effectiveness was waning. On July 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats targeted convoys like SL-133 in the North Atlantic. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy frigates like HMS Swale and U.S. Navy destroyer escorts, used advanced radar and Hedgehog weapons, with air cover from RAF Coastal Command’s B-24 Liberators, sinking over 30 U-boats by July 1943. Allied merchant losses were declining, securing supply lines to Britain and the Soviet Union.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1943, but the genocide was at its peak. Operation Reinhard’s extermination camps—Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec—continued mass killings, with Treblinka alone murdering over 800,000 Jews by mid-1943. Deportations from the Netherlands, via the Westerbork transit camp, sent over 100,000 Dutch Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau by 1943, overseen by SS officer Adolf Eichmann. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe C under Max Thomas, conducted mass shootings, targeting Jewish communities in Ukraine, with thousands killed in July. The Białystok Ghetto, with over 30,000 Jews, faced escalating deportations, with resistance groups like the Anti-Fascist Military Organization preparing for an uprising in August 1943. In the Warsaw Ghetto, following the April–May 1943 uprising, remaining Jews were deported to Treblinka, with survivors like those in the ŻOB (Jewish Combat Organization), led by Mordechai Anielewicz, joining partisan groups. Jewish resistance included sabotage at Sobibor, where prisoners like Alexander Pechersky planned escapes, and partisan activities 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, paving the way for further liberations in eastern Europe. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures secured supply lines, reducing U-boat threats. The Holocaust’s ongoing atrocities decimated Jewish communities, with resistance efforts growing but struggling against Nazi extermination policies.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1943, U.S. forces captured Palermo, Sicily, during Operation Husky (July 10–August 17, 1943), a major blow to Axis defenses. The U.S. 7th Army, under General George S. Patton, with the 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division, advanced rapidly, covering 100 miles in four days. Supported by M4 Sherman tanks and naval gunfire from USS Philadelphia, U.S. troops overcame resistance from the Italian Livorno Division and German 15th Panzergrenadier Division, capturing over 50,000 Axis prisoners. The fall of Palermo disrupted Axis supply lines and boosted Allied momentum toward Messina.
The British 8th Army, under General Bernard Montgomery, continued its push toward Catania, engaging the German Hermann Göring Division. British units, including the 51st Highland Division, faced heavy resistance in rugged terrain, supported by RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-40 Warhawks. The Italian collapse, following Mussolini’s ousting on July 25, weakened Axis morale, with German forces under General Hans-Valentin Hube preparing to defend eastern Sicily. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The siege of Malta had eased, but the island remained a critical Allied base. On July 22, RAF squadrons, including No. 126 Squadron with Spitfires, interdicted Axis shipping to Sicily, sinking several vessels in July, further weakening Axis logistics.
Outcome: The capture of Palermo accelerated Italy’s collapse and set the stage for the invasion of mainland Italy in September. Malta’s role as a base ensured Allied dominance in the Mediterranean, supporting operations in Sicily and beyond.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the New Guinea Campaign and Solomon Islands Campaign continued. On July 22, U.S. and Australian forces, including the U.S. 41st Infantry Division and Australian 7th Division under General Douglas MacArthur, fought in the Salamaua-Lae campaign in New Guinea. The Australian 15th Brigade engaged Japanese 51st Division forces under General Hatazō Adachi around Mubo, capturing key positions in dense jungle terrain with support from U.S. P-38 Lightning fighters. In the Solomon Islands, the Battle of New Georgia saw U.S. forces, including the 43rd Infantry Division and 1st Marine Division, advancing toward Munda airfield against Japanese defenses under General Noboru Sasaki. Supported by naval gunfire from USS Ralph Talbot, U.S. troops faced fierce resistance, with over 1,000 Japanese casualties by late July. No major naval engagements occurred on July 22, but U.S. Navy Task Force 74 patrolled the region, preparing for the Munda assault.
Outcome: Allied advances in New Guinea and the Solomons eroded Japanese defenses, though challenging terrain slowed progress. The imminent capture of Munda airfield would provide a strategic base for further Pacific operations.
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 Hunan and Hubei provinces. On July 22, 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 with support from U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks under General Claire Chennault. 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 and setting the stage for larger offensives in 1944.
Key Personalities
George S. Patton: U.S. general leading the 7th Army’s capture of Palermo.
Bernard Montgomery: British general directing the 8th Army’s advance in Sicily.
Konstantin Rokossovsky: Soviet general leading Central Front’s counteroffensives in Orel.
Günther von Kluge: German Field Marshal struggling to hold the Orel salient.
Adolf Eichmann: SS officer overseeing deportations to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Douglas MacArthur: Allied commander directing Pacific operations in New Guinea.
Orde Wingate: British general leading Chindit operations in Burma.
World War II Events on July 22, 1944
Soviet troops next to a pile of human bone fragments, Majdanek – 1944
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1944, World War II saw significant developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces advanced in Operation Bagration, liberating key cities in Poland and Belarus. In the Western Front, Operation Cobra was poised to break through German lines in Normandy. In the Pacific, the U.S. campaign in the Mariana Islands, including the Battle of Guam, intensified. In Asia, Japanese forces faced setbacks in China and Burma. The Holocaust’s atrocities continued, with deportations and camp liberations exposing the genocide’s scale. The key event listed for July 22, 1944, is the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front liberating the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin, Poland.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1944, the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, liberated the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin, Poland, during Operation Bagration. The camp, operated by the SS under Arthur Liebehenschel, was the first major extermination camp liberated by the Allies, revealing gas chambers, crematoria, and mass graves where over 79,000 Jews and others were murdered. Soviet troops, including the 2nd Guards Tank Army, found thousands of emaciated prisoners and extensive documentation of Nazi atrocities, which was later used in the Nuremberg Trials. The liberation exposed the “Final Solution” to the world, galvanizing Allied resolve.
On the Eastern Front, Operation Bagration continued to devastate German Army Group Center. On July 22, Soviet forces, including the 3rd Belorussian Front under General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, advanced toward Białystok, engaging German 4th Army remnants under General Kurt von Tippelskirch. Soviet units, equipped with T-34/85 tanks and supported by Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft, captured Chełm and pushed toward the Vistula River, inflicting over 300,000 German casualties by late July. The German 9th Army, with units like the 35th Infantry Division, struggled to hold defensive lines, while Polish Home Army units prepared for the Warsaw Uprising.
