Operation Totalise
Part of World War II, the Battle of Normandy
A Cromwell tank and jeep pass an abandoned German PAK 43/41 gun during Operation Totalise, 8 August 1944.
Date August 7 – August 13, 1944 Location Normandy, France Result Tactical Allied Victory, Strategic Stalemate Tractable follows up on gains made
Combatants
First Canadian Army	Germany
Commanders
Lieutenant General Guy Simonds	SS General Kurt Meyer
Strength
2 infantry divisions, 2 armoured divisions, 2 armoured brigades	3 infantry divisions, 1 SS Panzer Division

Note: In North American texts, this often appears as "Operation Totalize". Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ... Operation Tractable was a military operation commanded by II Canadian Corps in Normandy in August 1944. ... Image File history File links Canadian_Red_Ensign_1921. ... The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds inspecting II Canadian Corps in Meppen, Germany, May 31st, 1945. ... Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel... Operation Neptune refers to the landing phase of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Matthew B. Ridgway Maxwell D. Taylor Erich Marcks Wilhelm Falley Strength (airlifted) 13,100 paratroops 3,900 glider troops 5,700 USAAF aircrew 36,600 (7. ... Operation Tonga: Pathfinders synchronising their watches in front of an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle. ... Pegasus Bridge before its replacement Pegasus Bridge in 1944 Original Pegasus Bridge in the Pegasus Museum - July 2005 The replacement Pegasus Bridge in operation The Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Caen Canal, near Ouistreham, France. ... 101st Airborne Division shoulder insignia Mission Albany was a parachute combat assault at night by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division on June 6, 1944, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy. ... 82nd Airborne Division shoulder insignia Mission Boston was a parachute combat assault at night by the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division on June 6, 1944, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy. ... 101st Airborne Division shoulder insignia Mission Chicago was a pre-dawn glider-borne combat assault in the American airborne landings in Normandy, made by elements of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division on the early morning of June 6, 1944. ... Mission Detroit was a pre-dawn glider-borne combat assault in the American airborne landings in Normandy, made by elements of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division on the early morning of June 6, 1944. ... During World War II, mission Elmira was the landing of a significant part of the the 82nd Airborne Division’s glider train in Normandy on the evening of 6 June 1944 as part of Operation Neptune, the assault phase of Operation Overlord. ... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders General-Lieutenant Miles Dempsey, British 3rd Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Hans von Luck, German 21st Panzer Division Strength 28,845 Unknown Casualties 630 Unknown German defense at Ouistreham. ... This article is about the beach codenamed in WWII. For other uses, see Juno Beach (disambiguation) Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000[1] 7,771 Casualties 340 dead, 739 other casualties... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey, British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss, German 352nd Static Infantry Division Strength 24,970 Unknown Casualties 400 altogether Unknown This article is about a World War II invasion. ... Combatants United States Nazi Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Norman Cota Clarence R. Huebner U.S. 1st Infantry Division U.S. 29th Infantry Division Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 43,250 Unknown Casualties 3,000 1,200 The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Raymond O. Barton Theodore Roosevelt Jr U.S. 4th Infantry Division Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division German 709th Infantry Division Strength 32,000  ? Casualties 700 Unknown American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... Pointe du Hocs location Preinvasion bombing of Pointe du Hoc by 9th Air Force bombers. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Richard Winters unknown Strength 13 60+ Casualties 4 dead, 6 wounded 15 dead, 12 prisoner, Wounded unknown The Brécourt Manor Assault (June 6, 1944) during Operation Chicago of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of small... Combatants Aircraft of the RAF Second Tactical Air Force HQ of Panzer Group West Strength 40 Typhoons 61 Mitchells Casualties None recorded Killed: Sigismund-Helmut von Dawans and 17 other staff officers Wounded: Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg The Attack on Panzer Group Wests headquarters at La Caine in Normandy... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The Battle of Villers-Bocage (June 13, 1944) was an unusual clash between the British and Germans in northern France during World War II. Michael Wittmann, an SS-Obersturmführer, led a unit of six PzKpfw VI Tiger tanks of the 501st Battalion to secure the N175 road near Villers... Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders J. Lawton Collins Friedrich Dollman Strength Unknown 40,000 Casualties 2,800 killed, 5,700 missing, 13,500 wounded 39,000 captured The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II, it was fought immediately after the successful Allied... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Richard OConnor SS General Paul Hausser Strength 1 armoured division 3 infantry divisions 1 armoured brigade 2 SS Panzer Divisions 5 Panzer battlegroups Casualties British VIII Corps 4,020 12th SS Panzer Regiment 324 25th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 383 26th... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... During World War II, Operation Atlantic (Allies, 1944) was a Canadian offensive, part of the British great breakout tentative (Operation Goodwood) during the Battle of Normandy, on June 19th. ... During World War II, Operation Spring (Allies, 1944) enabled to secure territory gains around Caen and its surroundings during the Battle of Normandy, after Operation Goodwood. ... Combatants USA Canada Free France Germany Commanders General Omar Bradley, General George S. Patton General Philippe Leclerc SS General Paul Hausser Strength 8 infantry divisions, 4 armoured divisions 2 infantry divisions, 11 infantry battlegroups, 2 Panzer Divisions, 1 Panzergrenadier Division Casualties 1. ... Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey SS General Paul Hausser Strength 3 armoured divisions, 3 infantry divisions, 2 armoured brigades rising to: 3 Panzer Divisions, 3 infantry divisions Casualties N/A N/A Operation Bluecoat was an attack by British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy... Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Hans von Kluge Strength 5 infantry divisions, 3 armoured combat commands 3 Panzer Divisions, 2 infantry divisions, 5 panzer or infantry battlegroups Casualties N/A N/A Operation Lüttich was a counterattack launched by German forces on the left flank of the... Operation Tractable was a military operation commanded by II Canadian Corps in Normandy in August 1944. ... Combatants North:  United Kingdom  Canada Polish forces South:  United States  Free French Nazi Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Harry Crerar Philippe Leclerc StanisÅ‚aw Maczek Bernard Montgomery George Patton Günther von Kluge Walter Model Strength ~at least 500,000 Casualties Canadian: 1,470 killed Polish: 325 killed ~50,000 killed... This article is about the Second World War battle for Brest. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ...

