The Second World War.

[Ennath]

July 25, 1932
Diplomatic Relations Poland, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and the USSR sign a Non-Aggression Pact. An amendment in 1934 expends the pact’s terms through 1945.

July 25, 1934
Austria The Austrian Nazis attempt a coup and assassinate Dolfuss. Mussolini sends troops to the Austro-Italian border and Hitler does not intervene. The Austrian authorities recover and regain control. Kurt Schuschnigg is the new chancellor.
Australia The government announces a three-year military build-up.

July 25, 1935
Russia, Politics At a Comintern conference, foreign Communist parties are ordered to begin cooperating with other parties of the left to oppose Fascism.

July 25, 1937
China Full-scale fighting begins as the Japanese attack toward Peking.

July 25, 1939
Allied Planning 240 British aircraft take part in training flights over France.
Allied Intelligence Polish cryptanalysts, who have partially cracked the German Enigma codes, share this information with French and British representatives.

July 25, 1940
United States, Politics The USA prohibits the export of oil and metal products in certain categories, unless under license, to countries outside the Americas generally and Britain. This is seen as an anti-Japanese measure, particularly in regard to Japan’s dependence on foreign oil. From this time, Japanese fuel reserves begin to decline. There are similar problems with other raw materials. Japanese attention is, therefore, first drawn south from China to the resources of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya.
Germany, Home Front The Economics Ministry outlines the New Order for Europe, based on the use of forced labor from the occupied nations.
North Africa Italian aircraft bomb the naval base at Alexandria and the base at Haifa, Palestine. Damage is slight.
Switzerland General Guisan, commander of all Swiss forces, reacts to the appeasement-oriented speech by the Federal President by assembling 650 officers in the Field of Rütli - the birthplace of Swiss independence - to make it clear the Swiss Army would resist any German or Italian invasion. "As long as in Europe millions stand under arms, and as long as important forces are able to attack us at any time, this army has to remain at its post." The President is outraged but gives in.

July 25-29, 1940
Battle of Britain There are further attacks on British convoys in the Channel. On the 25th aircraft from Kesselring’s Luftflotte 2 attack a convoy in the Dover Straits very fiercely. They are assisted by German light naval forces. These are driven off during the day but return to do damage during the night. The British lose 11 of the 21 ships in the convoy. On the 26th, the Admiralty orders that no ships are to pass Dover during daylight. This is not a direct response to the previous day’s losses but has been under preparation for some time because of the extra organization involved. On July 27, Kesselring’s aircraft sink two destroyers and damage one. On the 28th all destroyers are withdrawn from Dover to Portsmouth. This is a significant achievement for the Luftwaffe, implying that they may be able to dominate the Channel Narrows during hours of daylight. On July 29, another destroyer is sunk and the whole eastern half of the Channel is placed out of bounds for RN destroyers in daylight. Mine-sweeping operations continue, however, ensuring that access can be gained if necessary. In these operations, the RAF loses 18 planes and the Germans 52.

July 25, 1941
Mediterranean During the night Italian assault boats try to enter the harbor at Valetta with explosive boats and manned torpedoes. They are spotted before they can line up on their targets and 15 of the 33 men are killed, with the rest taken prisoner.
Syria The British acknowledge French interests in the Levant and reaffirm that they have no interest in Syria and Lebanon beyond winning the war.
Lithuania A pogrom by Lithuanians in Kovno kills 3800 Jews.
Germany, Home Front Paul Ogorzow is executed in Berlin. Between autumn 1940 and spring 1941 the “S-Bahn murderer” took advantage of the blackout to kill 8 women on Berlin’s commuter trains, wound 6 more and rape 31.

July 25, 1942
Eastern Front Army Group A completes the capture of Rostov and Novocherkassk..
There is a growing threat to Stalingrad, but the Soviets still hold several bridgeheads west of the Don.

July 25-31, 1942
Australia The Japanese launch four small air raids on northern Queensland.