In the Western Front, preparations for Operation Cobra (July 25–31, 1944) were underway in Normandy. On July 22, the U.S. 1st Army, under General Omar Bradley, reinforced positions near Saint-Lô, with the 4th Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division facing German Panzergruppe West, under General Heinrich Eberbach. The German 2nd SS Panzer Division and 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division fortified defenses, but Allied air superiority, with P-47 Thunderbolts and RAF Typhoons, weakened German positions. British and Canadian forces, including the 3rd Canadian Division, pressed toward Caen, engaging the 1st SS Panzer Division.
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 22, 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 Hedgehog weapons, sinking over 40 U-boats in 1944. Allied convoys, like SC-139, operated with minimal losses, securing supply lines to Europe.
Jewish Affairs: The liberation of Majdanek was a pivotal moment, exposing the Holocaust’s horrors. Deportations to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, with over 400,000 Hungarian Jews sent by July 1944, orchestrated by Adolf Eichmann, most killed upon arrival. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 70,000 Jews, faced imminent liquidation, with deportations to Auschwitz beginning in August. In occupied France, Vichy authorities intensified deportations, with over 75,000 Jews sent to death camps by mid-1944 via Drancy internment camp. Jewish resistance included the Auschwitz Sonderkommando smuggling intelligence to the Polish underground, led by figures like Witold Pilecki, and partisan activities by the Bielski partisans in Belarus, sheltering over 1,200 Jews. The Bricha movement began aiding Jewish survivors’ emigration to Palestine, with thousands moving by late 1944. Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials targeted Nazi perpetrators like Hermann Göring, with evidence of the “Final Solution” compiled from camp records and Einsatzgruppen reports.
Outcome: The liberation of Majdanek revealed the Holocaust’s scale, fueling Allied determination. Soviet advances in Bagration collapsed German defenses in the East, while Operation Cobra’s preparations signaled an imminent breakthrough in Normandy. The Atlantic was secure for Allied shipping, supporting European operations. Jewish survivors and resistance groups sought survival and justice amid ongoing atrocities.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In Italy, the Italian Campaign saw Allied forces, including the U.S. 5th Army under General Mark Clark and the British 8th Army under General Oliver Leese, advancing toward the Arno River. On July 22, the U.S. 34th Infantry Division and British 4th Division engaged German 10th Army units, including the 29th Panzergrenadier Division, near Pisa. Allied air support from RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-51 Mustangs disrupted German logistics, though the Gothic Line slowed progress. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The Mediterranean was an Allied stronghold, with Malta as a key base. On July 22, no significant Axis raids are noted, but RAF squadrons, including No. 229 Squadron with Spitfires, continued to interdict German supply lines to Italy, sinking several vessels in July, weakening German defenses.
Outcome: Allied advances in Italy pressured German defenses, though the Gothic Line delayed progress. The Mediterranean’s stability supported Allied logistics for European and Pacific operations.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the Mariana Islands Campaign continued, with the Battle of Guam (July 21–August 10, 1944) underway. On July 22, the U.S. 3rd Marine Division and 77th Infantry Division, under General Holland Smith, established beachheads on Guam, engaging Japanese 29th Division forces under General Takeshi Takashina. U.S. forces, supported by naval gunfire from USS New Mexico and air strikes by F6F Hellcats, faced fierce Japanese counterattacks, with over 2,000 U.S. casualties by late July. The Tinian campaign (July 24–August 1) was about to begin, with the U.S. 4th Marine Division preparing to land. U.S. Navy Task Force 58, under Admiral Marc Mitscher, conducted air strikes on Japanese positions in the Bonin Islands, targeting airfields. B-29 Superfortress raids from Saipan were intensifying, though no specific raids are noted for July 22.
Outcome: U.S. advances in Guam secured key positions, paving the way for airfield captures and B-29 raids on Japan. The Mariana Islands campaign weakened Japan’s defensive perimeter, bringing the war closer to the homeland.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan’s Operation Ichi-Go continued in southern China. On July 22, 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 74th Army, supported by U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks under General Claire Chennault, disrupted Japanese supply lines, inflicting heavy casualties. In Burma, Allied forces, including the British 14th Army under General William Slim, conducted operations against Japanese 15th Army remnants, weakened after losses at Imphal and Kohima. Merrill’s Marauders and Chinese Expeditionary Force units supported efforts in northern Burma.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support slowed 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, liberating Majdanek.
Omar Bradley: U.S. general preparing Operation Cobra in Normandy.
Mark Clark: U.S. general leading the 5th Army in Italy.
Holland Smith: U.S. Marine general directing the Guam campaign.
Adolf Eichmann: SS officer overseeing Hungarian Jewish deportations.
William Slim: British general conducting operations in Burma.
Claire Chennault: U.S. general leading 14th Air Force operations in China.
World War II Events on July 22, 1945
Survivors of Buchenwald arrive in Haifa – July 1945
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1945, World War II in Europe had concluded with Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945, but intense fighting continued in the Pacific and Asian theatres as the Allies pressed Japan toward surrender. The Potsdam Conference, ongoing since July 17, saw Allied leaders—U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee on July 26)—finalizing postwar plans and preparing the Potsdam Declaration, issued on July 26, demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender. In the Pacific, the Philippines Campaign was concluding, and preparations for the invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall) were intensifying. In Asia, Chinese forces resisted Japanese operations, while Allied efforts in Burma were wrapping up. The Holocaust’s aftermath remained critical, with displaced persons (DP) camps and war crime investigations ongoing.