During World War II, Operation Totalise (Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August 1944 by British, Canadian and Polish forces to breakout from the Normandy beachhead along the Caen-Falaise road. It was the first operation in which First Canadian Army took a leading role. Although the attack failed in its objective, it did serve as a spoiling attack. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Look up ally in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Caen (pronounced /kɑ̃/) is a commune of northwestern France. ... Falaise is the name of several communes in France: Falaise, in the Ardennes département Falaise, in the Calvados département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War. ...

Background

On July 23, First Canadian Army headquarters commanded by Lieutenant-General Harry Crerar assumed control of the eastern sector of the Normandy beachhead. By this time, the Allies had finally captured the ruined city of Caen, but the German defences south of the city were still largely intact. is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... General The Honourable Henry Duncan Graham (Harry) Crerar Henry Duncan Graham (Harry) Crerar, PC, CH, CB, DSO, KStJ, CD (April 28, 1888 - April 1, 1965) was a Canadian general and the countrys leading field commander in World War II. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he died at Ottawa, Ontario. ... Caen (pronounced /kɑ̃/) is a commune of northwestern France. ...

On July 25, the American Army had launched Operation Cobra which broke through the German lines facing the western sector of the beachhead. This threat caused the Germans to move most of their armoured units westward, leaving only the reinforced 12th SS Panzer Division to support the infantry defending the Caen area. (These were mainly the newly-arrived 89th Division. The German LXXXVI Corps commanded the troops in this sector.) is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants USA Canada Free France Germany Commanders General Omar Bradley, General George S. Patton General Philippe Leclerc SS General Paul Hausser Strength 8 infantry divisions, 4 armoured divisions 2 infantry divisions, 11 infantry battlegroups, 2 Panzer Divisions, 1 Panzergrenadier Division Casualties 1. ... The 12. ...

The 21st Army Group commander, General Bernard Montgomery, ordered the Canadian army to break through south of Caen and advance on Falaise, to prevent the Germans making an orderly withdrawal in the face of the American advance. The II Canadian Corps, under Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, was to make this attack. (Redirected from 21st Army Group) The British 21st Army Group was an important Allied force in the European Theatre of World War II. Commanded by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery it initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... Combatants North:  United Kingdom  Canada Polish forces South:  United States  Free French Nazi Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Harry Crerar Philippe Leclerc StanisÅ‚aw Maczek Bernard Montgomery George Patton Günther von Kluge Walter Model Strength ~at least 500,000 Casualties Canadian: 1,470 killed Polish: 325 killed ~50,000 killed... Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds inspecting II Canadian Corps in Meppen, Germany, May 31st, 1945. ...

Canadian II Corps plan

Simonds recognised that an infantry attack would take too long to prepare, while an attempt to rush the defences with armoured units would be costly in the face of anti-tank guns disposed in depth. (Operation Goodwood, launched three weeks earlier, had failed to break through the German lines while losing many tanks.) Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ...

