CBI - China: Day 142 of 154 of the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria.
CBI - China: Day 10 of 41 of the 1st Battle of Shanghai.
1933 — , February 6
CBI - China: Day 37 of 142 of the 1st Battle of Hebei.
1937 — , February 6
Spain: Day 205 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
1938 — , February 6
Spain: Day 570 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 215 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1939 — , February 6
Spain: Day 935 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 580 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1940 — , February 6
Finland: Day 69 of 105 of the Russo-Finnish War. In central Finland, the Finnish 9th Division finally manages to encircle the Russian 54th Division at Kuhmo.
CBI - China: Day 945 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 84 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
Day 10 of 67 of the Battle of Wuyuan.
1941 — , February 6
ETO - Spain: Hitler makes one last appeal to the Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco to enter the war on the side of the Axis. As before, Franco rather masterfully tap-dances his way around Hitler's demands, keeping Spain neutral throughout the entire war.
Spotlight...
Spain's dictator General Francisco Franco
On February 26, 1941, Franco, in response to Hitler's appeal 20 days earlier to enter the war, said "I stand today already at your side, entirely and decidedly at your disposal." But this was another stalling tactic; El Generalissimo never had any intention to do so. Ever.
For Franco, his natural inclination to side with the fascist dictatorships whose aid had been so important to his rise to power over Spain was tempered with a cautious sense of self-preservation. His concern was always to strengthen his own domestic position by tap dancing his way around most Axis demands and not overtly upsetting the Allies, thus keeping Spain neutral throughout all of World War II.
UK: The House of Commons votes for war credits of £1.6 Billion.
ETO - Norway: The Bishops of Norway start the Church's struggle against the occupying German forces.
ETO - UK: Day 154 of 258 of the Blitz.
MTO - North Africa: Day 60 of 63 of the UK's Operation COMPASS, their campaign in North Africa against the Italians in Egypt and Libya. Benghazi falls to the British Western Desert Force. Lieutenant-General Erwin Rommel is appointed commander of the Afrika Korps.
[+] show related dates
Related dates (Rommel)...
06 Feb 41: Lt Gen Rommel appointed commander of the Afrika Korps
12 Feb 41: Rommel arrives in Tripoli with his Afrika Korps
19 Mar 41: Hitler tells Rommel not to expect reinforcements in Libya until May
24 Mar 41: Rommel begins his North African offensive
15 Aug 41: Panzer Group Afrika is activated with Rommel in command
17 Nov 41: British mission to kill Rommel fails because he is away in Rome
22 Jun 42: Rommel is promoted to the rank of Field Marshal
03 Nov 42: Hitler orders Rommel's Afrika Korps to stand and fight
09 Mar 43: Rommel leaves North Africa for reasons of health
11 Mar 43: Rommel receives Diamonds to his Knight's Cross medal
12 Dec 43: Rommel takes command of northern coastal defenses
15 May 44: Rommel invited to anti-Hitler meeting, but does not attend
05 Jun 44: Rommel goes back to Germany for his wife's birthday
29 Jun 44: Rommel urges Hitler to pursue peace, which he rejects
15 Jul 44: Rommel writes to Hitler, again urging he sue for peace
17 Jul 44: Rommel is wounded when his staff car is strafed
14 Oct 44: By Hitler's order, Rommel is forced to commit suicide
18 Oct 44: Funeral service is held for Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
East Africa: Day 242 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
East Africa - Eritrea: Day 2 of 56 of the Battle of Keren.
CBI - China: Day 1,311 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 8 of 31 of the Battle of South Henan.
CBI - Thailand: Day 129 of 221 of the Franco-Thai War (Vichy France vs Thailand).
1942 — , February 6
Atlantic: Day 24 of 169 of Germany's Second "Happy Time," during which U-boats sink 609 Allied ships with little risk.
Russian Front - North: Day 152 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 29 of 29 of the Battle of Toropets, Russia. This attempt to break the siege at Leningrad has failed forcing the Soviets to back off.
Russian Front - North: Day 15 of 103 of the Battle of the Kholm Pocket. Another attempt to break the siege at Leningrad.
Russian Front - Center: Day 30 of 103 of the Battle of Vyazma, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 30 of 103 of the Battle of Sychevsk, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 100 of 248 of the Siege of Sevastopol, Crimean Peninsula. All German attacks against Sevastopol are stopped for the winter.
CBI - Burma: Day 55 of 164 of Japan's Invasion of Burma.
