CBI - China: Day 141 of 154 of the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria.
CBI - China: Day 9 of 41 of the 1st Battle of Shanghai.
1933 — , February 5
CBI - China: Day 36 of 142 of the 1st Battle of Hebei.
1937 — , February 5
Spain: Day 204 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
1938 — , February 5
Spain: Day 569 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 214 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1939 — , February 5
Spain: Day 934 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War. The Republican Government crosses the Pyrenees into France, followed by a flood of refugees.
CBI - China: Day 579 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1940 — , February 5
Finland: Day 68 of 105 of the Russo-Finnish War. British and French governments agree to land an expeditionary force in northern Norway without regard for Norway's neutrality in order to aid Finland, although it is never carried out.
CBI - China: Day 944 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 83 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
Day 9 of 67 of the Battle of Wuyuan.
1941 — , February 5
ETO - UK: Day 153 of 258 of the Blitz.
MTO - North Africa: Day 59 of 63 of the UK's Operation COMPASS, their campaign in North Africa against the Italians in Egypt and Libya. In Libya, Beda Fomm is captured by the British, while an advanced column of the 7th Armoured Division intercepts the Italians who had retreated about 70 miles south of Benghazi.
East Africa: Day 241 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
East Africa - Eritrea: Day 1 of 56 of the Battle of Keren.
CBI - China: Day 1,310 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 7 of 31 of the Battle of South Henan.
CBI - Thailand: Day 128 of 221 of the Franco-Thai War (Vichy France vs Thailand).
1942 — , February 5
Atlantic: Day 23 of 169 of Germany's Second "Happy Time," during which U-boats sink 609 Allied ships with little risk.
Russian Front - North: Day 151 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 28 of 29 of the Battle of Toropets, Russia. A failed attempt to break the siege at Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 14 of 103 of the Battle of the Kholm Pocket. Another attempt to break the siege at Leningrad.
Russian Front - Center: Day 29 of 103 of the Battle of Vyazma, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 29 of 103 of the Battle of Sychevsk, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 99 of 248 of the Siege of Sevastopol, Crimean Peninsula. All German attacks against Sevastopol are stopped for the winter.
CBI - Burma: Day 54 of 164 of Japan's Invasion of Burma.
CBI - China: Day 1,675 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 44 of 99 of the 3rd Battle of Changsha.
CBI - Java: Day 7 of 17 of the Battle of Singapore. The heavy Japanese bombardment continues.
Central America - Panama: The Caribbean Air Force is redesignated the US 6th Air Force.
PTO - Alaska: The Alaskan Air Force is redesignated the US 11th Air Force.
PTO: The Far East Air Force is redesignated the US 5th Air Force.
PTO - Hawaii: The Hawaiian Air Force is redesignated the US 7th Air Force.
PTO - Borneo: Day 52 of 107 of the Battle of Borneo.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 14 of 18 of the Battle of Rabaul, New Britain Island.
PTO - Philippines: Day 60 of 152 of the 1st Battle of the Philippines. 5th Air Force provides air support.
1943 — , February 5
ETO - UK: US 8th Air Force: Flying Spitfires, the 4th Fighter Group fly patrols over the Channel and strafe a shipping convoy.
Russian Front - North: Day 516 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 277 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket, USSR lays siege to the Kholm Pocket but the Germans hold out for a about a year and a half.
Russian Front - South: Day 56 of 69 of the USSR's Operation LITTLE SATURN. A successful drive into the Northern Caucasus and the Donets Basin pushing the Axis troops out.
MTO - Italy: Mussolini sacks his son-in-law Count Galeazzo Ciano as Foreign Minister of Fascist Italy and takes control himself.
MTO - Tunisia: Day 81 of 178 of the Battle of Tunisia. RAF and US Air Forces provide Allied air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 47 of 104 of the 1st Battle of Arakan. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,040 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: Day 244 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Malaya: Day 352 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island, a long guerrilla war ending in Japanese victory. Allies continue evacuating off the island.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 183 of 187 of the Battle of Guadalcanal. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1944 — , February 5
ETO - France: US 8th Air Force heavy bombers attack enemy airfields.
ETO - France: US 9th Air Force B-26s attack six V-weapon sites in northern France.
Russian Front - North: Day 642 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket. USSR lays siege to the Kholm Pocket but the Germans hold out for a about a year and a half.
Russian Front - North: Day 23 of 48 of the Battle toward the Narva River, Estonia. This drive helped lift the Leningrad siege and goes on to liberate Narva.
Russian Front - North: Day 4 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia.
Russian Front - North: Day 23 of 33 of the Battle of Luga, Russia. Taking this town west of Leningrad will open the door toward Estonia.
