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

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

  • 01 Jan 1945 Operation Bodenplatte: German Luftwaffe's Desperate Air Offensive: During the final stages of World War II, the German Luftwaffe launched Operation Bodenplatte (Ground Plate), a massive and ultimately unsuccessful surprise attack aimed at destroying Allied air power in northern Europe. In a coordinated effort, over 1,000 German fighter planes conducted simultaneous raids on 27 Allied airfields in Holland, Belgium, and northwest France. While the operation initially caused significant damage, destroying over 300 Allied aircraft, the Germans suffered heavy losses, with nearly 200 of their own planes shot down. A critical tactical error occurred when German anti-aircraft batteries, unaware of the planned operation, inadvertently shot down many of their own aircraft.
  • 02 Jan 1945 German Forces in Retreat: During World War II, German military forces experience significant defeats, with substantial numbers of troops being destroyed, captured, or forced to retreat as Allied forces successfully counterattack and regroup.
  • 03 Jan 1945 Nimitz Assumes Naval Command for Pacific Offensive: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is appointed to command all U.S. Naval forces in preparation for major planned assaults against Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Japanese home islands.
  • 04 Jan 1945 B-29 Bombers Attack Kobe: Sixty-nine American B-29 Superfortress bombers launched a massive incendiary bombing raid on Kobe, Japan, destroying approximately 2.5 million square feet of the city and escalating the strategic bombing campaign against Japan.
  • 05 Jan 1945 Allied Invasion of Lingayen Gulf: During the Pacific Theater of World War II, the Allied invasion force approached Lingayen Gulf on Luzon Island. Japanese kamikaze attacks caused significant damage, sinking multiple ships and resulting in 54 fatalities across various naval vessels including USS Louisville, HMAS Australia, USS Helm, HMAS Arunta, USS Manila Bay, USS Savo Island, and USS Stafford.
  • 06 Jan 1945 Kamikaze Attacks in Lingayen Gulf: Japanese kamikaze pilots launched devastating suicide attacks against American naval forces in the Lingayen Gulf region of the Philippines, causing significant damage to multiple U.S. warships, including the battleships USS New Mexico and USS California, two cruisers, and four destroyers.
  • 07 Jan 1945 Stalin Accelerates Soviet Offensive Timing: Soviet leader Joseph Stalin decides to move the launch date of a major offensive forward to January 12th, demonstrating strategic flexibility and urgency in the final stages of World War II.
  • 08 Jan 1945 Philippine Commonwealth Army Attacks Japanese Forces in Ilocos Sur: During World War II, Philippine Commonwealth troops, working in coordination with Philippine Commonwealth Army units, launched a strategic offensive against invading Japanese Imperial forces in the province of Ilocos Sur, located in Northern Luzon. This military operation was part of the broader Allied efforts to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation during the later stages of World War II.
  • 09 Jan 1945 US Invasion of Lingayen Gulf: During World War II, the Sixth United States Army launched a strategic invasion of Lingayen Gulf, marking a critical moment in the Pacific Theater of operations. This amphibious landing was part of the larger campaign to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
  • 10 Jan 1945 Japanese Balloon Bomb Intercepted During World War II: A Japanese balloon bomb was successfully shot down by a US P-38 Lightning aircraft near the Tule Lake Detention Center, a Japanese-American internment camp in California. This incident highlights the lesser-known aerial warfare tactics employed during the Pacific Theater of World War II.
  • 12 Jan 1945 Soviet Offensive in Eastern Europe: During World War II, the Soviet Union launched a major strategic offensive against Nazi German forces in Eastern Europe, marking a critical turning point in the war. This massive military operation aimed to push back German troops and advance towards Germany's borders.
  • 13 Jan 1945 Auschwitz Concentration Camp Evacuation Begins: The evacuation of Auschwitz concentration camp commenced, signaling the imminent collapse of the Nazi regime and the end of one of the most horrific sites of the Holocaust. This event marked the beginning of the camp's liberation by Soviet forces.
  • 14 Jan 1945 Hitler Authorizes Strategic Retreat in Ardennes: Adolf Hitler granted Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt permission to execute a strategic withdrawal of German troops from Houffalize and the Bastogne front, acknowledging the mounting military pressures and seeking to minimize further casualties during the Battle of the Bulge.
  • 15 Jan 1945 Liberation of Concentration Camp: The Red Army liberates the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp, a significant moment in the Holocaust's final stages and the Soviet advance through Nazi-occupied territories.
  • 16 Jan 1945 Battle of the Bulge Concludes: The Battle of the Bulge, a major German offensive in the Ardennes region, comes to an end. This was Nazi Germany's last major counteroffensive on the Western Front, representing a desperate attempt to split the Allied forces and potentially negotiate a separate peace.