Simonds's plan called for a surprise night attack without preliminary artillery bombardment. Strategic aircraft of Bomber Command were to attack the flanks first (over the objections of Arthur Harris), with artillery remaining silent until the attackers had crossed the start line. To allow the infantry to penetrate quickly through the German forward defences, Simonds made a radical innovation. When the self-propelled guns of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division were withdrawn to restore the regiments to their pre-invasion war establishment, the now-redundant M7 Priests had their guns removed and were refitted as APCs, known as Kangaroos. These, along with all other armoured cars and halftracks that could be acquired, would carry two infantry brigades forward, protected from machine-gun and artillery fire. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bomber Command is an organizational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. ... Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet (April 13, 1892 - April 5, 1984), commonly known as Bomber Harris, and often, in the RAF, as Butcher Harris, was commander of RAF Bomber Command and later a Marshal of the Royal Air Force during the latter half of World War II. In 1942... Line of Departure is a military term used to denote the starting position for an attack on enemy positions. ... The formation of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was authorized on 17 May 1940. ... The Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official nickname Priest in British service, due to the pulpit like machine gun ring and following on from the Bishop self propelled gun. ... Kangaroo personnel carrier A Kangaroo was a World War II British or Commonwealth armoured personnel carrier, created by conversion of a tank chassis. ...

To assist navigation at night a number of methods were adopted. The leading tanks were equipped with radio direction finders and advanced on a radio bearing; target markers dropped by the bombers marked the boundaries of the attack; artificial moonlight improved visibility and light anti-aircraft units fired tracer parallel to the route of advance. American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. ... There are several uses for Tracer: Tracer ammunition Tracer isotope or radioactive tracers as used in positron emission tomography, SPECT and autoradiography. ...

In a planned second phase, American heavy bombers of the Eighth Air Force would attack the German defences in depth while two armoured divisions would complete the breakthrough and exploit to Falaise. The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ...

The Attack

Late on August 7th, the attackers formed up in six columns of vehicles, four abreast and packed nose to tail. An hour before midnight, the British heavy bombers began their bombardment, and half an hour later, the advance began. Under 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade and Canadian 4th Infantry Brigade advanced west of the Caen-Falaise road. East of the road, under British 51st (Highland) Infantry Division were the British 33rd Armoured Brigade and British 154th Infantry Brigade. List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII Units of the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division were mobilized on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. ... Soon after 3rd Canadian Tank Brigade assumed the designation in summer 1943 of the original 2nd Canadian Tank Brigade, the new 2nd Tank was redesignated and reorganized as 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. ... For the First World War unit, see British 51st (Highland) Division (World War I). ...

In spite of the various aids to navigation, many drivers and commanders became disorientated by dust and smoke; several vehicles blew up on mines or became stuck in bomb craters. Nevertheless, the bulk of both columns captured their objectives near Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil before dawn. This success was achieved at probably only a fraction of the cost involved in a more laborious operation. Saint Aignan de Cramesnil is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ...

While the remaining infantry brigades cleared the bypassed German positions, the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division and Polish 1st Armoured Division moved forward to carry out the second phase of the attack. The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division was created by conversion of 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in Canada. ... Polish 1st Armoured Division at Haddington 1943 The Polish 1st Armoured Division (Polish 1 Dywizja Pancerna) was an Allied military unit during World War II, created in February 1942 in Scotland. ...

German counter-moves

The commander of 12th SS Panzer Division (Kurt Meyer) personally rallied fleeing German infantry after the initial Allied bombardment, and occupied a hasty defensive position at Cintheaux, two miles south of the leading Allied troops. He then led two armoured battlegroups of his own division in an immediate counter-attack. ^[1] Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ... Cintheaux is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse_Normandie région, in France. ...

While the counter-attack was unsuccessful, it did coincidentally place Meyer's tanks north of the target area heavy bombers of the US Eighth Air Force bombarded in preparation for the second phase of the Allied attack. These tanks, spared the effects of the bombing, slowed the advance of the Polish armoured division, preventing a breakthrough east of the road. West of the road, German infantry at Cintheaux likewise held up the Canadian armoured division. Neither armoured formation (both in action for the first time) pressed their attacks as hard as Simonds demanded, and "laagered" when darkness fell. The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ...