July 25, 1943
Italy, Politics Mussolini is summoned to a meeting with the king in the afternoon and is told that he is being relieved of his offices. He is arrested on leaving the meeting. Marshal Badoglio is chosen to form the new government.
News of the fall of Mussolini reaches Hitler in the afternoon and he discusses the situation with his generals. They decide to send eight German divisions to Austria and southern France and to occupy the Italian Alpine passes. Every pass along the border is in German hands before Badoglio even has time to think of a countermeasure.
Sicily The Americans in the north are now meeting stronger resistance. In the center, the British and Canadians are attacking Agira from two directions. Allied reinforcements are being brought from North Africa.
New Georgia The American offensive begins with units of 25th Division supplementing the efforts of 37th and 43rd Divisions. Little progress is made, however, except near Bartley Ridge.

July 25, 1944
Western Front Operation Cobra, the breakout from Normandy, begins. The main attack just west of St. Lo is made by US VII Corps with VIII and XIII Corps on their flanks. There is a massive preparation, especially from the air. More than 3000 planes are involved, including 1500 heavy bombers. Some of the bombers aim short and cause many American casualties, including the death of General McNair, commander of US Ground Forces, who is at the front to check on the effectiveness of his training methods. Despite this both VII and VIII Corps make good progress. The British attacks around Caen have drawn away the German tank forces and reserves. South of Caen the Canadians are attacking along the road to Falaise, but are meeting heavy resistance. Ferocious fighting occurs around Verrieres Ridge.
Eastern Front Russian units enter Lvov, which is also partially surrounded, while armored columns converge on Brest-Litovsk. Farther north the road between Dvinsk and Riga is cut. Soviet forces begin attacks on the Tannenberg Line at Narva. The SS troopers here resist all day, inflicting heavy loss until ammunition runs short and the Soviets are able to advance.
Germany, Home Front Goebbels is appointed Reich Plenipotentiary for Total War and new decrees are issued canceling work vacations for women involved in war work.
Allied Diplomacy Talks begin in Washington between US and British representatives on arrangements for the control of oil production and trade in the postwar world.
Indian Ocean The Eastern Fleet attacks Sabang, causing severe damage.
Marianas The Americans on Guam are still unable to join their beachheads. Units from the southern landing force are also fighting on the Orote Peninsula.
After repulsing Japanese counterattacks during the early hours, US forces begin a careful advance on Tinian.
New Guinea A vigorous new attack enables US troops to open a gap enabling the trapped units at Afua to return to American lines.
Atomic Research The first test begin on an implosion ignition system.

July 25-28, 1944
Carolines US carrier aircraft attack Palau, Yap, Ulithi, and other islands.

July 25, 1945
The Philippines All organized resistance ceases in the Sarangani Bay area. Mopping up begins but is not completed until August 11.
Japan US carrier aircraft attack Kure naval base and the airfields at Nagoya, Osaka, and Miho. The battleships Hyuga, Ise, and Haruna, the escort carrier Kaiyo, and the cruisers Aoba and Iwate are sunk.
Burma The Japanese pull out of Taunggyi in the Shan states.

[Ennath]

July 26, 1926
Germany, Home Front Establishment of the Hitler Youth as a wing of the Nazi Party.

July 26, 1940
Japan, Politics The Japanese government formally adopts policy documents giving top priority to solving their China problem by blocking supplies reaching the Chinese through Indochina and to securing their own raw materials by a more aggressive stance toward the Dutch East Indies.

July 26, 1941
Diplomatic Relations Japanese assets in the United States and Britain are frozen and Canada renounces its trade treaty with Japan. On the 28th Japan retaliates with similar measures. On the 29th Japan freezes Dutch assets after the Netherlands freezes Japan’s on the 27th. This means that almost 75% of Japan’s foreign trade is at a standstill and that 90% of its oil supplies have been cut off.
The Philippines Roosevelt orders that the Philippine Army be entirely incorporated into the US Army for the duration of the tension with Japan. General MacArthur, who has been leading the Filipino forces, is appointed to command the US forces in the area as well.
Hawaii The Hawaii sector is put on alert.

July 26, 1942
Britain, Home Front Sweets and chocolate are rationed.

July 26, 1943
Italy, Politics Badoglio forms a new cabinet, omitting all Fascist leaders, and declares martial law throughout Italy. He professes his loyalty to the Axis but is secretly looking for a way to leave the war.
New Georgia The American attacks continue to make slow progress with heavy air and artillery support. Tanks and flamethrowers are also employed. One regiment seizes the village of Ilangana and reaches the coast at Kia.
Aleutians The Japanese begin the evacuation of Kiska. They make clever use of the Arctic fog that has enveloped the island and take off over 6000 men without being spotted. One group of American ships detects the evacuation force on radar, but fails to correctly interpret the data.