European and Atlantic Theatre
With Germany’s surrender, active combat in Europe had ceased by July 22, 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 DP camps and securing war criminals for the Nuremberg Trials, set to begin in November 1945. The Potsdam Conference addressed Germany’s demilitarization, denazification, and reparations, with discussions on Soviet entry into the Pacific War, planned for August 8 with the invasion of Manchuria. No active naval engagements occurred in the Atlantic, as the Battle of the Atlantic had ended, and Allied convoys operated unopposed, supporting Pacific logistics.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1945, but the aftermath of the genocide, which killed approximately 6 million Jews, was a central focus. Liberated extermination camps, such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, and Majdanek, provided evidence of Nazi atrocities, with Soviet and Allied forces documenting mass graves and gas chambers for war crime trials. DP camps, including Bergen-Belsen and Dachau, housed over 100,000 Jewish survivors, many suffering from malnutrition and typhus, with thousands dying post-liberation due to weakened conditions. The Bricha movement facilitated the illegal emigration of over 50,000 Jewish survivors to Palestine by late 1945, defying British immigration restrictions. The Jewish Brigade, part of the British Army, aided survivors in DP camps like Buchenwald and Mauthausen, reuniting families and collecting testimonies. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided over 10,000 tons of food, clothing, and medical aid to survivors by mid-1945. Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials targeted Nazi perpetrators like Hermann Göring and Rudolf Hess, with evidence of the “Final Solution” compiled from Einsatzgruppen reports and camp records. Jewish resistance groups, such as the United Partisan Organization, transitioned to relief efforts, supporting survivors’ recovery and documentation of atrocities.
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 organizations like Bricha and the Jewish Brigade, while Allied efforts intensified to prosecute Nazi war criminals, advancing justice for Holocaust victims.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No active combat occurred in the Mediterranean and African Theatre by July 22, 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. RAF squadrons, such as No. 229 Squadron with Spitfires, maintained patrols but saw no significant action on this date. The region supported logistics for ongoing Pacific operations.
Outcome: The Mediterranean remained a stable Allied-controlled zone, supporting logistics for Pacific operations and postwar administration in Italy, with no active military engagements.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the Philippines Campaign 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. On July 22, Filipino guerrillas, including the 15th Infantry Regiment, supported U.S. forces in mop-up operations, with skirmishes ongoing but no major engagements recorded. The Luzon campaign had liberated most of the Philippines, with over 200,000 Japanese casualties by July 1945.
The Battle of Balikpapan in Borneo (July 1–21) had concluded, with Australian 7th Division securing the port. On July 22, U.S. Navy Task Force 38, under Admiral William Halsey, prepared for continued air strikes on Japanese naval bases, following July 10–18 attacks on Tokyo with F6F Hellcats and TBF Avengers. B-29 Superfortress raids from the Mariana Islands, under General Curtis LeMay, targeted Japanese cities, with over 100,000 tons of bombs dropped by July 1945, though no specific raids are noted for July 22. Preparations for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan, were intensifying, with U.S. forces staging in the Marianas and Philippines.
Outcome: Allied successes in the Philippines and Borneo isolated Japanese garrisons, while air and naval strikes weakened Japan’s defences. Preparations for Operation Downfall signalled an imminent escalation, though the atomic bombings in August would alter the war’s course.
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, resisted Japanese operations in Hunan and Guangxi provinces. On July 22, no major battles are recorded, but Chinese forces, including the 58th Army, engaged Japanese 11th Army units under General Isamu Yokoyama, with P-51 Mustang air support disrupting Japanese supply lines. In Burma, the campaign had 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 Conference discussions, ongoing on July 22, confirmed Soviet plans for the August 8 invasion of Manchuria, increasing pressure on Japan.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support limited Japanese gains in China, while Allied successes in Burma isolated Japanese forces. The Potsdam Conference’s plans for Soviet intervention in Manchuria heightened Japan’s strategic isolation.
Key Personalities
Harry S. Truman: U.S. President at the Potsdam Conference, pressing for Japan’s surrender.
Joseph Stalin: Soviet Premier, planning the Manchuria invasion and shaping postwar Europe.
Winston Churchill: British Prime Minister, leading Potsdam negotiations until July 26.
Walter Krueger: U.S. general concluding the Luzon Campaign.
Tomoyuki Yamashita: Japanese general resisting in the Philippines.
William Halsey: U.S. Admiral leading Task Force 38’s strikes on Japan.
Claire Chennault: U.S. general leading 14th Air Force operations in China.
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Each Day in World War II – 22nd July
World War II Events on July 22, 1940
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1940, World War II was intensifying as the Battle of Britain entered its early stages, with the German Luftwaffe escalating air raids to weaken British defences ahead of a potential invasion (Operation Sea Lion). In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to disrupt Allied shipping, while in the Mediterranean, Italian forces prepared for offensives in North Africa, and Malta faced Axis air raids. In Asia, Japan’s expansionist policies in China and French Indochina heightened tensions with the Allies.
European and Atlantic Theatre
In the European Theatre, the Battle of Britain was in its Kanalkampf phase, with the Luftwaffe, under Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, targeting British shipping and coastal defences in the English Channel to disrupt supply lines and test RAF defences. On July 22, Luftflotte 2, commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, deployed Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers against convoys near Dover and Folkestone. RAF Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, countered with squadrons such as No. 54 Squadron (Spitfires) and No. 610 Squadron (Hurricanes), using Chain Home radar to intercept German raids. The RAF lost approximately 10 aircraft, while the Luftwaffe lost 15, with both sides facing pilot shortages. These skirmishes were part of the Luftwaffe’s strategy to achieve air superiority before a planned invasion.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-46 under Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass, attacking Allied merchant convoys. On July 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats targeted convoys like HX-59 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including destroyers like HMS Scimitar and corvettes like HMS Clarkia, used ASDIC (sonar) to counter U-boat wolfpack tactics, though Allied losses exceeded 1.5 million tons of shipping by mid-1940. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raider, the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis, also operated in the Atlantic, disrupting trade routes to Britain.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1940, but Nazi persecution of Jews was escalating across occupied Europe. In occupied Poland, preparations for the Warsaw Ghetto were underway, with over 400,000 Jews to be confined by November 1940 under brutal conditions, overseen by SS authorities like Hans Frank, Governor-General of the General Government. Rations in ghettos were limited to 184 calories daily, causing widespread starvation and disease, with thousands dying monthly. In Vichy France, following the June 1940 armistice, anti-Semitic policies were being drafted, with the Statut des Juifs (enacted October 1940) set to strip Jews of citizenship and public roles. In Germany, forced labour programs expanded, with Jews conscripted into factories like those in Munich’s BMW plants. Early Jewish resistance included underground networks like Hashomer Hatzair in Poland, which smuggled food and information, and cultural preservation efforts in ghettos, though armed resistance was limited due to lack of weapons and organization. The “Final Solution” was not yet formalized, but Einsatzgruppen units were beginning to target Jewish communities in occupied territories, particularly in Poland, setting the stage for mass killings.