To restore the momentum of the attack, Simonds ordered a column from the Canadian armoured division to seize Hill 195, just to the west of the main road halfway between Cintheaux and Falaise. The column lost direction and was caught at dawn east of the road by German 88mm anti-aircraft guns. They held their ground during August 9 but suffered heavy casualties, including most of their tanks. They were forced to withdraw. is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Because the column was so far from its intended objective, other units sent to relieve it could not find it. Eventually, another force captured Hill 195 in a model night attack on August 10, but the Germans had been given time to withdraw and reform a defensive line on the Laison River. is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Canadian troops searching German prisoners captured during the early stages of Operation Totalize.
Credit: Harold G. Aikman / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-162000

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Results

Though they did not reach Falaise, Allied troops advanced eight miles and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy for 560 dead and 1,600 wounded.

Appearance in Culture

In the video game "Call of Duty 3", Private Cole (serving under the Canadians) and Corporal Bohater (serving under the Poles) take part in this operation.

Notable facts

• Totalise was the first operation in history commanded by a Canadian army-level headquarters; First Canadian Army became operational on the Continent just days before.
• German tank commander Michael Wittman, the most successful tank commander in history, was killed during the battle; the identity of the Allied soldiers responsible for his demise has been the subject of some controversy. The question is examined in detail in No Holding Back (Brian Reid, Robin Brass Studios, 2004.)
• Operation Totalise was followed by Operation Tractable.

This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War. ... Michael Wittmann (April 22, 1914 - August 8, 1944), during World War II, was the SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Captain) in the Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, one of the most successful tank commanders in the history of warfare. ... Operation Tractable was a military operation commanded by II Canadian Corps in Normandy in August 1944. ...

Sources

• No Holding Back by Brian Reid is the best account of this battle to date. ISBN 1-896941-40-0

Notes

See also

• Operation Totalise at memorial-montormel.org
• No Holding Back review at www.canadiansoldiers.com
• Canadian account of the action near Hill 195