July 26, 1944
Western Front The US attacks continue. Marigny and St. Giles are taken by VII Corps and to the west VIII Corps is across the Lessay-Periers road. East of St. Lo, V Corps begins attacks.
Eastern Front Soviet troops reach the Vistula west of Lublin and capture Deblin. Farther north Narva is taken by troops of Leningrad Front; attacks on the Tannenberg Line fail. In northern Karelia, the Soviets attack at Ilomantsi. Attacks here continue until August 13, but fail with heavy loss.
Ukrainian Insurgent forces defeat a German division near Nedilna, capturing its supply column.
Iran Reza Shah dies in exile in South Africa.
New Guinea The fighting in the Aitape sector continues. Mopping up on Biak and Noemfoor goes on.
United States Planning Roosevelt meets MacArthur and Nimitz in Honolulu. MacArthur argues for an attack on the Philippines, seeking to redeem his pledge from 1942 that he would return to liberate them. The navy suggests that the Philippines can be bypassed and instead advocates Formosa as the next strategic target. This debate is to become very heated.
China Chinese troops attack Tengchung but make little progress. Lai-feng Peak is stormed.

July 26, 1945
Britain, Politics The election results are announced. It is a massive victory for the Labor Party and a terrible defeat for Churchill’s Conservatives. Atlee becomes Prime Minister.
The reason for the Conservative defeat, despite Churchill’s war record, is that they have failed to convince the electorate that they would be active and original enough to prevent a return to the conditions of the 1930’s when the Conservatives did too little too late to mitigate the effects of the Depression and failed to stand up to Hitler. During the war, too, it has mostly been the Labor politicians who have been responsible for the departments concerned with the rationing system and organizing and it is felt that this in a way has benefited the people in ways apart from the war effort.
American Planning The first two atomic cores, one plutonium and one uranium-235, arrive at Tinian.

July 26-August 4, 1945
Burma The Japanese make their final attempt to break out, but are crushed. For all practical purposes, the Japanese army in Burma has ceased to exist.

July 26, 1947
United States The National Security Act becomes law. The armed forces are placed under a single Department of Defense, controlling all the services. The Air Force becomes a separate service. The act also provides for the desegregation of the armed forces, though this will take some time.

July 26, 1948
Germany The Western powers halt trade with the Soviet zone.

[Ennath]

July 27, 1929
World Affairs A Geneva Convention establishes standards for the treatment of prisoners of war. These standards will certainly be widely ignored by totalitarian regimes in the coming century.

July 27, 1941
Eastern Front The Soviet forces in and around Smolensk are cut off by the German pincer movement. The Soviets manage to organize a new line 25 miles to the east and their artillery is getting stronger. In the Smolensk “cauldron”, the Soviet multiple rocket launchers (Katyusha’s to the Russians and Stalin’s Organs to the Germans) make their first really major appearance in action. In the north, the port of Tallinn is attacked and captured by the Germans.
The Blitz After a pause of several weeks, German aircraft bomb London.
Britain, Home Front The railroads are nationalized for the duration of the war.

July 27, 1942
Eastern Front Army Group B, and especially Paulus’ 6th Army, battles to clear the Don elbow. The important position at Kalach is attacked. Bataysk falls.
North Africa The fighting dies down at El Alamein. Both sides badly need to rest and resupply.

July 27, 1943
Sicily There is heavy, but inconclusive, fighting at Agira and Nicosia. American spearheads cross the Tusa River but are driven back. A second attack later in the day establishes a small bridgehead.
Italy, Politics Mussolini is transferred from Rome to the island of Ponza.
German Planning The Germans begin planning for a takeover of Italy and neutralization of the Italian armed forces in the event of an Italian surrender. Plans are also in hand for the rescue of Mussolini.
New Georgia Attacks on Bartley Ridge are called off and efforts are focused on Horseshoe Hill.
China An American-trained Chinese squadron joins 14th Air Force.

