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Major Events of November 1944: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from November 1944 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of November 1944: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Nov 1944 First US Reconnaissance Flight Over Tokyo Since Doolittle Raid: An F-13 reconnaissance aircraft becomes the first US plane to fly over Tokyo since the famous Doolittle Raid, marking a significant psychological and strategic moment in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
  • 02 Nov 1944 Mass Murder at Auschwitz Concentration Camp: Nazi forces at Auschwitz concentration camp continued systematic mass murder of inmates through gas chambers, escalating the Holocaust's atrocities.
  • 03 Nov 1944 Allied Commandos Land at Westkapelle: Allied commandos conducted a strategic landing on Walcheren, a Dutch island, as part of the broader Operation Overlord and the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation.
  • 04 Nov 1944 Operation Pheasant Concludes Successfully: The Allied offensive Operation Pheasant, aimed at liberating North Brabant in the Netherlands, concluded successfully, representing a strategic victory in the Allied push to free the Netherlands from Nazi control.
  • 05 Nov 1944 US Task Force 38 Strikes Japanese Targets: US Task Force 38, under Admiral McCain, launched a strategic military operation targeting Japanese positions on Luzon and surrounding maritime areas, continuing the Allied offensive in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
  • 06 Nov 1944 France Abolishes Anti-Semitic Laws: On November 6, 1944, the Provisional Government of France took a significant step towards justice and human rights by abolishing all anti-Semitic laws that had been enacted during the Nazi occupation. This action was a crucial part of France's post-war reconciliation and commitment to restoring democratic principles.
  • 07 Nov 1944 U.S. Presidential Election of 1944: Franklin D. Roosevelt wins re-election, becoming the first and only U.S. president to be elected to a fourth consecutive term. He defeated Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey in a historic election during World War II, solidifying his leadership during a critical period in American history.
  • 08 Nov 1944 Hungarian Jews Forced into Labor: During the Holocaust, approximately 25,000 Hungarian Jewish individuals were forcibly loaned to Nazi Germany as part of their systematic labor and extermination program, representing a tragic moment of human rights violations.
  • 09 Nov 1944 Walcheren Island Liberated from Nazi Occupation: German troops on Walcheren Island, a strategic location in the Netherlands, surrendered to Allied forces, marking a significant victory in the Western European theater of World War II and helping to open supply routes to Antwerp.
  • 10 Nov 1944 German Forced Labor Operation in Netherlands: Nazi German forces conducted a massive forced labor operation, forcibly sending 52,000 men from Rotterdam and Schiedam to Germany, further demonstrating the brutal occupation policies during World War II.
  • 11 Nov 1944 US Naval Task Force 38 Destroys Japanese Convoy: US Naval Task Force 38 aircraft conducted a successful attack on a Japanese convoy heading to Luzon, sinking all four transport ships and four out of six destroyers, including the Hamanami, Naganami, Shimakaze, and Wakatsuki.
  • 12 Nov 1944 Sinking of the German Battleship Tirpitz: During World War II, the Royal Air Force launched a precision bombing raid using 29 Avro Lancaster bombers, successfully sinking the German battleship Tirpitz off the coast of Tromsø, Norway. The attack utilized massive 12,000 lb Tallboy bombs, marking a significant strategic victory for the Allies in the naval theater of the war.
  • 13 Nov 1944 U.S. Navy Destroys Japanese Naval Assets in Manila: U.S. Navy aircraft conducted a devastating attack on Japanese naval forces in Manila, sinking multiple destroyers including Akebono, Akishimo, Hatsuharu, Kiso, and Okinami. This operation significantly weakened the Imperial Japanese Navy's presence in the Philippines during World War II.
  • 14 Nov 1944 USS Queenfish Sinks Japanese Aircraft Carrier: The USS Queenfish conducted a devastating torpedo attack on the Japanese aircraft carrier Akitsu Maru, resulting in the loss of over 2,246 lives. This naval engagement was part of the intense Pacific Theater combat during World War II.
  • 15 Nov 1944 USS Queenfish Sinks Japanese Depot Ship: In a significant naval engagement during World War II, the USS Queenfish submarine torpedoed and sank the Japanese landing craft depot ship Akitsu Maru in the Korea Strait, resulting in over 2,000 casualties and a substantial maritime loss for the Japanese military.