v • d • e World War II Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
Western Europe · Eastern Europe · Africa · Mediterranean · Asia and the Pacific · Atlantic During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... Combatants Soviet Union,[1] Poland, Tannu Tuva (until 1944 incorporation with USSR), Mongolia Germany,[2] Italy (to 1943), Romania (to 1944), Finland (to 1944), Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Spain (to 1943, unofficial) Commanders Joseph Stalin, Aleksei Antonov, Ivan Konev, Rodion Malinovsky, Ivan Bagramyan, Kirill Meretskov, Ivan Petrov, Alexander Rodimtsev, Konstantin Rokossovsky... 219. ... The Mediterranean region. ... For other uses, see Pacific War (disambiguation). ... Combatants Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy United States Navy (1941–5) Kriegsmarine Regia Marina (1940–3) Commanders Sir Percy Noble Sir Max K. Horton Percy W. Nelles Leonard W. Murray Ernest J. King Erich Raeder Karl Dönitz Casualties 30,248 merchant sailors 3,500 merchant vessels 175 warships 28...
Major participants This article does not cite any references or sources. ...			Timeline This is a timeline of events that stretched over the period of World War II. // 1: The Invasion of Poland begins at 4:30 a. ...		Aspects
To 1945 unless otherwise indicated. Principal co-belligerents in italics.			Prelude • Causes • in Asia • in Europe This article is concerned with the events that preceded World War II in Asia. ... In Europe, the origins of the war are closely tied to the rise of fascism, especially in Nazi Germany. ... 1937 • Invasion of China Combatants China Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Cheng, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Li Zongren, Xue Yue, Bai Chongxi, Mao Zedong, Peng Dehuai Hirohito, Hideki Tojo, Kotohito Kanin, Matsui Iwane, Hajime Sugiyama, Shunroku Hata, Toshizo Nishio, Yasuji Okamura, Umezu Yoshijiro, Fumimaro Konoe Strength 58,600,000 4,100,000... 1939 • Invasion of Poland • Phoney War • Invasion of Finland • Battle of the Atlantic3 Combatants Poland Germany Soviet Union Slovakia Commanders Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Fedor von Bock (Army Group North), Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South), Mikhail Kovalev (Belorussian Front), Semyon Timoshenko (Ukrainian Front), Ferdinand ÄŒatloÅ¡ (Field Army Bernolák) Strength 39 divisions, 16 brigades, 4,300 guns, 880 tanks, 400 aircraft Total... British Ministry of Home Security Poster of a type that was common during the Phoney War The Phoney War[1] was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland and preceding the Battle of... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 250,000 men 30 tanks 130 aircraft[1][2] 1,000,000 men 3,000 tanks 3,800 aircraft[3][4] Casualties 26,662 dead 39,886 wounded 1,000 captured[5] 126,875 dead... Combatants Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy United States Navy (1941–5) Kriegsmarine Regia Marina (1940–3) Commanders Sir Percy Noble Sir Max K. Horton Percy W. Nelles Leonard W. Murray Ernest J. King Erich Raeder Karl Dönitz Casualties 30,248 merchant sailors 3,500 merchant vessels 175 warships 28... 1940 • Denmark and Norway • Battle of France • Battle of Britain • Libya and Egypt • British Somaliland • Occupation of Baltic states • Bessarabia and Bukovina • Invasion of Indochina • Invasion of Greece Combatants Germany Denmark Norway Operation Weserübung was the German codename for Nazi Germanys assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. ... Combatants  France  United Kingdom  Canada  Czechoslovakia  Poland  Belgium  Netherlands  Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand (French) Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) Leopold III (Belgian) H.G. Winkelman (Dutch) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R... Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from:[1] Poland New Zealand Canada Czechoslovakia Belgium Australia South Africa France Ireland United States Jamaica Palestine Rhodesia Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Strength 754 single-seat fighters 149 two-seat fighters 560 bombers 500 coastal 1,963 total... The Western Desert Campaign was the primary early theatre of the North African Campaign of World War II. It is sometimes referred to as the Egypt-Libya Campaign. ... Combatants United Kingdom British India British Somaliland N. Rhodesia British East Africa Italy Italian East Africa Commanders Alfred Godwin-Austen Arthur Chater Guglielmo Nasi Carlo De Simone Strength 4,000 24,000 Casualties 38 killed[1] 71 wounded[1] 49 missing[1] Total:205[2] Destroyed British convoy near Berbera... The occupation of Baltic states generally refers to the occupation of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) by the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany during World War II, and to the Soviet presence in the Baltics from 1945 until the re-establishment of their independence. ... On June 28, 1940 Bessarabia and northern Bukovina were occupied by the Soviet Union. ... Combatants Imperial Japanese Army, Japan French Army, France Commanders Lt. ... Combatants Italy Greece Commanders Sebastiano Visconti Prasca Ubaldo Soddu Ugo Cavallero Giovanni Messe Alexander Papagos Strength 529,000 men Under 300,000 men Casualties 13,755 dead, 50,874 wounded, 25,067 missing, 12,368 incapacitated by frostbites, ca. ... 