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

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

  • 01 Mar 1945 Roosevelt's Last Congressional Address: President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his final address to Congress, reporting on the Yalta Conference and candidly acknowledging his physical disability, demonstrating remarkable personal resilience.
  • 02 Mar 1945 US 8th Air Force Bombing of Dresden: The United States 8th Air Force continues strategic bombing operations against Dresden, Germany, as part of the Allied strategic bombing campaign during the final months of World War II. This bombing was part of a controversial series of air raids that caused massive destruction and civilian casualties.
  • 03 Mar 1945 Liberation of Manila: United States and Filipino troops successfully recaptured Manila, Philippines, a crucial victory in the Pacific Theater of World War II. This operation was a significant step in liberating the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
  • 04 Mar 1945 Battle of Manila Concludes: The Battle of Manila ends with an Allied victory, but at a devastating human cost. The city is largely destroyed, with 1,010 U.S. soldiers killed, 5,565 wounded, and an estimated 100,000 Filipino civilians perishing during the intense urban combat.
  • 05 Mar 1945 US 7th Army Corps Captures Cologne: The United States 7th Army Corps successfully captured the strategic city of Cologne (Köln), marking a significant advance into Nazi Germany's industrial heartland during the final months of World War II.
  • 06 Mar 1945 Cologne Captured and German Offensive Begins: During World War II, American troops captured the city of Cologne. Simultaneously, Operation Spring Awakening, the last major German offensive of the war, was launched on the Eastern Front.
  • 07 Mar 1945 Ludendorff Bridge Seized at Remagen: A pivotal moment in World War II occurred when American troops captured the critical Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River at Remagen, Germany, providing a crucial strategic crossing point into the German heartland.
  • 08 Mar 1945 Nazi Execution of Amsterdam Resistance Members: Nazi occupiers execute 53 Amsterdammers, demonstrating the brutal repression of Dutch resistance during the final months of World War II.
  • 09 Mar 1945 Devastating Firebombing of Tokyo: During World War II, American B-29 bombers launched a massive incendiary bombing raid on Tokyo, Japan, creating a catastrophic firestorm that killed over 100,000 people and destroyed vast areas of the city. This strategic bombing was part of the United States' aerial warfare campaign against Japan in the final months of World War II.
  • 10 Mar 1945 Tokyo Firebombing - World War II Atrocity: On March 10, 1945, the U.S. Army Air Force conducted a devastating aerial bombardment of Tokyo, using incendiary bombs that created a massive firestorm. The raid resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 civilians and destroyed significant portions of the city, marking one of the most destructive single air raids in human history.
  • 11 Mar 1945 Allied Bombing of Essen: A massive Allied air raid involving 1,000 bombers dropped 4,662 tons of bombs on the German city of Essen, continuing the strategic bombing campaign against Nazi industrial infrastructure.
  • 12 Mar 1945 Swinemünde Bombing Tragedy: The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bombed Swinemünde, resulting in an estimated 8,000 to 23,000 civilian casualties, mostly refugees evacuated through Operation Hannibal, representing one of the war's most devastating aerial attacks.
  • 13 Mar 1945 US B-29s Conduct Devastating Fire Raid on Osaka: United States B-29 Superfortress bombers launched a massive fire raid on Osaka, Japan, resulting in approximately 4,000 civilian casualties and the destruction of 119 industrial factories, marking a significant escalation in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
  • 14 Mar 1945 RAF First Operational Use of Grand Slam Bomb: On March 14, 1945, during World War II, the Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted its first operational deployment of the massive Grand Slam bomb, targeting a critical railway viaduct near Bielefeld, Germany. This 22,000-pound 'earthquake bomb', designed by Barnes Wallis, was the largest conventional weapon used in the war and was specifically engineered to cause massive ground destruction by creating underground shock waves.
  • 15 Mar 1945 Soviet Offensive in Upper Silesia: Soviet forces initiated a major offensive to push German forces out of Upper Silesia during World War II, a critical military operation.