Outcome: The RAF’s defence in the Battle of Britain maintained air superiority, delaying German invasion plans. In the Atlantic, U-boat attacks strained Allied supply lines, but improving escorts began to mitigate losses. Jewish communities faced increasing oppression, with early resistance efforts forming under severe constraints, foreshadowing the Holocaust’s escalation.
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, bombing the British-held island to disrupt its role as a Royal Navy and RAF base. On July 22, RAF defenders, equipped with Gloster Gladiator biplanes from No. 261 Squadron and early Hurricane deployments, repelled Italian raids, though Malta’s supply shortages strained its defences. The Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, based in Alexandria, protected convoys to Malta, with ships like HMS Warspite conducting operations against Italian naval forces, 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 the 63rd Infantry Division Cirene and Maletti Group with Fiat M11/39 tanks. On July 22, no major engagements occurred, but Italian troops were fortifying positions near Sidi Barrani, planning the September 1940 invasion. British forces, including the Western Desert Force under General Richard O’Connor, with units like the 7th Armoured Division, were reinforcing defences in Egypt to counter the Italian threat.
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 defences in Egypt remained robust, protecting the Suez Canal.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 22, 1940. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was conducting training for carrier-based operations, preparing for future expansion in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral James O. Richardson, strengthened defences amid rising tensions due to U.S. economic sanctions, including oil and steel embargoes, in response to Japan’s actions in China and Indochina. U.S. Navy Patrol Wing 2, equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats, conducted reconnaissance to monitor Japanese movements in the Pacific.
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 22, 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 1940. Japan was 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 Allies. The Japanese 22nd Army was preparing to occupy 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 offensive capabilities but setting the stage for broader conflict in Southeast Asia.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 22, 1941
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1941, World War II was marked by significant developments across multiple fronts. On the Eastern Front, Operation Barbarossa drove German forces deeper into the Soviet Union, with the Battle of Smolensk intensifying and Soviet resistance stiffening. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to disrupt Allied shipping, though Allied countermeasures were improving. In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta persisted, and Axis forces prepared for North African operations. In Asia, Japan’s occupation of southern French Indochina, nearing completion, escalated tensions with the Allies. The key event listed for July 22, 1941 is the Luftwaffe’s bombing of Moscow.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1941, the German Luftwaffe conducted its first bombing raid on Moscow, targeting the Soviet capital to disrupt morale and infrastructure. Luftflotte 2, under Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, deployed Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88 bombers, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, from bases in occupied Belarus. The raid, involving over 100 aircraft, dropped high-explosive and incendiary bombs on central Moscow, including areas near the Kremlin, causing limited damage due to Soviet anti-aircraft defenses and searchlights manned by the 6th Air Defense Corps. Soviet night fighters, including Polikarpov I-16s, intercepted some bombers, with approximately 10 German aircraft lost. Civilian casualties were minimal, with around 150 deaths, but the raid marked a psychological escalation in the war on the Eastern Front.
On the Eastern Front, Operation Barbarossa saw the Battle of Smolensk (July 10–September 10, 1941) intensify. German Army Group Center, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, aimed to encircle Soviet forces. On July 22, Panzer Group 2, led by General Heinz Guderian, and Panzer Group 3, under General Hermann Hoth, advanced, engaging Soviet Western Front units, including the 16th and 20th Armies under General Konstantin Rokossovsky. The German 7th Panzer Division and 20th Motorized Division clashed with Soviet T-34 tank brigades near Smolensk, capturing over 100,000 Soviet prisoners by late July. Soviet counterattacks, supported by the 24th Army, inflicted heavy losses but failed to break the encirclement, with Soviet casualties exceeding 250,000.
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 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats attacked convoys like HX-138 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Royal Navy escorts, including destroyers like HMS Veteran and corvettes like HMS Aubrietia, used ASDIC (sonar) and depth charges, though Allied losses surpassed 2 million tons in 1941. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raider, the auxiliary cruiser Orion, also disrupted Allied shipping in the Atlantic.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1941, but the genocide was intensifying. In occupied Poland, the Minsk Ghetto, established on July 20, confined over 100,000 Jews, with Einsatzgruppe B, under Arthur Nebe, initiating mass shootings, killing over 1,500 Jews in late July. In Ukraine, Einsatzgruppe C, under Otto Rasch, orchestrated pogroms, such as those in Zhytomyr, where thousands were murdered by SS units and local collaborators. The Warsaw Ghetto, with over 400,000 Jews, faced severe starvation, with daily deaths averaging 2,000 due to rations limited to 184 calories. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 160,000 Jews, saw forced labor and deportations to Chełmno extermination camp, which began later in 1941. Jewish resistance included the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz in Warsaw, smuggling weapons and organizing underground networks. In the Vilna Ghetto, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, began coordinating with Soviet partisans, though limited by scarce resources. The “Final Solution” was formalized nine days later, on July 31, with Göring’s order to Heydrich, signaling the genocide’s escalation.
Outcome: The Luftwaffe’s Moscow raid had limited strategic impact but marked a new phase of aerial warfare. German advances in Smolensk gained ground but faced fierce Soviet resistance, foreshadowing prolonged fighting. In the Atlantic, U-boat attacks strained Allied supply lines, but improving escorts reduced losses. Jewish communities faced escalating persecution, with resistance groups forming despite overwhelming Nazi oppression.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Italian Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe aircraft, including Ju 87 Stukas and Macchi C.202 fighters, bombing the island to neutralize its role as a Royal Navy and RAF base. On July 22, RAF defenders, equipped with Hurricane fighters from No. 185 Squadron, repelled Axis raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, worsened by Axis blockades, strained its defenses. The Royal Navy’s Force H, under Admiral James Somerville, had completed Operation Substance (July 21–27), delivering supplies to Malta despite Italian air attacks, with ships like HMS Ark Royal ensuring convoy protection.