CBI - China: Day 1,676 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 45 of 99 of the 3rd Battle of Changsha.
CBI - Java: Day 8 of 17 of the Battle of Singapore. The heavy Japanese bombardment continues.
PTO - Borneo: Day 53 of 107 of the Battle of Borneo.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 15 of 18 of the Battle of Rabaul, New Britain Island.
PTO - Philippines: Day 61 of 152 of the 1st Battle of the Philippines. 5th Air Force provides air support.
1943 — , February 6
ETO - UK: US 8th Air Force: Flying Spitfires, the 4th Fighter Group fly shipping patrols in the Channel.
Russian Front - North: Day 517 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 278 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 57 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. Soviets cut off the Germans by reaching Yeysk on the Sea of Rostov in southern Russia.
MTO: The Luftwaffe attacks an Allied convoy between Oran and Algiers and badly damages some of the ships.
MTO - Tunisia: Day 82 of 178 of the Battle of Tunisia. RAF and US Air Forces provide Allied air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 48 of 104 of the 1st Battle of Arakan. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,041 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: Day 245 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Malaya: Day 353 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 184 of 187 of the Battle of Guadalcanal. US 13th Air Force provides air support. The US outflanks the retreating Japanese.
1944 — , February 6
ETO - France: US 8th and 9th Air Forces bombers attack airfields and V-weapon sites.
Russian Front - North: Day 643 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 24 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 5 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia.
Russian Front - North: Day 24 of 33 of the Battle of Luga, Russia. Taking this town west of Leningrad will open the door toward Estonia.
Russian Front - South: Day 45 of 113 of the USSR's Dnieper-Carpathian Offensive in southwestern Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 8 of 31 of the Battle of Nikopol, Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 14 of 25 of the Battle of the Korsun Bulge in Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 11 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 21 of 123 of the Battle of Monte Cassino. A German attack on the Cassino front forces the Allies to step back. RAF and US Air Forces provides air support for the Allied ground troops.
MTO - Italy: Day 16 of 136 of the Battle of Anzio. A German counter offensive at the Anzio beachhead stops the Allied advance. RAF and US Air Forces provides air support for the Allied ground troops.
CBI - Burma: Day 39 of 99 of the 2nd Battle of Arakan. Japanese troops attack the forward headquarters of the Indian 7th Division in Arakan by surprise
CBI - Burma: Day 2 of 19 of the Battle of the Admin Box. Pressure by the Japanese at Arakan forces British troops to retreat. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,406 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Marshall Islands: Day 7 of 8 of the Battle of Kwajalein. US 7th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 141 of 219 of the Battle of Shaggy Ridge. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 138 of 162 of the Battle of the Huon Peninsula. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 54 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 98 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , February 6
ETO - France: Day 190 of 284 of the Battle of Brittany.
ETO - France: Day 145 of 236 of the Siege of Dunkirk.
ETO - Germany: Day 141 of 145 of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest.
ETO: Day 18 of 66 of the Battle to the Rhine. US 9th Air Force provides air support.
ETO - Germany: US 8th Air Force B-17s and B-24s bomb many targets throughout Germany.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 145 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 115 of 206 of the Battle of the Courland Pocket in Latvia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 13 of 75 of the Battle of Königsberg, East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia).
Russian Front - Center: Day 11 of 17 of the Battle of Rastenburg, East Prussia. The Soviets capture Landsberg, 80 miles northeast of Berlin.
Russian Front - Center: Day 12 of 63 of the Battle of the Heiligenbeil Pocket in East Prussia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 6 of 31 of the Battle of Schwedt, Germany. More Soviet troops reach the Oder between Küstrin and Frankfurt.
Russian Front - South: Day 101 of 108 of the Battle of Budapest, Hungary. Soviet troops have Budapest under siege.
MTO - Italy: RAF and US Air Forces provide air support for the Allied ground units.
CBI - Burma: Day 19 of 61 of the Battles of Meiktila and Mandalay. The US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 17 of 39 of the Battle of Ramree Island. The US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 3 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 2,772 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
US 14th Air Force pounds the Peking Airfield.
PTO - Japan: US 7th Air Force bombs targets on Iwo Jima.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 407 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 291 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea.
PTO - Philippines: Day 110 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 54 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 7 of 22 of the Battle of the Bataan Peninsula. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 4 of 29 of the Battle of Manila.
Day-By-Day listings for February 6 were last modified on Friday, February 23, 2018
Spotlight...