  • 17 Jan 1945 Liberation of Warsaw: Soviet forces capture Warsaw, a city almost completely destroyed during World War II, signaling a major turning point in the Eastern Front and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.
  • 18 Jan 1945 Evacuation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp: As Soviet forces approached, the Germans ordered the evacuation of Auschwitz concentration camp, forcing approximately 58,000 remaining inmates to endure a brutal march or deportation by rail in freezing temperatures. This event represents one of the most tragic episodes of the Holocaust's final days, with many prisoners perishing during the forced evacuation.
  • 19 Jan 1945 Soviet Advances in Eastern Europe: During World War II, the Soviet military made significant territorial gains. The 1st Ukrainian Front captured Łódź and Kraków, while the 2nd Belorussian Front took Mława and Włocławek, and the 1st Baltic Front captured Tilsit.
  • 20 Jan 1945 German Forces Surrender in Hungary: German military forces in Hungary surrendered to the Soviet army, signaling a critical turning point in the Eastern Front of World War II. This surrender marked a significant decline in Nazi Germany's military control in Eastern Europe.
  • 21 Jan 1945 Soviet Advances on Eastern Front: The 3rd Belorussian Front captured Gumbinnen, while the 1st Belorussian Front crossed the Warthen River and approached Poznań, marking significant Soviet advances against German forces during the final stages of World War II.
  • 22 Jan 1945 Operation Hannibal Launched: German Admiral Karl Dönitz initiated Operation Hannibal, a massive naval evacuation operation to rescue German troops and civilians from East Prussia and Courland as Soviet forces advanced during the final stages of World War II.
  • 23 Jan 1945 US Army Captures St. Vith: The First United States Army successfully captured St. Vith, the final German stronghold in the Ardennes region, a crucial victory that helped dismantle the German defensive position during the Battle of the Bulge.
  • 24 Jan 1945 Liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp: Soviet troops of the 60th Army, part of the 1st Ukrainian Front, liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, revealing the horrific extent of Nazi genocide. This pivotal moment exposed the systematic murder of approximately 1.1 million people, primarily Jews, during the Holocaust. The liberation marked a critical turning point in understanding the atrocities of World War II and became a powerful symbol of human resilience against unimaginable cruelty.
  • 25 Jan 1945 Battle of the Bulge Concludes: World War II's Battle of the Bulge officially ended, marking a decisive Allied victory that significantly weakened German military capabilities and brought the European theater closer to conclusion.
  • 26 Jan 1945 Soviet Liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp: Soviet Red Army troops reach and liberate the Auschwitz concentration camp, revealing the horrific extent of Nazi atrocities during World War II. This moment marks a critical point in exposing the Holocaust and ending the systematic genocide of Jewish people and other targeted groups.
  • 27 Jan 1945 Liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp: On January 27, 1945, the Soviet Red Army arrived at Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps in Poland, discovering the horrific site where 1.1-1.5 million people had been systematically murdered during the Holocaust. The soldiers of the 100th and 322nd Rifle Divisions of the Soviet 60th Army liberated approximately 7,500 remaining prisoners, revealing the full extent of Nazi atrocities.
  • 28 Jan 1945 Wilhelm Gustloff Sinking - Worst Maritime Disaster in War History: The German passenger ship Wilhelm Gustloff, carrying over 10,000 mainly civilian refugees from Gotenhafen (Gdynia), was torpedoed by the Soviet submarine S-13 in the Baltic Sea. Up to 9,400 people are believed to have perished, making this the deadliest single-ship sinking in maritime warfare history.
  • 29 Jan 1945 Soviet Offensive in Königsberg during World War II: During the final stages of World War II, the Soviet 3rd Belorussian Front launched a significant offensive into the strategically important city of Königsberg, located in East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia). This attack was part of the larger Soviet push to defeat Nazi Germany and marked a critical moment in the Soviet advance towards Berlin.
  • 30 Jan 1945 Wilhelm Gustloff Maritime Disaster: The Wilhelm Gustloff, a German passenger ship overfilled with refugees, was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine in the Baltic Sea, resulting in the deadliest maritime disaster in recorded history. Approximately 9,000-9,400 people, including civilians, military personnel, and refugees, perished in the tragic sinking.
  • 31 Jan 1945 Stutthof Concentration Camp Massacre: In a horrific war crime, approximately 3,000 inmates from the Stutthof concentration camp were forcibly marched into the Baltic Sea near Palmnicken (now Yantarny, Russia) and systematically executed, representing one of the many atrocities committed during the Holocaust's final stages.