In North Africa, a stalemate persisted after the failed British Operation Battleaxe in June 1941. On July 22, British forces, including the 7th Armoured Division under General Claude Auchinleck, were regrouping in Egypt, preparing for Operation Crusader in November. Axis forces, led by General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, including the 15th Panzer Division and Italian Ariete Division, maintained the siege of Tobruk, where Australian 9th Division troops endured heavy bombardment and supply shortages. No major engagements occurred on this date.
Outcome: Malta’s resilience, bolstered by Operation Substance, disrupted Axis supply lines to North Africa, maintaining its strategic importance. The North African stalemate favored the Axis, but British preparations signaled future counteroffensives.
Pacific Theatre
No significant Japanese military activity is recorded in the Pacific Theatre for July 22, 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was intensifying preparations for the Pearl Harbor attack (December 7, 1941), with training for carrier-based operations ongoing. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor under Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, strengthened defenses, with ships like USS Enterprise conducting patrols. Japan’s imminent occupation of southern French Indochina, finalized by July 28, prompted U.S., British, and Dutch economic sanctions, including oil embargoes, escalating tensions. U.S. Navy Patrol Wing 2, equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats, monitored Japanese movements in the Pacific.
Outcome: The Pacific remained calm, but Japan’s 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 22, 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’s negotiations with Vichy France to occupy southern French Indochina were nearing completion, with the 25th Army and 5th Air Division preparing to deploy by July 28, triggering U.S. sanctions that cut off 80% of Japan’s oil supply.
Outcome: Japan’s occupation of China and 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 22, 1942
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1942, World War II saw critical developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, German forces advanced toward Stalingrad and the Caucasus as part of Operation Blue, facing growing Soviet resistance. In the Atlantic, German U-boats continued to target Allied convoys, though Allied countermeasures were intensifying. In the Mediterranean, the First Battle of El Alamein was winding down, with British forces holding against Axis advances. In the Pacific, Japanese forces prepared for the Guadalcanal Campaign, while in Asia, the Second Sino-Japanese War saw ongoing fighting. The key event listed for July 22, 1942, is the beginning of mass deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1942, the mass deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp began under Operation Reinhard, marking a horrific escalation of the Holocaust. Over 400,000 Jews were confined in the ghetto, and on this date, SS authorities, led by Odilo Globocnik and Hermann Höfle, initiated daily deportations of 6,000–7,000 Jews to Treblinka, 80 miles northeast of Warsaw. Transported in overcrowded cattle cars, most were killed in gas chambers upon arrival, with Treblinka’s capacity enabling the murder of over 800,000 by 1943. The Jewish Ghetto Police were coerced into assisting, while the Jewish Council (Judenrat), led by Adam Czerniaków, faced impossible choices; Czerniaków died by suicide on July 23, unable to bear the deportations’ horror.
On the Eastern Front, Operation Blue drove German Army Group South, under Field Marshal Wilhelm List, toward the Caucasus oil fields and Stalingrad. On July 22, the German 6th Army, led by General Friedrich Paulus, approached the Don River, engaging Soviet 62nd Army units under General Vasily Chuikov west of Stalingrad. The German 4th Panzer Army, supported by Luftwaffe Ju 87 Stukas, clashed with Soviet T-34 tank brigades in the Don Bend, capturing key crossings. Soviet counterattacks, including those by the 64th Army, inflicted heavy losses but could not halt the German advance, with over 200,000 Soviet troops lost in the region by late July. Luftwaffe air superiority, with Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters, targeted Soviet supply lines.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-90 under Kapitänleutnant Hans-Jürgen Oldörp, attacking Allied merchant convoys. On July 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats targeted convoys like HX-199 in the North Atlantic, sinking ships carrying supplies to Britain. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy destroyers like HMS Walker and U.S. Navy corvettes, used improved radar and air cover from B-24 Liberators, sinking over 20 U-boats by July 1942. The Kriegsmarine’s surface raider, the auxiliary cruiser Stier, also disrupted Allied shipping.
Jewish Affairs: The Warsaw Ghetto deportations were a pivotal moment in the Holocaust, part of the “Final Solution” formalized in January 1942 at the Wannsee Conference. By July 22, over 65,000 Jews were deported from Warsaw in the first weeks, with SS units under Adolf Eichmann overseeing operations. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe B under Arthur Nebe, conducted mass shootings, killing over 5,000 Jews in the Minsk Ghetto in July 1942. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 160,000 Jews, faced ongoing deportations to Chełmno extermination camp, where over 150,000 were killed by 1942. In Ukraine, pogroms in places like Rovno saw thousands murdered by SS and local collaborators. Jewish resistance grew, with the Jewish Combat Organization (ŻOB), led by Mordechai Anielewicz in Warsaw, smuggling weapons and planning the 1943 uprising. In the Vilna Ghetto, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, led by Abba Kovner, coordinated with Soviet partisans, while groups like the Bielski partisans in Belarus sheltered over 1,000 Jews in forest camps.
Outcome: The Warsaw Ghetto deportations marked a grim escalation of the Holocaust, decimating Jewish communities. German advances on the Eastern Front gained ground but met fierce Soviet resistance, setting the stage for the Battle of Stalingrad. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures reduced U-boat threats, though merchant losses persisted. Jewish resistance groups organized against overwhelming odds, laying the groundwork for future uprisings.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In North Africa, the First Battle of El Alamein (July 1–27, 1942) was concluding, with the British 8th Army, under General Claude Auchinleck, holding the line against General Erwin Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika. On July 22, fighting tapered off, with British units, including the 9th Australian Division and 1st South African Division, defending positions around El Alamein. The Australian 2/28th Battalion and British 50th Division repelled attacks by the German 21st Panzer Division and Italian Trento Division, supported by RAF Hurricane fighters and U.S. B-25 Mitchell bombers. Rommel’s forces, hampered by supply shortages, captured over 10,000 Allied prisoners but failed to break through, with the battle nearing a stalemate.