1941 • East Africa • Invasion of Yugoslavia • Invasion of the USSR • Middle East • Siege of Leningrad • Attack on Pearl Harbor Combatants United Kingdom Anglo-Egyptian Sudan British Somaliland British East Africa British India Gold Coast Nigeria N. Rhodesia S. Rhodesia Union of S. Africa Belgium Belgian Congo Free France Ethiopian irregulars Italy Italian East Africa Eritrea Ethiopia Italian Somaliland German Motorized Company Commanders Archibald Wavell William Platt Alan Cunningham Duke... “April War” redirects here. ... Combatants Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia  Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Fedor von Bock Gerd von Rundstedt Heinz Guderian Günther von Kluge Franz Halder Maresal Ion Antonescu C.G.E. Mannerheim Giovanni Messe, CSIR Italo Gariboldi, ARMIR Joseph Stalin Kliment Voroshilov Semyon Timoshenko Fyodor... The Middle East Campaign was a part of the Middle East Theatre of World War II. // This campaign included: The British police actions in Palestine. ... Combatants Germany Spanish Blue Division Soviet Union Commanders Wilhelm von Leeb Georg von Küchler Agustín Muñoz Grandes Kliment Voroshilov Georgiy Zhukov Strength 725,000 930,000 Casualties Unknown Red Army: 332,059 KIA 24,324 non-combat dead 111,142 missing 16,470 civilians 1 million civilians... This article is about the actual attack. ... 1942 • Battle of Midway • Battle of Stalingrad • 2nd Battle of El Alamein • Operation Torch • Guadalcanal campaign Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Chester W. Nimitz Frank J. Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance Isoroku Yamamoto Chuichi Nagumo Tamon Yamaguchi â€  Strength 3 carriers, ~50 support ships, 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft 4 carriers, 7 battleships, ~150 support ships, 248 carrier aircraft, 16 floatplanes Casualties 1 carrier... Combatants Germany Romania Italy Hungary Croatia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Friedrich Paulus # Erich von Manstein Hermann Hoth Petre Dumitrescu Constantin Constantinescu Italo Garibaldi Gusztav Jany Vasiliy Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilyevskiy Georgiy Zhukov Semyon Timoshenko Konstantin Rokossovskiy Rodion Malinovskiy Andrei Yeremenko Strength Army Group B: German Sixth Army # German Fourth Panzer... For the Battle of Alam Halfa, which is also often termed the Second Battle of El Alamein, see Battle of Alam Halfa Combatants British Eighth Army: United Kingdom Australia New Zealand South Africa India Panzer Army Africa: Nazi Germany Fascist Italy Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 220,000 men... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham François Darlan Strength 73,500 60,000 Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia New Zealand British Solomon Is. ...	1943 • End in Africa • Battle of Kursk • Solomon Islands campaign • Invasion of Sicily • Invasion of Italy5 Combatants United Kingdom United States France Germany Italy Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Harold Alexander Keneth Anderson Bernard Montgomery Albert Kesselring Erwin Rommel Hans-Jürgen von Arnim Giovanni Messe The Tunisia Campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia), was a series of World War II battles that took place... Combatants Germany Soviet Union Commanders Erich von Manstein Günther von Kluge Hermann Hoth Walther Model Georgiy Zhukov Konstantin Rokossovskiy Nikolay Vatutin Ivan Konyev Strength 2,700 tanks 800,000 infantry 2,000 aircraft 3,600 tanks 1,300,000 infantry and supporting troops 2,400 aircraft Casualties German Kursk... Combatants  United States  Australia New Guinea[1]  New Zealand  United Kingdom Colony of Fiji[2] Solomon Is. ... Combatants  United States United Kingdom  Canada Free French Nazi Germany Italy Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Harold Alexander Bernard Montgomery George S. Patton, Jr. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... 1944 • Cassino and Anzio • Battle of Normandy • Belorussia and Ukraine • Battle of Romania • Liberation of Paris • Operation Market Garden • Battle of Leyte Gulf Combatants United Kingdom United States Poland New Zealand Canada Free France India and others Germany Commanders Harold Alexander Mark Clark Oliver Leese Albert Kesselring Heinrich von Vietinghoff Frido von Senger Strength 105,000 80,000 Casualties 54,000 20,000 The Battle of Monte Cassino (also known as the Battle... Combatants United States, United Kingdom Germany Commanders Harold Alexander Mark W. Clark John P. Lucas Lucian Truscott Albert Kesselring Eberhard von Mackensen Strength 22 Jan 1944: 36,000 soldiers and 2,300 vehicles End May:150,000 soldiers and 1,500 guns 22 Jan 1944: 20,000 soldiers End May... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel... Combatants Germany Soviet Union Commanders Ernst Busch Walther Model Ferdinand Schörner Konstantin Rokossovsky Georgy Zhukov Aleksandr Vasilevsky Strength 800,000 1,700,000 Casualties : 400,000 killed, 158,000 POWs, 590,000 wounded : 260,000 killed, 250,000 wounded 116,000 POWs 60,000 KIA/MIA, 110,000 WIA... Combatants Soviet Union Germany Romania Commanders Rodion Malinovsky Fyodor Tolbukhin Johannes Friessner Ion Antonescu Strength 1,341,200, 1,874 tanks and assault guns ca. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Brian Horrocks Roy Urquhart James M. Gavin Maxwell Taylor Stanislaw Sosabowski Walter Model Wilhelm Bittrich Kurt Student Strength 35,000 20,000 Casualties 11,377 dead,wounded or missing 6,450 Captured 2,000 Killed 6,000 Wounded Operation... Combatants  United States  Australia  Philippines Empire of Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr (3rd Fleet) Thomas C. Kinkaid (7th Fleet) Takeo Kurita (Centre Force) Shoji Nishimura â€  (Southern Force) Kiyohide Shima (Southern Force) Jisaburo Ozawa (Northern Force) Strength 17 aircraft carriers 18 escort carriers 12 battleships 24 cruisers 141 destroyers and destroyer... 