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Major Events of February 1945: 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 February 1945 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of February 1945: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 1945 U.S. Victory in Second Battle of Kesternich: American forces achieved a decisive victory in the Second Battle of Kesternich, a significant engagement in the Ardennes region during the final stages of World War II. This battle demonstrated the U.S. military's tactical prowess and determination in breaking through German defensive positions.
  • 02 Feb 1945 Yalta Conference Preparation: Roosevelt and Churchill Depart: During the critical final months of World War II, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill embarked on a diplomatic journey to meet with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin at the pivotal Yalta Conference, a meeting that would significantly shape the post-war geopolitical landscape.
  • 03 Feb 1945 Battle of Manila Begins: The United States and the Philippine Commonwealth initiated a month-long military campaign to reclaim Manila from Japanese occupation. This critical battle was part of the larger Pacific Theater operations in World War II, aimed at liberating the Philippines from Japanese control.
  • 04 Feb 1945 Yalta Conference Begins: World War II: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin convene the critical Yalta Conference to discuss the post-war reorganization of Europe and strategic Allied cooperation.
  • 05 Feb 1945 Churchill Arrives in Yalta: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives in Yalta, Crimea, for the critical Allied conference that would shape post-war Europe's geopolitical landscape.
  • 06 Feb 1945 Red Army Crosses the Oder River: A significant moment in World War II's Eastern Front, the Soviet Red Army successfully crosses the Oder River, bringing Soviet forces closer to Berlin and signaling the imminent defeat of Nazi Germany.
  • 07 Feb 1945 MacArthur Returns to Manila: General Douglas MacArthur dramatically fulfilled his famous promise 'I shall return' by returning to Manila, Philippines, symbolizing the liberation of the country from Japanese occupation during World War II.
  • 08 Feb 1945 Operation Veritable: Allied Offensive in Western Germany: During World War II, British and Canadian forces launched Operation Veritable, a strategic military campaign designed to occupy and clear the critical land area between the Maas and Rhine rivers. This operation was a crucial part of the Allied strategy to penetrate German defenses and advance towards the heart of Nazi-controlled territory.
  • 09 Feb 1945 Rare Submarine-to-Submarine Combat in World War II: During World War II, in a remarkable naval engagement, the British submarine HMS Venturer successfully sank the German submarine U-864 off the coast of Fedje, Norway. This incident is notable for being an extremely rare instance of submarine-to-submarine combat, demonstrating the complex and strategic naval warfare of the period.
  • 10 Feb 1945 Allied Powers Strategize War's Conclusion: Leaders from London, Washington, and Moscow engage in high-level discussions about the final strategic phase of World War II, signaling the collaborative efforts to bring the global conflict to an end.
  • 11 Feb 1945 Yalta Conference: Major Allied Powers Meet to Discuss Post-War World Order: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin convened at the Yalta Conference to negotiate the post-World War II geopolitical landscape. The leaders discussed the reorganization of Europe, the fate of liberated territories, and strategies for ending the war against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.
  • 12 Feb 1945 San Francisco Chosen for United Nations Conference: San Francisco, California, was selected as the host city for the United Nations Conference, a pivotal moment in establishing post-World War II international diplomacy.
  • 13 Feb 1945 Dresden Bombing by British Forces during World War II: On February 13, 1945, British bombers launched Operation Thunderclap, a massive aerial bombardment directed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Approximately 800 Lancaster bombers attacked Dresden's city center, dropping 1,600 tons of incendiary and high-explosive bombs. The devastating raid created a catastrophic firestorm, destroying over 1,680 acres, obliterating or damaging 86,000 houses, and resulting in an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 civilian casualties.
  • 14 Feb 1945 Gross-Rosen Concentration Camp Liberation: Red Army forces liberated the Gross-Rosen concentration camp, freeing prisoners and revealing the atrocities of the Nazi regime.
  • 15 Feb 1945 Dresden Bombing Campaign during World War II: During World War II, the Allied forces conducted a massive aerial bombardment of Dresden, a historic city in Germany. On February 15, 1945, this was the third consecutive day of intense bombing raids. The strategic bombing campaign targeted the city's infrastructure, industrial areas, and civilian population, causing widespread destruction and significant loss of life. The raids involved dropping thousands of tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices, which created devastating firestorms that consumed large parts of the city.