In the Mediterranean, the siege of Malta continued, with Luftwaffe Ju 88 bombers and Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft targeting the island. On July 22, RAF defenders, equipped with Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron, repelled Axis raids, though Malta’s supply shortages, worsened by Axis blockades, strained its defenses. 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 in October. 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 preparing for the Guadalcanal Campaign, set to begin on August 7, 1942. On July 22, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admiral Nobutake Kondo, assembled forces in Rabaul, including the 17th Army under General Harukichi Hyakutake, supported by the 8th Fleet’s cruisers and destroyers. Japanese troops, including the Kawaguchi Detachment, were staging for landings in the Solomon Islands. U.S. forces, including the 1st Marine Division under Major General Alexander Vandegrift, were finalizing plans for the Guadalcanal invasion, with Task Force 61, including carriers like USS Enterprise, conducting reconnaissance. No major engagements occurred on July 22, but both sides were mobilizing for the imminent campaign.
Outcome: The Pacific was in a strategic lull, with Japan and the Allies preparing for the Guadalcanal Campaign, which would mark a turning point by shifting momentum to the Allies.
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 22, no specific battles are recorded, but Japanese troops faced guerrilla resistance from Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and Communist units under Mao Zedong. The Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign (May–September 1942) saw Japanese forces targeting Chinese airfields used by U.S. Doolittle Raiders, causing heavy civilian casualties due to the “Three Alls Policy,” which killed or displaced millions. In Burma, Japanese occupation forces, including the 33rd Division, maintained control, though Allied guerrilla operations, including early Chindit missions under General Orde Wingate, disrupted Japanese logistics.
Outcome: Japanese control in China held, but Chinese guerrilla tactics and U.S. air support from the 14th Air Force’s P-40 Warhawks strained Japanese resources. In Burma, Allied disruptions weakened Japanese positions, foreshadowing larger offensives in 1943.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 22, 1943
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1943, World War II saw critical developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces pressed their counteroffensives following the Battle of Kursk, advancing in the Orel salient. In the Mediterranean, the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) continued, with U.S. and British forces capturing key cities. In the Pacific, U.S. and Allied troops advanced in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. In Asia, Japanese forces faced resistance in China and Burma. The Holocaust’s atrocities persisted, with deportations and mass killings ongoing. The key event listed for July 22, 1943, is the Allied capture of Palermo in Sicily, highlighted due to its explicit mention and strategic significance in weakening Italian resistance. The day was marked by military advances and escalating Nazi persecution of Jewish populations.
European and Atlantic Theatre
On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces continued Operation Kutuzov, launched after the Battle of Kursk (July 5–16, 1943), targeting the Orel salient. On July 22, the Soviet Central Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, and Bryansk Front, under General Markian Popov, engaged German Army Group Center, led by General Günther von Kluge. Soviet units, including the 3rd Guards Tank Army and 11th Guards Army, equipped with T-34 tanks and Katyusha rocket launchers, clashed with the German 9th Army, under General Walter Model, near Orel. Supported by Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft, Soviet forces captured key towns, inflicting over 120,000 German casualties by late July. The German 12th Panzer Division and 36th Infantry Division struggled to hold defensive lines, with Soviet advances threatening to collapse the salient.
In the Atlantic, the Battle of the Atlantic saw German U-boats, such as U-459 under Kapitänleutnant Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf, attempting to disrupt Allied convoys, though their effectiveness was waning. On July 22, no specific sinkings are recorded, but U-boats targeted convoys like SL-133 in the North Atlantic. Allied escorts, including Royal Navy frigates like HMS Swale and U.S. Navy destroyer escorts, used advanced radar and Hedgehog weapons, with air cover from RAF Coastal Command’s B-24 Liberators, sinking over 30 U-boats by July 1943. Allied merchant losses were declining, securing supply lines to Britain and the Soviet Union.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1943, but the genocide was at its peak. Operation Reinhard’s extermination camps—Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec—continued mass killings, with Treblinka alone murdering over 800,000 Jews by mid-1943. Deportations from the Netherlands, via the Westerbork transit camp, sent over 100,000 Dutch Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau by 1943, overseen by SS officer Adolf Eichmann. In occupied Soviet territories, Einsatzgruppen units, such as Einsatzgruppe C under Max Thomas, conducted mass shootings, targeting Jewish communities in Ukraine, with thousands killed in July. The Białystok Ghetto, with over 30,000 Jews, faced escalating deportations, with resistance groups like the Anti-Fascist Military Organization preparing for an uprising in August 1943. In the Warsaw Ghetto, following the April–May 1943 uprising, remaining Jews were deported to Treblinka, with survivors like those in the ŻOB (Jewish Combat Organization), led by Mordechai Anielewicz, joining partisan groups. Jewish resistance included sabotage at Sobibor, where prisoners like Alexander Pechersky planned escapes, and partisan activities 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, paving the way for further liberations in eastern Europe. In the Atlantic, Allied anti-submarine measures secured supply lines, reducing U-boat threats. The Holocaust’s ongoing atrocities decimated Jewish communities, with resistance efforts growing but struggling against Nazi extermination policies.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1943, U.S. forces captured Palermo, Sicily, during Operation Husky (July 10–August 17, 1943), a major blow to Axis defenses. The U.S. 7th Army, under General George S. Patton, with the 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division, advanced rapidly, covering 100 miles in four days. Supported by M4 Sherman tanks and naval gunfire from USS Philadelphia, U.S. troops overcame resistance from the Italian Livorno Division and German 15th Panzergrenadier Division, capturing over 50,000 Axis prisoners. The fall of Palermo disrupted Axis supply lines and boosted Allied momentum toward Messina.
The British 8th Army, under General Bernard Montgomery, continued its push toward Catania, engaging the German Hermann Göring Division. British units, including the 51st Highland Division, faced heavy resistance in rugged terrain, supported by RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-40 Warhawks. The Italian collapse, following Mussolini’s ousting on July 25, weakened Axis morale, with German forces under General Hans-Valentin Hube preparing to defend eastern Sicily. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The siege of Malta had eased, but the island remained a critical Allied base. On July 22, RAF squadrons, including No. 126 Squadron with Spitfires, interdicted Axis shipping to Sicily, sinking several vessels in July, further weakening Axis logistics.
