Events leading to the surrender of Japan (WWII)

By jlim15

  • Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Japan

    Admiral General MacArthur is placed in command of all U.S. ground forces and Admiral Nimitz in command of all naval forces in preparation for planned assaults against Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Japan itself.

  • Akyab

    British troops occupy Akyab in Burma.

  • Lingayen Gulf

    U.S. Sixth Army invades Lingayen Gulf on Luzon in the Philippines.

  • Indochina

    Air raid against Japanese bases in Indochina by U.S. Carrier-based planes.

  • Burma road

    The Burma road is reopened.

  • Manila

    U.S. Sixth Army attacks Japanese in Manila.

  • Bataan

    U.S. Troops recapture Bataan in the Philippines.

  • Iwo Jima

    U.S. Marines invade Iwo Jima.

  • Friendly Fire

    A U.S. submarine sinks a Japanese merchant ship loaded with supplies for Allied POWs, resulting in a court martial for the captain of the submarine, since the ship had been granted safe passage by the U.S. Government.

  • Corregidor

    U.S. airborne troops recapture Corregidor in the Philippines.

  • Manila

    U.S. And Filipino troops take Manila.
  • Period: to

    Tokyo

    Fifteen square miles of Tokyo erupts in flames after it is fire bombed by 279 B-29s.

  • Zamboanga Peninsula

    U.S. Eighth Army invades Zamboanga Peninsula on Mindanao in the Philippines.

  • Mandalay

    British troops liberate Mandalay, Burma.

  • Shimonoseki Strait

    B-29s lay mines in Japan's Shimonoseki Strait to interrupt shipping.

  • Okinawa

    The final amphibious landing of the war occurs as the U.S. Tenth Army invades Okinawa.

  • Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Yamato

    B-29s fly their first fighter-escorted mission against Japan with P-51 Mustangs based on Iwo Jima; U.S. Carrier-based fighters sink the super battleship YAMATO and several escort vessels which planned to attack U.S. Forces at Okinawa.

  • Roosevelt and Truman

    President Roosevelt dies, succeeded by Harry S. Truman.

  • Soviets attack Berlin

    Soviet troops begin their final attack on Berlin.

  • Nuremberg

    Americans enter Nuremberg.

  • German surrender (Ruhr)

    German forces in the Ruhr surrender.

  • Berlin Reached

    Soviets reach Berlin.

  • Mussolini Dies

    Mussolini is hanged by Italian partisans;

  • Venice

    Allies take Venice.

  • Dachau liberated

    U.S. 7th Army liberates Dachau.

  • Hitler Dies

    Adolf Hitler commits suicide.

  • German surrender (Italy)

    German troops in Italy surrender.

  • German surrender

    Unconditional surrender of all German forces to Allies.

  • V-E Day

    Victory in Europe Day.

  • Göring Capture

    Hermann Göring is captured by members of the U.S. 7th Army.

  • Japanese withdrawal (China)

    Japanese begin withdrawal from China.

  • Operation Olympic

    U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff approve Operation Olympic, the invasion of Japan, scheduled for November 1.

  • Germany Divided

    Allies divide up Germany and Berlin and take over the government.

  • 'til death do us part

    Japanese Premier Suzuki announces Japan will fight to the very end rather than accept unconditional surrender.

  • Mindanao

    Japanese resistance ends on Mindanao in the Philippines.

  • Japanese resistance ends (Okinawa)

    June 22, 1945 - Japanese resistance ends on Okinawa as the U.S. Tenth Army completes its capture.

  • Japanese resistance end (Philippines)

    MacArthur's headquarters announces the end of all Japanese resistance in the Philippines

  • Allies in Berlin

    American, British, and French troops move into Berlin.

  • Philippines Liberated

    Liberation of Philippines declared.

  • 1,000 bombers

    1,000 bomber raids against Japan begin.

  • Japanese home islands

    The first U.S. Naval bombardment of Japanese home islands.

  • Atomic Testing

    First U.S. atomic bomb test
  • Period: to

    Potsdam Conference

  • British Prime Minister Change

    Atlee succeeds Churchill as British Prime Minister

  • Tinian Island

    Components of the Atomic Bomb "Little Boy" are unloaded at Tinian Island in the South Pacific.

  • Indianapolis

    A Japanese submarine sinks the Cruiser INDIANAPOLIS resulting in the loss of 881 crewmen. The ship sinks before a radio message can be sent out leaving survivors adrift for two days.

  • Hiroshima

    First Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima from a B-29 flown by Col. Paul Tibbets.

  • Manchiria

    U.S.S.R. declares war on Japan then invades Manchuria.

  • Nagasaki

    Second Atomic Bomb is dropped on Nagasaki from a B-29 flown by Major Charles Sweeney -- Emperor Hirohito and Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki then decide to seek an immediate peace with the Allies.

  • Japanese Surrender

    Japanese accept unconditional surrender; General MacArthur is appointed to head the occupation forces in Japan.

  • General Wainwright

    General Wainwright, a POW since May 6, 1942, is released from a POW camp in Manchuria.

  • POWs in China

    B-29s drop supplies to Allied POWs in China.

  • Friendly Fire

    The Soviets shoot down a B-29 dropping supplies to POWs in Korea

  • U.S Japan

    U.S. Troops land near Tokyo to begin the occupation of Japan.

  • Hong Kong

    The British reoccupy Hong Kong.

  • V-J Day

    Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day)
    The Japanese sign the surrender agreement.

  • Japanese surrender (General Yamashita)

    The Japanese commander in the Philippines, General Yamashita, surrenders to General Wainwright at Baguio.

  • Japanese surrender (Wake Island)

    Japanese troops on Wake Island surrender.

  • Singapore

    British land in Singapore.

  • MacArthur in Tokyo

    MacArthur enters Tokyo.

  • Japanese surrender (Korea)

    Japanese in Korea surrender.

  • Japanese surrender (Burma)

    Japanese in Burma surrender.