  • 16 Feb 1945 US Navy Carrier Raid on Tokyo: The U.S. Navy launches its first carrier-based air raid against the Tokyo area, escalating the Pacific Theater's aerial warfare.
  • 17 Feb 1945 British SAS Operation Cold Comfort in Italy: During World War II, the British Special Air Service (SAS) conducted Operation Cold Comfort, a daring strategic mission targeting the critical transportation infrastructure in northern Italy. On February 17, 1945, a specialized SAS team parachuted north of Verona with the ambitious objective of triggering a massive landslide to block the strategically important rail lines passing through the Brenner Pass. Despite meticulous planning and the team's exceptional skills, the operation ultimately failed to achieve its primary goal of disrupting Axis supply and troop movement routes.
  • 18 Feb 1945 Death of General Ivan Chernyakhovsky in World War II: General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, a prominent Soviet military commander, died from wounds sustained during combat operations on the Eastern Front. At the time of his death, he was one of the youngest generals in the Red Army to command an entire front during World War II. His loss was a significant blow to the Soviet military leadership during the critical final stages of the war against Nazi Germany.
  • 19 Feb 1945 US Marines Land on Iwo Jima: Approximately 30,000 United States Marines launched a critical amphibious invasion of Iwo Jima, a strategically important island in the Pacific Theater of World War II. This massive landing marked the beginning of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific campaign, involving a massive naval and marine assault against entrenched Japanese forces.
  • 20 Feb 1945 Naval Engagement in the Atlantic: U-1276 and HMS Vervain: In a dramatic naval encounter during World War II, the German submarine U-1276 sank the British corvette HMS Vervain in the Atlantic Ocean. Immediately following this action, the U-1276 was itself sunk by the Royal Navy sloop HMS Amethyst, which was part of the same convoy. This incident exemplifies the high-stakes and rapid exchanges characteristic of naval warfare during the conflict.
  • 21 Feb 1945 Allied Forces Break Through Siegfried Line: During World War II, Allied forces successfully penetrated the formidable Siegfried Line, a critical defensive fortification along Germany's western border, marking a significant strategic advancement in the European theater.
  • 22 Feb 1945 Operation Clarion Launched: A massive aerial operation involving 6,000 aircraft from the RAF and US Eighth, Ninth, and Fifteenth Air Forces is initiated to strategically disrupt German communications and isolate the industrial Ruhr Valley, a critical blow to Nazi Germany's war infrastructure.
  • 23 Feb 1945 Iconic Iwo Jima Flag Raising: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, United States Marines reached the summit of Mount Suribachi and raised the American flag, creating one of the most iconic and symbolically powerful images of World War II. The moment was immortalized by photographer Joe Rosenthal, representing American military determination and eventual victory in the Pacific theater.
  • 24 Feb 1945 Liberation of Manila: Manila was freed from Japanese occupation, marking a crucial victory for Allied forces in the Pacific Theater during World War II and signaling the beginning of the end of Japanese imperial expansion.
  • 25 Feb 1945 US Aircraft Carriers Attack Tokyo: During World War II, United States naval aircraft carriers launched a significant air raid on Tokyo, Japan, continuing the strategic bombing campaign against the Japanese homeland.
  • 26 Feb 1945 US Troops Reclaim Corregidor Island: During World War II, United States military forces successfully recaptured the strategic Philippine island of Corregidor from Japanese occupation, marking a significant turning point in the Pacific Theater of the war.
  • 27 Feb 1945 Philippines Civil Administration Transfer: President Sergio Osmeña formally received the civil administration of the Philippines, marking a significant moment in the country's transition and recovery from Japanese occupation during World War II.
  • 28 Feb 1945 Anne Frank Dies in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp: In late February 1945, Anne Frank, the young Jewish diarist who became a symbol of Holocaust victims, died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Lower Saxony, Germany, just months before the end of World War II.