Outcome: The capture of Palermo accelerated Italy’s collapse and set the stage for the invasion of mainland Italy in September. Malta’s role as a base ensured Allied dominance in the Mediterranean, supporting operations in Sicily and beyond.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the New Guinea Campaign and Solomon Islands Campaign continued. On July 22, U.S. and Australian forces, including the U.S. 41st Infantry Division and Australian 7th Division under General Douglas MacArthur, fought in the Salamaua-Lae campaign in New Guinea. The Australian 15th Brigade engaged Japanese 51st Division forces under General Hatazō Adachi around Mubo, capturing key positions in dense jungle terrain with support from U.S. P-38 Lightning fighters. In the Solomon Islands, the Battle of New Georgia saw U.S. forces, including the 43rd Infantry Division and 1st Marine Division, advancing toward Munda airfield against Japanese defenses under General Noboru Sasaki. Supported by naval gunfire from USS Ralph Talbot, U.S. troops faced fierce resistance, with over 1,000 Japanese casualties by late July. No major naval engagements occurred on July 22, but U.S. Navy Task Force 74 patrolled the region, preparing for the Munda assault.
Outcome: Allied advances in New Guinea and the Solomons eroded Japanese defenses, though challenging terrain slowed progress. The imminent capture of Munda airfield would provide a strategic base for further Pacific operations.
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 Hunan and Hubei provinces. On July 22, 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 with support from U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks under General Claire Chennault. 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 and setting the stage for larger offensives in 1944.
Key Personalities
World War II Events on July 22, 1944
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1944, World War II saw significant developments across multiple theatres. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces advanced in Operation Bagration, liberating key cities in Poland and Belarus. In the Western Front, Operation Cobra was poised to break through German lines in Normandy. In the Pacific, the U.S. campaign in the Mariana Islands, including the Battle of Guam, intensified. In Asia, Japanese forces faced setbacks in China and Burma. The Holocaust’s atrocities continued, with deportations and camp liberations exposing the genocide’s scale. The key event listed for July 22, 1944, is the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front liberating the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin, Poland.
European and Atlantic Theatre
Key Event: On July 22, 1944, the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, under General Konstantin Rokossovsky, liberated the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin, Poland, during Operation Bagration. The camp, operated by the SS under Arthur Liebehenschel, was the first major extermination camp liberated by the Allies, revealing gas chambers, crematoria, and mass graves where over 79,000 Jews and others were murdered. Soviet troops, including the 2nd Guards Tank Army, found thousands of emaciated prisoners and extensive documentation of Nazi atrocities, which was later used in the Nuremberg Trials. The liberation exposed the “Final Solution” to the world, galvanizing Allied resolve.
On the Eastern Front, Operation Bagration continued to devastate German Army Group Center. On July 22, Soviet forces, including the 3rd Belorussian Front under General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, advanced toward Białystok, engaging German 4th Army remnants under General Kurt von Tippelskirch. Soviet units, equipped with T-34/85 tanks and supported by Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft, captured Chełm and pushed toward the Vistula River, inflicting over 300,000 German casualties by late July. The German 9th Army, with units like the 35th Infantry Division, struggled to hold defensive lines, while Polish Home Army units prepared for the Warsaw Uprising.
In the Western Front, preparations for Operation Cobra (July 25–31, 1944) were underway in Normandy. On July 22, the U.S. 1st Army, under General Omar Bradley, reinforced positions near Saint-Lô, with the 4th Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division facing German Panzergruppe West, under General Heinrich Eberbach. The German 2nd SS Panzer Division and 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division fortified defenses, but Allied air superiority, with P-47 Thunderbolts and RAF Typhoons, weakened German positions. British and Canadian forces, including the 3rd Canadian Division, pressed toward Caen, engaging the 1st SS Panzer Division.
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 22, 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 Hedgehog weapons, sinking over 40 U-boats in 1944. Allied convoys, like SC-139, operated with minimal losses, securing supply lines to Europe.
Jewish Affairs: The liberation of Majdanek was a pivotal moment, exposing the Holocaust’s horrors. Deportations to Auschwitz-Birkenau continued, with over 400,000 Hungarian Jews sent by July 1944, orchestrated by Adolf Eichmann, most killed upon arrival. The Łódź Ghetto, with over 70,000 Jews, faced imminent liquidation, with deportations to Auschwitz beginning in August. In occupied France, Vichy authorities intensified deportations, with over 75,000 Jews sent to death camps by mid-1944 via Drancy internment camp. Jewish resistance included the Auschwitz Sonderkommando smuggling intelligence to the Polish underground, led by figures like Witold Pilecki, and partisan activities by the Bielski partisans in Belarus, sheltering over 1,200 Jews. The Bricha movement began aiding Jewish survivors’ emigration to Palestine, with thousands moving by late 1944. Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials targeted Nazi perpetrators like Hermann Göring, with evidence of the “Final Solution” compiled from camp records and Einsatzgruppen reports.
Outcome: The liberation of Majdanek revealed the Holocaust’s scale, fueling Allied determination. Soviet advances in Bagration collapsed German defenses in the East, while Operation Cobra’s preparations signaled an imminent breakthrough in Normandy. The Atlantic was secure for Allied shipping, supporting European operations. Jewish survivors and resistance groups sought survival and justice amid ongoing atrocities.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
In Italy, the Italian Campaign saw Allied forces, including the U.S. 5th Army under General Mark Clark and the British 8th Army under General Oliver Leese, advancing toward the Arno River. On July 22, the U.S. 34th Infantry Division and British 4th Division engaged German 10th Army units, including the 29th Panzergrenadier Division, near Pisa. Allied air support from RAF Spitfires and U.S. P-51 Mustangs disrupted German logistics, though the Gothic Line slowed progress. North Africa was under Allied control, with no active combat.
The Mediterranean was an Allied stronghold, with Malta as a key base. On July 22, no significant Axis raids are noted, but RAF squadrons, including No. 229 Squadron with Spitfires, continued to interdict German supply lines to Italy, sinking several vessels in July, weakening German defenses.