  • 16 Nov 1944 Operation Queen Launched Against German Siegfried Line: The U.S. First and Ninth Armies initiated Operation Queen, a significant offensive targeting the heavily fortified German Siegfried Line. This strategic military operation aimed to break through Germany's western defensive positions during the later stages of World War II.
  • 17 Nov 1944 Massive Allied Air Strikes on Western Front: A coordinated aerial bombardment by Allied forces targeted German defensive positions. Approximately 1,200 US 8th Air Force planes and 1,100 RAF bombers dropped around 10,000 tons of bombs, focusing on obliterating fortified towns including Duren, Julich, and Heinsberg. This massive air campaign was designed to support ground offensives by the US 9th and 1st Armies.
  • 18 Nov 1944 US Third Army Enters Metz, France: During World War II, the U.S. Third Army, under the command of General George S. Patton, successfully entered the strategically important city of Metz, France, advancing the Allied forces' campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation.
  • 19 Nov 1944 Roosevelt Launches 6th War Loan Drive: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the 6th War Loan Drive, a critical financial initiative aimed at raising $14 billion in war bonds to support the United States' extensive war effort during World War II. This massive fundraising campaign was crucial in financing military operations and equipment.
  • 20 Nov 1944 Hitler Leaves Wolfsschanze: Adolf Hitler permanently departed his Eastern Front headquarters, the Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair), as the Soviet Red Army approached Germany's borders, signaling the imminent collapse of Nazi military control.
  • 21 Nov 1944 USS Submarine Action in Formosa Strait: During World War II, an American submarine engaged in a significant naval battle in the Formosa Strait, sinking a Japanese battleship and destroyer, contributing to the Allied naval superiority in the Pacific Theater.
  • 22 Nov 1944 Canadian Parliament Debates Conscription: In a special parliamentary session, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King addressed the sensitive issue of conscription, emphasizing the potential national unity risks. He argued against mandatory overseas service for drafted troops, highlighting the potential for significant national discord.
  • 23 Nov 1944 De Gaulle Takes Command of Free French Forces: General Charles de Gaulle assumed full command of all Free French military forces, consolidating leadership of the French resistance and liberation movement during World War II.
  • 24 Nov 1944 First US Bombing Raid on Tokyo from Northern Mariana Islands: During World War II, the 73rd Bombardment Wing launched a historic strategic bombing mission, marking the first attack on Tokyo from the Northern Mariana Islands. This operation represented a significant milestone in the Pacific Theater, bringing the war directly to the Japanese homeland.
  • 25 Nov 1944 V-2 Rocket Attack on Woolworths in Deptford: On November 25, 1944, at 1225 hours, a German V-2 rocket struck the crowded Woolworths store on New Cross Road in Deptford, central London, England. The devastating attack resulted in 160 fatalities, 77 serious injuries, and 122 additional injuries, marking one of the most deadly civilian casualties from a single V-2 rocket strike during World War II.
  • 26 Nov 1944 Himmler Orders Destruction of Auschwitz Crematoriums: Heinrich Himmler, a key Nazi leader, issued orders to destroy the crematoriums at the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps, likely in an attempt to hide evidence of mass genocide as Allied forces approached.
  • 27 Nov 1944 Major Allied Air Strikes Support Ground Offensives: Massive Allied air operations were conducted to support US 9th and 1st Army offensives. Approximately 10,000 tons of bombs were dropped by 1,200 US 8th Air Force planes and 1,100 RAF bombers, targeting fortified German towns like Duren, Julich, and Heinsberg to disrupt enemy defensive positions.
  • 28 Nov 1944 First Allied Ship Enters Antwerp Port: The first Allied ship sailed into the Scheldt Estuary at Antwerp, Belgium, representing a crucial logistical breakthrough for Allied forces in their push towards Germany during World War II.
  • 29 Nov 1944 Blue Baby Syndrome Surgical Breakthrough: Dr. Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas performed the first surgical intervention to correct blue baby syndrome, a revolutionary medical procedure that would save countless infant lives.
  • 30 Nov 1944 V-2 Rocket Attack on London: A German V-2 rocket struck Shooter's Hill in South East London at 1:00 a.m., resulting in a tragic loss of 23 civilian lives. This attack was part of Nazi Germany's late-war terror bombing campaign using advanced rocket technology.