  • 16 Mar 1945 Allies Secure Iwo Jima: After a brutal battle, Allied forces successfully secured the strategic Pacific island of Iwo Jima, marking a significant milestone in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
  • 17 Mar 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima Concludes: American forces complete the capture of Iwo Jima after an intense and bloody battle. The campaign resulted in significant casualties: 26,038 American soldiers were wounded or killed, including 6,821 fatalities. Of the 21,000 Japanese defenders, only 1,083 survived, highlighting the brutal nature of the Pacific theater in World War II.
  • 18 Mar 1945 Massive Bombing of Berlin: A massive aerial assault by 1,250 American bombers targets Berlin during the final months of World War II, representing a significant strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany.
  • 19 Mar 1945 Hitler's Scorched Earth Order: As the Third Reich faced imminent defeat, Adolf Hitler issued a radical directive ordering the destruction of all German industrial and infrastructure assets to prevent them from falling into Allied hands. This desperate measure, known as the 'Nero Decree', reflected the Nazi regime's total commitment to resistance.
  • 20 Mar 1945 Hitler's Final Public Appearance: Adolf Hitler makes his last public appearance in Berlin, marking a significant moment near the end of World War II. This event symbolizes the imminent collapse of the Nazi regime and Hitler's diminishing control.
  • 21 Mar 1945 Allied Bombing Campaign Over Germany: During World War II, Allied bombers initiated a massive four-day strategic bombing raid over Germany, targeting critical military and industrial infrastructure.
  • 22 Mar 1945 US Third Army Crosses Rhine: The US Third Army, led by General George Patton, successfully crosses the Rhine River at Nierstein, a critical strategic maneuver during the final stages of World War II in Europe.
  • 23 Mar 1945 Operation Plunder: Allied Rhine River Crossing: A critical World War II military operation where British and Canadian forces launched an amphibious crossing of the Rhine River in Germany. The strategic objective was to attack north of Wesel and neutralize the 47th Panzer Corps, preventing potential counterattacks against the main Allied force.
  • 24 Mar 1945 Operation Varsity: Allied Airborne Landings East of Rhine: Operation Varsity was a massive Allied airborne assault involving British, US, and Canadian forces landing east of the Rhine River in Germany. This strategic operation aimed to secure critical bridgeheads and support the ground forces' advance into German territory.
  • 25 Mar 1945 US Seventh Army Crosses Rhine at Worms: The US Seventh Army successfully crossed the Rhine River at Worms, Germany, marking a significant milestone in the Allied invasion and signaling the imminent collapse of German defensive positions in the Western Front.
  • 26 Mar 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima Concludes: The Battle of Iwo Jima officially ends with the island being secured by American forces after an intense and bloody campaign. This strategic Pacific island battle was a critical moment in World War II's Pacific Theater.
  • 27 Mar 1945 Eisenhower Declares German Western Front Broken: General Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the German defensive lines on the Western Front have been decisively broken, signaling a critical turning point in the European theater of World War II.
  • 28 Mar 1945 Soviet Forces Capture Castle Balga and Destroy German 4th Army: On March 28, 1945, the Soviet 3rd Belorussian Front achieved a significant military victory by capturing the historic medieval castle of Balga and effectively destroying the German 4th Army, leaving only scattered remnants. This operation was part of the Soviet offensive in East Prussia during the final months of World War II, marking another decisive step towards the defeat of Nazi Germany.
  • 29 Mar 1945 End of V-1 Flying Bomb Attacks on England: On March 29, 1945, the German V-1 flying bomb attacks on England concluded, marking a significant reduction in aerial bombardment during the final stages of World War II. These unmanned, pulse-jet powered aerial weapons had been a terror weapon targeting civilian populations since June 1944.
  • 30 Mar 1945 Soviet Invasion of Austria: During the final stages of World War II, the Soviet Union launched a significant military operation invading Austria, marking a crucial moment in the European theater of war.
  • 31 Mar 1945 First Me 262 Jet Fighter Captured by Allies: A defecting German pilot delivered a Messerschmitt Me 262A-1, the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft, to American forces, providing the Allies with crucial intelligence about advanced German aviation technology.