Outcome: Allied advances in Italy pressured German defenses, though the Gothic Line delayed progress. The Mediterranean’s stability supported Allied logistics for European and Pacific operations.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the Mariana Islands Campaign continued, with the Battle of Guam (July 21–August 10, 1944) underway. On July 22, the U.S. 3rd Marine Division and 77th Infantry Division, under General Holland Smith, established beachheads on Guam, engaging Japanese 29th Division forces under General Takeshi Takashina. U.S. forces, supported by naval gunfire from USS New Mexico and air strikes by F6F Hellcats, faced fierce Japanese counterattacks, with over 2,000 U.S. casualties by late July. The Tinian campaign (July 24–August 1) was about to begin, with the U.S. 4th Marine Division preparing to land. U.S. Navy Task Force 58, under Admiral Marc Mitscher, conducted air strikes on Japanese positions in the Bonin Islands, targeting airfields. B-29 Superfortress raids from Saipan were intensifying, though no specific raids are noted for July 22.
Outcome: U.S. advances in Guam secured key positions, paving the way for airfield captures and B-29 raids on Japan. The Mariana Islands campaign weakened Japan’s defensive perimeter, bringing the war closer to the homeland.
Asian Theatre
In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan’s Operation Ichi-Go continued in southern China. On July 22, 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 74th Army, supported by U.S. 14th Air Force P-40 Warhawks under General Claire Chennault, disrupted Japanese supply lines, inflicting heavy casualties. In Burma, Allied forces, including the British 14th Army under General William Slim, conducted operations against Japanese 15th Army remnants, weakened after losses at Imphal and Kohima. Merrill’s Marauders and Chinese Expeditionary Force units supported efforts in northern Burma.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support slowed 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 22, 1945
Overview of Key Events
On July 22, 1945, World War II in Europe had concluded with Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945, but intense fighting continued in the Pacific and Asian theatres as the Allies pressed Japan toward surrender. The Potsdam Conference, ongoing since July 17, saw Allied leaders—U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee on July 26)—finalizing postwar plans and preparing the Potsdam Declaration, issued on July 26, demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender. In the Pacific, the Philippines Campaign was concluding, and preparations for the invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall) were intensifying. In Asia, Chinese forces resisted Japanese operations, while Allied efforts in Burma were wrapping up. The Holocaust’s aftermath remained critical, with displaced persons (DP) camps and war crime investigations ongoing.
European and Atlantic Theatre
With Germany’s surrender, active combat in Europe had ceased by July 22, 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 DP camps and securing war criminals for the Nuremberg Trials, set to begin in November 1945. The Potsdam Conference addressed Germany’s demilitarization, denazification, and reparations, with discussions on Soviet entry into the Pacific War, planned for August 8 with the invasion of Manchuria. No active naval engagements occurred in the Atlantic, as the Battle of the Atlantic had ended, and Allied convoys operated unopposed, supporting Pacific logistics.
Jewish Affairs: No specific Holocaust-related events are documented for July 22, 1945, but the aftermath of the genocide, which killed approximately 6 million Jews, was a central focus. Liberated extermination camps, such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, and Majdanek, provided evidence of Nazi atrocities, with Soviet and Allied forces documenting mass graves and gas chambers for war crime trials. DP camps, including Bergen-Belsen and Dachau, housed over 100,000 Jewish survivors, many suffering from malnutrition and typhus, with thousands dying post-liberation due to weakened conditions. The Bricha movement facilitated the illegal emigration of over 50,000 Jewish survivors to Palestine by late 1945, defying British immigration restrictions. The Jewish Brigade, part of the British Army, aided survivors in DP camps like Buchenwald and Mauthausen, reuniting families and collecting testimonies. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided over 10,000 tons of food, clothing, and medical aid to survivors by mid-1945. Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials targeted Nazi perpetrators like Hermann Göring and Rudolf Hess, with evidence of the “Final Solution” compiled from Einsatzgruppen reports and camp records. Jewish resistance groups, such as the United Partisan Organization, transitioned to relief efforts, supporting survivors’ recovery and documentation of atrocities.
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 organizations like Bricha and the Jewish Brigade, while Allied efforts intensified to prosecute Nazi war criminals, advancing justice for Holocaust victims.
Mediterranean and African Theatre
No active combat occurred in the Mediterranean and African Theatre by July 22, 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. RAF squadrons, such as No. 229 Squadron with Spitfires, maintained patrols but saw no significant action on this date. The region supported logistics for ongoing Pacific operations.
Outcome: The Mediterranean remained a stable Allied-controlled zone, supporting logistics for Pacific operations and postwar administration in Italy, with no active military engagements.
Pacific Theatre
In the Pacific, the Philippines Campaign 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. On July 22, Filipino guerrillas, including the 15th Infantry Regiment, supported U.S. forces in mop-up operations, with skirmishes ongoing but no major engagements recorded. The Luzon campaign had liberated most of the Philippines, with over 200,000 Japanese casualties by July 1945.
The Battle of Balikpapan in Borneo (July 1–21) had concluded, with Australian 7th Division securing the port. On July 22, U.S. Navy Task Force 38, under Admiral William Halsey, prepared for continued air strikes on Japanese naval bases, following July 10–18 attacks on Tokyo with F6F Hellcats and TBF Avengers. B-29 Superfortress raids from the Mariana Islands, under General Curtis LeMay, targeted Japanese cities, with over 100,000 tons of bombs dropped by July 1945, though no specific raids are noted for July 22. Preparations for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan, were intensifying, with U.S. forces staging in the Marianas and Philippines.
Outcome: Allied successes in the Philippines and Borneo isolated Japanese garrisons, while air and naval strikes weakened Japan’s defences. Preparations for Operation Downfall signalled an imminent escalation, though the atomic bombings in August would alter the war’s course.
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, resisted Japanese operations in Hunan and Guangxi provinces. On July 22, no major battles are recorded, but Chinese forces, including the 58th Army, engaged Japanese 11th Army units under General Isamu Yokoyama, with P-51 Mustang air support disrupting Japanese supply lines. In Burma, the campaign had 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 Conference discussions, ongoing on July 22, confirmed Soviet plans for the August 8 invasion of Manchuria, increasing pressure on Japan.
Outcome: Chinese resistance and U.S. air support limited Japanese gains in China, while Allied successes in Burma isolated Japanese forces. The Potsdam Conference’s plans for Soviet intervention in Manchuria heightened Japan’s strategic isolation.
Key Personalities
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