1945 • Battle of Okinawa • Battle of Berlin • Germany surrenders • Hiroshima and Nagasaki • Japan surrenders Combatants United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders Simon B. Buckner†, Joseph W. Stilwell, Ray Spruance Mitsuru Ushijima† Isamu Cho† Strength 548,000 regulars, 1300 ships,  ? aircraft 100,000 regulars and militia,  ? ships,  ? aircraft Casualties 12,513 dead or missing, 38,916 wounded, 33,096... Combatants Soviet Union Poland Nazi Germany Commanders 1st Belorussian Front – Georgiy Zhukov 2nd Belorussian Front – Konstantin Rokossovskiy 1st Ukrainian Front – Ivan Konev Army Group Vistula – Gotthard Heinrici then Kurt von Tippelskirch[2] Army Group Centre – Ferdinand Schörner Berlin Defense Area – Helmuth Reymann then Helmuth Weidling #[3] Strength 2,500... During the Battle for Berlin, the Red Flag was raised over the Reichstag, May 1945. ... The mushroom cloud over Hiroshima after the dropping of Little Boy. ... The Japanese representatives on board USS Missouri during the surrender ceremonies on 2 September 1945. ... • misc. military engagements USS Lexington explodes during the Battle of the Coral Sea. ... Aftermath and Consequences • Effects • Casualties • Expulsion of Germans • Occupation of Germany • Morgenthau plan • Territorial changes • Occupation of Japan • Franco-Vietnamese War • Cold War • in contemporary culture • Possible World War III It has been suggested that Aftermath of World War II be merged into this article or section. ... Piechart showing percentage of military and civilian deaths by alliance during World War II. World War II was the single deadliest conflict the world has ever seen, causing many tens of millions of deaths. ... Germans expelled from the Sudetenland // The expulsion of Germans after World War II refers to the forced migration of people considered Germans (Reichsdeutsche and some Volksdeutsche) from various European states and territories during 1945 and in the first three years after World War II 1946-48. ... The C-Pennant Occupation zones in Germany (1945) Capital Berlin (de jure) Political structure Military occupation Governors (1945)  - UK zone F.M. Montgomery  - French zone Gen. ... The Morgenthau Plan showing the planned partitioning of Germany into a North State, a South State, and an International zone. ... The Oder-Neisse line (Polish: , German: ) marked the border between German Democratic Republic and Poland between 1950 and 1990. ... Capital Tokyo Language(s) Japanese Political structure Military occupation Military Governor  - 1945-1951 Douglas MacArthur  - 1951-1952 Matthew Ridgway Emperor  - 1926-1989 Hirohito Historical era Post-WWII  - Surrender of Japan August 15, 1945  - San Francisco Treaty April 28, 1952 At the end of the Second World War, Japan was occupied... Combatants France French Indochina Việt Minh Strength 500,000 at least 63,000, but estimates 100,000-950,000 Casualties 94,581 dead 78,127 wounded 40,000 captured 300,000+ dead 500,000+ wounded 100,000 captured The First Indochina War (also known as the French Indochina War... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... The influence of World War II has been profound and diverse, having an impact on many parts of life. ... World War III (abbreviated WWIII), or the Third World War, is a term used to describe a hypothetical conflict on the scale of World War I and World War II, or even larger, such as a nuclear holocaust. ...	• Attacks on North America • Blitzkrieg • Comparative military ranks • Cryptography • Home front • Military awards • Military equipment • Military production • Resistance • Technology • Total war Attacks on North America during World War II by the Axis Powers were rare, mainly due to the continents geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe and Asia. ... The defining characteristic of what is commonly known as Blitzkrieg is that it is a highly mobile form of mechanized warfare. ... The following table shows comparative officer ranks of major Allied and Axis powers during World War II. For modern ranks refer to Comparative military ranks. ... Cryptography was used extensively during World War II, with a plethora of code and cipher systems fielded by the nations involved. ... Publicity photo of American machine tool worker in Texas. ... Military awards of World War II were presented by most of the combatants. ... // Aircraft List of aircraft of World War II List of World War II military aircraft of Germany List of aircraft of the Armée de lAir, World War II List of aircraft of the USAAF, World War II List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force, World War II... During World War II women worked in factories throughout much of the West and East. ... Members of the Dutch Eindhoven Resistance with troops of the US 101st Airborne Division in front of the Eindhoven cathedral during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. ... Technology during World War II played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the war. ... Total war is a military conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources in order to destroy another nations ability to engage in war. ... Civilian impact and atrocities • Allied war crimes • Japanese war crimes • German war crimes • Soviet war crimes • The Holocaust • Bombing of civilians Allied war crimes were violations of the laws of war committed by the Allies of World War II against civilian populations or military personnel of the Axis Armed Forces. ... Japanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism. ... Germany committed war crimes in both World War I and World War II. The most notable of these is the Holocaust, where millions of people, about half of which were Jews, were murdered. ... Soviet war crimes gives a short overview about serious crimes, which probably offend against international law, committed by the Red Armys (1918-1946, later Soviet Army) leadership and an unknown number of single members of the Soviet armed forces during in 1919 - 1990 including those in Eastern Europe in... “Shoah” redirects here. ... Strategic bombing during World War II was greater in scale than any wartime attack the world had previously witnessed. ...
Allies		Axis