July 27, 1944
Western Front US VIII Corps makes an important breakthrough between Lessay and Periers, both of which are also taken.
Italy New Zealand 2nd Division takes San Casciano.
Eastern Front The Soviets make good progress in several sectors. Koniev takes Lvov and Stanislav, 70 miles to the south. The Polish rebels in Lvov are arrested by the Soviets. 2nd Belorussian Front captures Bialystok after a week-long hard fight. 1st Baltic Front takes Siauliai and on their right 2nd Baltic Front takes Daugavpils and Rezekne. At Narva, the SS are forced from the Kinderheimhohe position in heavy fighting.
Marianas On Guam 77th Division is preparing to attack Mount Tenjo. On Tinian work begins to repair the newly captured airstrip at Ushi Point.
Burma Myitkyina city airfield falls; the garrison is starting to show signs of weariness.
China On the Salween front, the Chinese mop up the area of Lai-feng Peak.

July 27, 1945
China Chinese forces enter Kweilin. Fighting for the town continues to the end of the month when the Japanese withdraw. Other Chinese forces capture Tanchuk airfield.

[palo5]

Originally Posted by Ennath

...July 23, 1941
Eastern Front The heroic garrison of Brest-Litovsk, isolated since the start of the invasion, and ceaselessly hammered by German bombardment and attacks, is finally liquidated....

The Germans thought there were only a few hundred or so defenders, so they didn't give it priority. But in fact there were two large formations waiting for arrivals, and several thousand Soviet soldiers defended it

You can still visit the fort today. It has a museum. Here is one of the old entrances

[Ennath]

July 28-29, 1936
Ethiopia The Ethiopians gather their largest army of the war in an attempt to recapture Addis Ababa. In two days of fighting they are defeated and scatter. It is the last major battle of the war and organized resistance is all but over by the end of the year.

July 28, 1937
China Peking falls to the Japanese.
Britain, Politics An IRA bomb attempt against King George VI fails.

July 28, 1940
War at Sea There is an engagement in the south Atlantic between the German auxiliary cruiser Thor and the similar but less well-armed British merchant cruiser Alcantara. Thor is only lightly hit, but Alcantara is forced to break off and head for Rio. Only proper British cruisers are adequate to catch and fight such useful German vessels.
France, Home Front The Germans cut rail links between occupied and unoccupied France.

July 28, 1941
Eastern Front Soviet Southern and Southwest Fronts are ordered to hold the line of the Dniepr, leaving them open to encirclement.
Diplomatic Relations Finland breaks relations with Britain. Britain reciprocates three days later.

July 28, 1942
Eastern Front Following the fall of Rostov, Stalin begins to implement measures to bolster the resistance of the Red Army with increasingly harsh discipline and by granting officers higher status and authority. New decorations are created, inspired by patriotism, not politics – the Order of Kutuzov, of Suvarov, of Alexander Nevsky. These moves are necessary. Many units have been overcome by panic, whole formations have been disbanded and men and officers shot for cowardice. Stalin now orders “Not one step back.”
Poland Jewish resistance members in the Warsaw Ghetto form the Jewish Fighting Organization (ZOB).

July 28, 1943
Aleutians Late in the day the Japanese evacuate the remainder of the Kiska garrison without being spotted. The Allies bombard the island on three occasions between now and August 15 as well as dropping 1300 tons of bombs.
Sicily The Americans take Nicosia and the Canadians Agira.
Italy. Politics Badoglio announces that Italy is no longer a Fascist state.
San Marino The Fascist regime collapses, but will make a resurgence in the autumn after Mussolini’s rescue and the formation of the RSI.
Solomons On New Georgia the American attacks are now directed principally toward Horseshoe Hill. The Japanese are making the Americans pay for every gain. The reconnaissance group sent to Vella Lavella returns and reports favorably on the possibilities of a landing.
Two Japanese destroyers are sunk by air attack near Rabaul.

July 28, 1944
Western Front US 4th Armored Division enters Coutances. This is the first objective for Operation Cobra.
Eastern Front The Russians take Brest-Litovsk and Przemysl. Units of 1st Ukrainian Front are on the San. An SS counterattack at Narva fails to regain the lost positions. The next defense position is on the Grenadierhohe.
Atomic Research The Farben works at Leuna are destroyed by bombing and with it the prospects for a new heavy water plant in Germany.
Marianas Much of Guam’s Orote Peninsula has fallen and inland US forces take Mount Chachao and Mount Alutom in the continuing effort to join the beachheads, which is achieved late in the day.

