Ad*Access Timeline: World War II

The timeline below includes some of the landmark military campaigns and battles of the United States involvement in World War II as well as selected war-related U.S. government actions at home. The two lists together provide brief context for some of the government drives and programs featured in much of the wartime advertising that is part of Ad*Access.

1941

World War II – Front Line Actions	World War II – On the Home Front
Dec. 7 Japanese attack Pearl Harbor Dec. 8 U.S. declares war on Japan Dec. 11 Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.	April 11 Office of Price Administration (OPA) established

1942

World War II – Front Line Actions	World War II – On the Home Front
May 7 Battle of Coral Sea June 3 Battle of Midway Aug. 7 U.S.offensive at Guadalcanal Aug. 17 First USAAF raid in Europe Sept. 15 Papua-New Guinea campaign Nov. 8 Operation Torch (North African campaign)	Jan. 24 OPA authorized to ration goods Jan. 30 Emergency Price Control Act Feb. 10 Last new civilian car made April Japanese-Americans relocated July 22 Gasoline rationing begins Nov. 30 First War Loan Dec. 27 Food Rationing Program announced

1943

World War II – Front Line Actions	World War II – On the Home Front
Jan. 4 Tunisian campaign Feb. 2 Germans surrender at Stalingrad Mar. 2 Battle of the Bismarck Sea May 13 North African war ends June 30 South Pacific offensive begins Aug. 15 Aleutians retaken Aug. 17 Patton conquers Sicily Sept. 9 U.S. Army lands at Salerno, Italy Oct. 9 USAAF Schweinfurt Raid Nov. 20 Central Pacific campaign begins	Feb. first point rationing books distributed April 8 Roosevelt’s “Hold the Line” Order freezes price increases April 12 Second War Loan Sept. 9 Third War Loan

1944

World War II – Front Line Actions	World War II – On the Home Front
Jan. 22 Allies land at Anzio, Italy Feb. 7 Allied victory in the Marshall islands June 4 Rome liberated June 6 D-Day (Operation Overlord begins in Europe) June 19 Battle of the Philippines Sea Aug. 15 Allied invasion of France (Operation Dragoon) Sept. 10 France liberated Sept. 11 Invasion of Germany Oct. 23 Battle of Leyte Gulf Nov. 24 Bombing of Japan begins Dec. 16 Battle of the Bulge	Jan. 18 Fourth War Loan June 12 Fifth War Loan Nov. 20 Sixth War Loan

1945

World War II – Front Line Actions	World War II – On the Home Front
Jan. 9 Philippines Luzon Campaign Feb. 8 Rhineland Campaign Feb. 23 Marines plant flag on Iwo Jima Mar. 9 USAAF Tokyo raid April 1 Okinawa Campaign May 2 Fall of Berlin May 8 VE Day (Germany surrenders) Aug. 6 Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima Sep. 2 VJ Day (Japan signs surrender agreement)	April 12 Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt; Harry S Truman becomes President May 14 Seventh War Loan October 29 Eighth, or Victory, War Loan

For additional American and World events occurring during World War II, see the
1941 – 1945 Timeline

Go to a brief history of various World War Two Advertising Campaigns