Russian Front - South: Day 44 of 113 of the USSR's Dnieper-Carpathian Offensive in southwestern Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 7 of 31 of the Battle of Nikopol, Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 13 of 25 of the Battle of the Korsun Bulge in Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 10 of 16 of the Battles of Rovno and Lutsk, Ukraine. This Soviet victory will increase the gap in the German line from 70 to 110 miles wide.
MTO - Italy: Day 20 of 123 of the Battle of Monte Cassino. US troops reach the outskirts of Cassino but are repulsed. RAF and US Air Forces provides air support for the Allied ground troops.
MTO - Italy: Day 15 of 136 of the Battle of Anzio. RAF and US Air Forces provides air support for the Allied ground troops.
CBI - Burma: Day 38 of 99 of the 2nd Battle of Arakan. Japanese troops penetrate lines held by the Indian 7th Division undetected.
CBI - Burma: Day 1 of 19 of the Battle of the Admin Box. The Indian "Chindits" begin moving toward Indaw, 100 miles behind Japanese lines. US 10th Air Force provides air support hitting the enemy airfields.
CBI - China: Day 2,405 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
CBI - Thailand: US 14th Air Force B-24s bomb Bangkok at night.
PTO - Marshall Islands: Day 6 of 8 of the Battle of Kwajalein. US 7th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 140 of 219 of the Battle of Shaggy Ridge. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 137 of 162 of the Battle of the Huon Peninsula. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 53 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 97 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , February 5
ETO - UK: The RAF Balloon Command is disbanded as the air raid threat lessens. Since 1 Nov 38, these balloons have managed to down 278 V-1 rockets.
Spotlight...
RAF Barrage Balloons with WAAF Operating Crews
Royal Air Force Balloon Command was established to arrange a system of barrage balloons at strategic sites in Great Britain as antiaircraft devices to guard communities, ports and industries. Barrage balloons flown from boats prevented aircraft from mining estuaries. Within two years, approximately 6,400 barrage balloons protected Britain, 5,000 of which were in the London area. Air Marshal Sir E Leslie Gossage directed 52 barrage balloon squadrons, involving 33,000 personnel.
Most of the large, hydrogen-filled, football-shaped balloons employed were connected to wagons by thick steel cables, which could damage any aircraft that hit them. Camouflage and clouds helped prevent enemy pilots from seeing the barrage balloons.
Mobility was crucial in order to form barriers of barrage balloons. Balloon crews, consisting of members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the RAF Balloon Command, moved barrage balloons as needed and operated winches on the wagons to lower and raise the balloons to designated heights.
During the Blitz, balloon crews devoted night duty to keeping barrage balloons at effective defensive heights and positions. Some 66 German aircraft were lost to collisions with barrage balloon cables.
British landing craft on the Normandy shore
Each has a tethered barrage balloon floating above.
Barrage balloons over London during World War II
Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial can be seen in the middle ground.
ETO - France: Day 189 of 284 of the Battle of Brittany.
ETO - France: Day 144 of 236 of the Siege of Dunkirk.
ETO - Germany: Day 140 of 145 of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest.
ETO: Day 17 of 66 of the Battle to the Rhine. The Germans make a stand in the Colmer Pocket near Alsace, France. US 9th Air Force provides air support.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 144 of 223 of the Lapland War. Finland and Russia have joined forces to kick the Germans out of Finland's most northern province.
Russian Front - Center: Day 114 of 206 of the Battle of the Courland Pocket in Latvia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 12 of 75 of the Battle of Königsberg, East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia).
Russian Front - Center: Day 10 of 17 of the Battle of Rastenburg, East Prussia. The Soviets capture Landsberg, 80 miles northeast of Berlin.
Russian Front - Center: Day 11 of 63 of the Battle of the Heiligenbeil Pocket in East Prussia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 5 of 31 of the Battle of Schwedt, Germany.
Russian Front - South: Day 100 of 108 of the Battle of Budapest, Hungary. Soviet troops have Budapest under siege.
MTO - Germany: US 15th Air Force B-17s and B-24s bomb at Regensburg, Straubing and Rosenheim.
MTO - Italy: RAF and US Air Forces provide air support for the Allied ground units.
CBI - Burma: Day 18 of 61 of the Battles of Meiktila and Mandalay. The US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 16 of 39 of the Battle of Ramree Island. The US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 2 of 99 of the Battle of Pakokku and Irrawaddy River operations in central Burma. The US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,771 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: US 11th Air Force B-24s bomb Kataoka on Shimushu Island in the Kurile Islands.
PTO - Japan: US 7th Air Force bombs targets on Iwo Jima.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 406 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 290 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea.
PTO - Philippines: Day 109 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 53 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 6 of 22 of the Battle of the Bataan Peninsula. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 3 of 29 of the Battle of Manila.
Day-By-Day listings for February 5 were last modified on Friday, February 23, 2018