July 28, 1945
Far East, Air Operations A new tactic is tried by American bombers over Japan, when 11 cities are told by leaflets that they are on the US target list and six of them are bombed the next day. Air attacks sink the carrier Amagi, old armored cruiser Idzumo, cruisers Tone and Oyodo, and a destroyer.
Japanese aircraft attack American ships around Okinawa. The destroyer Callaghan is sunk by a suicide plane, the last U.S. ship to be sunk by a kamikaze.
Japan, Politics Japanese Premier Suzuki holds a press conference in which he says that the Japanese government will take no notice of the Potsdam Declaration. At least that is the interpretation put on his speech by the Allies, but it is possible that the word he used was intended to mean “make no comment for the moment” and that more might have been done to encourage a diplomatic response. It is upsetting to the Japanese that the declaration has not been delivered through the proper diplomatic channels via a neutral power and this contributes to their decision to take no immediate action on it.
United States, Home Front A low-flying B-25 bomber, lost in fog, hits the Empire State Building in New York. 19 people are killed.

July 28, 1948
Germany Skorzeny escapes from prison and is given sanctuary in Spain. Amnestied in 1952, he renounces his Nazi past and dies in 1975.

[Ennath]

July 29, 1937
China The Japanese take Tiensin. In Tungchow, near Peking, 5000 Japanese-trained soldiers of the East Hebei Army mutiny and massacre and rape many Japanese before their officers regain control. Militant factions in Tokyo use this as a justification for the war.

July 29, 1940
Germany, Home Front Jews are forbidden to own telephones.

July 29, 1941
Indochina The Japanese occupation is complete. Vichy and Tokyo sign an agreement for the “mutual defense” of Indochina.

July 29, 1942
New Guinea After heavy fighting for three days, Kokoda is taken by the Japanese, who have been reinforced. Help was sent to the Australians during the fight, but the supply planes turned back at the last minute when they were told incorrectly that the air strip was in Japanese hands. Since this is the only air strip in the interior of the island, its loss is crucial.
Allied Production A combined British and American Production and Resources Board is established in London to control allocations of material and industrial priorities. Harriman, the US Lend-Lease representative, and Lyttleton, the UK Minister of Production, are the senior members.
Eastern Front The attacks of Army Group A south of the Don continue to make good progress with Proletarskaya being captured and a bridgehead established over the Manych. Hitler is not satisfied with the progress of 6th Army in the Don elbow and again alters his dispositions, returning 4th Panzer Army to Army Group B. This series of alterations to the plan have probably crippled the chances of a decisive German success in this campaign. 4th Panzer Army has wasted much effort moving from front to front and Stalingrad has assumed an ever more dominant position in the German plan, leaving Army Group A with a massive, strategically vital task and inadequate resources.

July 29, 1943
Britain, Home Front The Minister of Labor, Ernest Bevin, announces that women up to 50 must register for war work. No more will be accepted in the uniformed services. This is a sign of the strain on manpower resources produced by Britain’s more complete mobilization for war production. As the war continues, this will become more pronounced and will be an important factor in Britain’s negotiations with the Allies.
Sicily British 78th Division arrives at the front and attacks toward Paterno.
Eastern Front III Panzer Corps counterattacks the Soviet positions on the Mius River north of Taganrog, but with little effect.
Sweden The government halts further German transit across the country.

July 29, 1944
Western Front US XIX Corps is advancing on Torigny and Tessy. VII Corps in the center of the advance reaches Percy and on the right VIII Corps is across the Sienne and moving toward Granville.
Eastern Front 3rd Belorussian Front crosses the Niemen. Soviet spearheads reach the Vistula at Baranow and establish a bridgehead. Fierce German counterattacks into mid-August halt the Soviet advance here with heavy losses on both sides. Most of the Tannenberg Line has fallen in heavy fighting.
Marianas The marines have now taken the northern half of Tinian but the Japanese resistance is increasing again.
On Guam the airfield in the Obote Peninsula falls and the peninsula is largely cleared.
New Guinea On Biak the Americans complete the destruction of the Japanese pocket around Ibdi. There is no further organized fighting on the island. On the mainland near Aitape the US forces retire slightly at Afua.

July 29, 1945
Ryukyu Islands A Kamikaze attack on Okinawa damages a US destroyer and a transport.