at war from 1937  China A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Axis powers. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China. ... entered 1939  Poland  UK  India  France  Australia  New Zealand  South Africa  Canada Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Imperial-India-Blue-Ensign. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994. ... Image File history File links Canadian_Red_Ensign_1921. ... entered 1940  Norway  Belgium  Netherlands  Greece Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium_(civil). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece_(1828-1978). ...	entered 1941  Yugoslavia  USSR  USA Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, Југославија in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia, or literary The Land of South Slavs) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... entered 1942  Brazil Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... entered 1943  Italy Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... entered 1944  Romania  Bulgaria  Finland File links The following pages link to this file: Axis Powers Flag of Romania Categories: Flag images ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bulgaria_(1878-1944). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland. ... Combatants Germany Finland Commanders Lothar Rendulic Hjalmar Siilasvuo Strength 200,000 60,000 Casualties 950 killed 2,000 wounded 1,300 captured 774 killed 3,000 wounded 262 missing The Lapland War (Finnish: ; German: ; Swedish: ) is a name used for the hostilities between Finland and Germany between September 1944 and... • others A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ...	at war from 1937  Japan Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... entered 1939  Germany  Slovakia Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Image File history File links 1stslovakia_flag_large. ... entered 1940  Italy  (to 1943) Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... entered 1941  Bulgaria  (to 1944) Croatia  Hungary  Romania  (to 1944)  Finland  (to 1944) Image File history File links Flag_of_Bulgaria_(1878-1944). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia_Ustasa. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Hungary_1940. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Axis Powers Flag of Romania Categories: Flag images ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland. ... Finnish ski troops in Northern Finland in January 1940 The Military history of Finland during World War II covers the history of Finland from 1939 to 1944. ... entered 1942  Thailand Image File history File links Flag_of_Thailand. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... entered 1943 RSI Image File history File links Flag_of_RSI.svg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Axis powers of World War II Flag of Italy Italian Social Republic Il Cuore nel Pozzo Kingdom of Italy (Savoy) ... Anthem Giovinezza (The Youth)¹ Capital Salò Language(s) Italian Religion Roman Catholicism Government Republic Head of State Benito Mussolini Historical era World War II  - Established September 23, 1943  - Disestablished April 25, 1945 ¹ External link The Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana or RSI) was a Nazi puppet state led by... • others This article is about the independent states that comprised the Axis powers. ...
• Allied Leaders • Axis Leaders • Commanders This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, the leaders of the two main Axis powers in Europe. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Resistance movements Austria · Baltic2 · Bessarabia1 · Czechia · Denmark · Ethiopia · France · Germany · Greece · Italy · Jewish · Korea · Netherlands · Moldavia1 · Norway · Poland · Thailand · USSR · Slovakia4 · Ukraine3 · Vietnam · Yugoslavia · others Members of the Dutch Eindhoven Resistance with troops of the US 101st Airborne Division in front of the Eindhoven cathedral during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. ... The Forest Brothers (also: Brothers of the Forest, Forest Brethren; Forest Brotherhood; in Estonian: metsavennad, in Latvian meža brāļi, in Lithuanian miÅ¡ko broliai) were Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian partisans who waged guerrilla warfare against Soviet rule and for German Nazis during the Soviet invasion and occupation of... Czech resistance during the Second World War is a scarcely documented subject, by and large a result of little formal resistance and an effective German policy that deterred acts of resistance or annihilated organizations of resistance. ... The Jewish resistance during the Holocaust was the resistance of the Jewish people against Nazi Germany leading up to and through World War II. Due to the careful organization and overwhelming military might of the Nazi German State and its supporters, many Jews were unable to resist the killings. ... The Korean Liberation Army was the armed force of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, and was created on September 17, 1941 in Chongqing, China. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, Југославија in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia, or literary The Land of South Slavs) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... Members of the Dutch Eindhoven Resistance with troops of the US 101st Airborne Division in front of the Eindhoven cathedral during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. ...
			Lists
			Category · Topics · Conferences // Military engagements For military topics (land, naval, and air engagements as well as campaigns, operations, defensive lines and sieges), please see List of military engagements of World War II. Political and social aspects of the war Causes of World War II Appeasement Occupation of Denmark Netherlands in World War II... List of World War II conferences of the Allied forces In total Churchill attended 14 meetings, Roosevelt 12, Stalin 5. ...
1 Anti-Soviet. 2 Anti-Soviet and anti-Nazi. 3 Anti-Nazi, anti-Polish, and anti-Soviet. 4 Anti-Magyar, anti-Nazi, and anti-Soviet. 5 Lasted to May 1945.		World War II at Wiktionary  WWII textbooks at Wikibooks      WWII quotes at Wikiquote  WWII source texts at Wikisource        WWII media at Commons  WWII news stories at Wikinews

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