This Day in WWII 04-24-1939 - 1945

[Donster]

1940: Commons approves trade agreement with Spain, first since Spanish Civil War.

1940: French reinforcements arrive at Aandalesnes. British troops forced to withdraw north of Trondheim after sharp fighting. Norwegian troops attack the Germans south of Narvik, but are beaten back.

1941: German forces in Greece break through British positions at Thermopylae and land paratroops on Greek islands in the north-eastern Aegean. The British expeditionary force begins the evacuation of its troops to Egypt and Crete.

1942: The Luftwaffe raids Exeter in the first of Hitler's retaliatory raids, which were soon to become known as the 'Baedeker' raids after the famous guidebook series of that name. A second raid employing 91 aircraft is made against Rostok.

1944: All overseas travel is banned in Britain.

1944: The British force the road to Kohima open.

1944: The first B-29 arrives in China, over the Hump of the Himalayas.

1944: U.S. troops secure Hollandia and Aitape in New Guinea inflicting 9,000 Japanese casualties, while only suffering 450 dead themselves. Australians troops enter Madang in New Guinea.

1945: The British Second and Canadian First Armies enter Bremen. The U.S. First Army liberates Dachau concentration camp. The US Seventh Army crosses the Danube at Dillingen and captures Ulm.

1945: The Eighth Army captures Ferrara, 30 miles to the Northeast of Bologna and crosses the Po after fierce fighting. The U.S. Fifth Army takes Spezia on the Gulf of Genoa and Modern.

1945: The Japanese Burma Area Army C-in-C leaves Rangoon. The British Fourteenth Army takes Pyinmana in central Burma.