July 29, 1946
China Marshall, angered by renewed Nationalist offensives and under strong leftist pressure from home against US support for Chiang, orders an embargo of all American military assistance to both sides. Of course this affects only the US-equipped Nationalist armies. This action has serious psychological as well as practical effects on the Nationalist military situation.

[Ennath]

July 30, 1938
Germany, Home Front Nazi authorities in Austria arrest prominent monarchists, including many aristocrats. Jewish doctors in the Reich are decertified.
Henry Ford is awarded the Grand Cross of the German Eagle, the highest civilian decoration, on his 75th birthday. During the year, Ford opens a truck assembly plant near Berlin, actually producing troop transports for the Wehrmacht. Questions remain about Ford’s relationship with the Nazis.

July 30, 1941
Yugoslavia The Partisans, a Communist-dominated guerilla force, carry out their first actions. Unlike the Chetniks, who believe in cautious activity while building up strength, the Partisans call for maximum action at all times. The leader of the force is Josip Broz, whose “revolutionary name” is Marshal Tito.
China The US gunboat Tutiula is damaged by Japanese bombers in Chungking. Japan apologizes for the incident but this does nothing to ease the strained relations between the two countries.

July 30 – August 4, 1941
Norway On July 30, planes from the Victorious and Furious attack German shipping and installations near Kirkenes and Petsamo. Little damage is done and 15 of the 57 attacking aircraft are lost. There is a further operation by Victorious alone against Tromso on August 4.

July 30, 1942
East Indies The Japanese occupy some small islands between Timor and New Guinea in a move designed to support their campaign against Port Moresby.
Eastern Front German troops advancing from Rostov take Bataisk on the south side of the Don.
Soviet attacks around Rzhev, designed to draw Germans forces north, have little success.

July 30, 1943
Sicily The Americans are heavily engaged on the outskirts of Santo Stefano and Troina. On the British front, Catenanuova is taken. Off the west coast, the Egadi Islands surrender.
Russia Near Asipovichy, partisans destroy four German trains loaded with tanks and their supplies.
New Georgia The Americans finally take Bartley Ridge and hold it against violent counterattacks.

July 30, 1944
Western Front The advancing US forces take Granville and enter Avranches, seizing the important bridges over the See. The left flank of the advance is, however, strongly counterattacked around Percy and Villedieu. Farther east there are successful British attacks near Caumont.
Eastern Front Soviet attacks beyond the Tannenberg Line begin to weaken.
Baltic Sea Soviet frogmen board the sunken U-250, recovering secret documents and a new acoustic torpedo. Attempts by German torpedo boats and aircraft to interfere are unsuccessful. Components of the torpedo are later turned over to the British.
Marianas The main town on Tinian, also known as Tinian, is taken by the Americans. On Guam, the southern half of the island has largely been cleared.
New Guinea US 6th Division lands unopposed on the small islands of Amsterdam and Middleburg off Cape Sansapor, the northwest point of New Guinea. The bulk of Japanese 35th Division, in the area, for a planned counterattack against Biak, is isolated.
Burma The commander of the Japanese garrison at Myitkyina orders his troops to withdraw and then commits seppuku.

July 30, 1945
Pacific The cruiser Indianapolis, returning from delivering the first atom bomb to the Marianas, is torpedoed and sunk by the submarine I-58. It is not recognized that the Indianapolis is overdue for three days and many of the 316 survivors rescued are not found for several days. Altogether 883 die, the worst single ship loss in the history of the US Navy.
Japan Allied air attacks sink a destroyer and a frigate.
Japan, Home Front Food shortages lead the government to call on the people of Japan to collect 2.5 million bushels of acorns to be converted to food. The average Japanese is presently surviving on a daily intake of about 1680 calories, 78% of the minimum considered necessary.
New Guinea Japanese 18th Army makes its last stand at the village of Numbogua. General Adachi orders his men “to die in honorable defeat.”

[palo5]

Originally Posted by Ennath

...War Crimes The extermination camp at Treblinka begins operations...

It's likely more people were killed at Treblinka than Auschwitz

Almost no one mentions this

[Ennath]

July 31, 1932
Germany, Politics The Nazis become the largest party in the Reichstag after elections in which SA thugs have done much to intimidate opponents. The Nazis hold 230 of 608 seats, but still do not have a majority. Hitler refuses to form a coalition government and Papen remains as a minority Chancellor.

July 31, 1938
Diplomatic Relations Bulgaria and the Little Entente nations sign a Non-Aggression Pact. The Bulgarians are permitted to rearm.

July 31, 1940
British War Production Fighter output for July is found to be 50 percent above the target figures. Since May 1, 1200 have been produced. This is more than have been made in Germany and the RAF is therefore beginning to narrow the Luftwaffe’s advantage.
Soviet War Production A 7-day work week is introduced.

July 31, 1941
Eastern Front 16th Army in Army Group North reaches the south side of Lake Ilmen. In southern Finland, Finnish attacks toward Viipuri and Vuosalmi begin.
North Africa The Axis forces are reorganized, General Cruewell now commands the Afrika Korps (DAK) with Rommel in charge of the new Panzer Group Afrika. The 5th Light Division is renamed 21st Panzer. Rommel now has two panzer divisions and one infantry division of German troops. There are also seven Italian divisions.
Germany, Home Front Göring orders Heydrich to make “all necessary preparations … for bringing about the complete solution to the Jewish problem.”
Diplomatic Relations The Turkish ambassador in Vichy begins efforts to exempt from deportation Jews of Turkish citizenship or ex-citizenship. Some 20,000 come under this provision.
United States, Home Front Roosevelt creates the Economic Defense Board, under Vice President Wallace.

July 31-August 4, 1941
Mediterranean There is a small British supply operation from Gibraltar to Malta. En route, the British bombard Alghero, Sardinia.

July 31, 1942
The Solomons American bombers attack targets on Tulagi and Guadalcanal where the Japanese are building an airfield.
Eastern Front Stalin declares “Not one step back!” This will be the central policy of the Red Army for the rest of the year. People know that there is little more room for withdrawal. If the Germans are not stopped at Stalingrad and the Caucasus foothills, the war is lost.
Battle of the Atlantic The approaches to Charleston harbor are mined by a U-Boat.

July 31, 1943
Sicily The Americans take Santo Stefano. The British and Canadians are now moving toward Regalbuto and Centuripe.
New Georgia As American forces mop up Bartley Ridge, attacks on Horseshoe Hill are repulsed.
Free French Command Giraud is appointed Commander-in-Chief of Free French forces, but his political clout is now minimal.

July 31, 1944
Western Front US 4th Armored Division pushes on from Avranches and crosses the Selune near Pontaubualt. On the left of the advance the German counterattacks continue. Since June 6, the Normandy campaign has cost the Allies 122,000 casualties and the Germans 154,000. German counterattacks against the British fail.
Eastern Front Soviet troops enter Kaunas and take Jelgava near the Gulf of Riga. If they reach the gulf, Army Group North will be cut off. Farther south the 1st Belorussian Front is driving toward Warsaw; it takes Siedlice and Otwock, only 12 miles southeast of the city.
Battle of the Atlantic U-333 becomes the first submarine sunk by Squid.
World Affairs Free French aviator Antoine St.-Exupery, author of the children’s classic The Little Prince, disappears on a recon flight over the Mediterranean.
British Command Admiral Fraser takes command of the British Eastern Fleet in succession to Admiral Somerville.
New Guinea US troops land at Cape Sansapor. At Aitape the Americans go over to the attack along the Driniumor River.
Marianas The marines begin attacking the last organized Japanese defenses in the south of Tinian.
On Guam the Americans have pushed to the line from Agana to Yona.

July 31, 1945
France Laval is deported by Spain to US troops. He is handed over to the French authorities. The French collaboration trials have so far resulted in 1629 death sentences, 757 hard labor for life, 5328 other hard labor, 1136 solitary confinement, 11,073 prison sentences, and 22,137 to suffer “national degradation”.
Czechoslovakia Almost 100 ethnic Germans are massacred at Usti.
Malaya British midget subs penetrate Singapore harbor and sink the cruiser Takao with limpet mines.

[tygrkhat40]

Originally Posted by Ennath

Battle of the Atlantic U-333 becomes the first submarine sunk by Squid.

I'm puzzled here. In WWII, US subs were named after sea creatures. so was U-333 sunk by a ship called the Squid, or did the animals cause the sub to sink? There's got to be more to this story.

According to Wikipedia, U-333 was sunk by depth charges from the Royal Navy ships Starling and Loch Killin on July 31, 1944.