CBI - China: Day 327 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 112 of 124 of the Battle of Henan.
1939 — , May 29
CBI - China: Day 692 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
CBI - Mongolia: Day 19 of 129 of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1940 — , May 29
Atlantic: German E-boat S-30 sinks the British destroyer HMS WAKEFUL 13 miles north of Nieuwpoort, Belgium, killing 97 crewmen and 640 solders rescued from Dunkirk.
Atlantic: German sub U-62 severely damages the HMS GRAFTON which is scuttled by the HMS IVANHOE after rescuing the survivors.
Atlantic: The Luftwaffe sinks 15 vessels in the Channel near Dunkirk. The RAF downs 38 Luftwaffe planes.
Atlantic: German sub U-37 sinks the French steamer MARIE JOSE and British oil tanker TELENA off Cape Finisterre, Spain.
ETO - Norway: Day 51 of 63 of the Battle of Norway.
ETO - France: Day 20 of 44 of the Battle of France. German troops capture Lille, Ostend and Ypres in Flanders. 200 tons of gold from the French reserve is put aboard the French auxiliary cruiser VILLE D'ORAN to be sent to Casablanca, French Morocco. Day 3 of 9 of Britain's Operation DYNAMO, the evacuation of Dunkirk. Another 47,310 troops are evacuated to England.
CBI - China: Day 1,058 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 197 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
Day 29 of 49 of the Battle of Yichang.
1941 — , May 29
Atlantic: US Navy extends its boundaries of Neutrality Patrol in the North and South Atlantic. Also, a joint US Army-Navy plan is drafted to occupy the Portuguese Azores islands with 14,000 Marines and 14,000 Army troops.
Atlantic: German sub U-557 sinks the British ship EMPIER STORM in the North Atlantic.
Atlantic: German sub U-38 sinks the British ship TABARISTAN 250 miles off Sierra Leone, British West Africa.
Germany: The German Navy begins executing their plans for the invasion of the Soviet Union.
MTO - Greece: Day 10 of 13 of the Battle of Crete. The British evacuation continues under heavy air attacks. The British destroyers HMS IMPERIAL and HMS HEREWARD are sunk.
MTO - Libya: Day 50 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
Middle East: Day 28 of 30 of the Anglo-Iraqi War in Iraq.
East Africa: Day 354 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,423 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1942 — , May 29
Atlantic: Day 136 of 169 of Germany's Second "Happy Time," during which U-boats sink 609 Allied ships with little risk.
Russian Front - North: Day 264 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 25 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 1 of 31 of Operation KREMLIN, a German diversion to trick the Soviets into thinking Moscow is their main objective instead of Stalingrad and the Caucasus.
Russian Front - South: The Soviet pocket south of Kharkov is eliminated as the Germans capture 214,000 Russians along with 1,200 tanks and 2,000 guns destroyed.
Russian Front - South: Day 212 of 248 of the Siege of Sevastopol, Crimean Peninsula.
MTO - Libya: Day 4 of 27 of the Battle of Gazala. An Axis supply convoy gets through the British minefield and reaches the Axis troops south of Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 25 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,788 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 15 of 124 of Japan's Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign, launched to punish anyone suspected of aiding the Doolittle raiders in China. Roughly 250,000 Chinese will be killed.
Chinese troops are defeated by Japanese troops at Kinhwa in Chekiang province south of Shanghai.
PTO - Malaya: Day 100 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island.
1943 — , May 29
USA: The cover of The Saturday Evening Post features Norman Rockwell's illustration of "Rosie the Riveter" taking her lunch break with a rivet gun on her lap.
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Cover of the Saturday Evening Post, May 29, 1943
Norman Rockwell's illustration features a brawny woman taking her lunch break with a rivet gun on her lap and beneath her Penny loafer a copy of Hitler's manifesto, Mein Kampf. Her lunch pail reads "Rosie" which viewers quickly recognized to be "Rosie the Riveter" from a very familiar, popular song of the day.
Cover of the published music to the 1942 song
The term "Rosie the Riveter" was first used in 1942 in a song of the same name written by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb. The song was recorded by numerous artists, including the popular big band leader Kay Kyser, and became a national hit. The song portrays "Rosie" as a tireless assembly line worker, doing her part to help the American war effort.
♪ All the day long, ♪ Whether rain or shine, ♪ She's part of the assembly line. ♪ She's making history, ♪ Working for victory, ♪ Rosie the Riveter.
The "We Can Do It!" poster from 1942
Contrary to popular belief, this poster was seen very little during the war. It was produced in 1942 by J Howard Miller for Westinghouse Electric as an inspirational image to boost worker morale.
It was displayed for two short weeks in February of 1943 to Westinghouse factory workers and then it disappeared for nearly four decades until it was rediscovered in the early 1980s and widely reproduced in many forms. Only then was it ever called "Rosie the Riveter."
Other "Rosie" images prevailed during the war, but were most often photographs of actual workers.
06 Jan 41: FDR delivers his "Four Freedoms" speech to Congress
20 Feb 43: Norman Rockwell's Freedom of Speech is published
27 Feb 43: Norman Rockwell's Freedom of Worship is published
06 Mar 43: Norman Rockwell's Freedom from Want is published
13 Mar 43: Norman Rockwell's Freedom from Fear is published
29 May 43: Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter is published
ETO - France: US 8th Air Force B-17s bomb the submarine pens and locks at Saint-Nazaire and the naval depot at Rennes. B-24s attack the U-boat yards at La Pallice.
ETO - Germany: The RAF bombs Wuppertal, destroying half the town and killing 2,450 civilians.
Russian Front - North: Day 629 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 390 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
MTO - Italy: Day 8 of 20 of the naval and aerial bombardment of Pantelleria Island.
MTO - Italy: US 12th Air Force RAF Wellingtons night bomb targets in Sicily. During the day US planes bomb targets in Italy, Sardinia, and on Pantelleria.
CBI - China: Day 2,153 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 18 of 23 of the Battle of West Hubei. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
PTO: Day 3 of 47 adrift in a raft for the survivors of B-24 GREEN HORNET that crashed 850 miles from Hawaii.
PTO - Alaska: Day 357 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. Day 19 of 20 of the Battle of Attu. The US continues mopping up, but the stubborn Japanese won't surrender. Elsewhere, US troops land on Shemya Island. US 11th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 38 of 148 of the 2nd Battle of Lae-Salamaua. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
1944 — , May 29
Atlantic: The escort carrier USS BLOCK ISLAND is sunk by German sub U-549 while on anti-submarine patrol near the Azores. This is the first and only US Navy Aircraft Carrier to be lost in the Atlantic Ocean.
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16 Sep 39: U-31 participates in WWII's first convoy attack
11 Mar 40: U-31 is sunk for the first of two times
ETO - UK: Day 130 of 130 of the Luftwaffe's Operation Steinbock, the last strategic air offensive on southern England that will be known as the Baby Blitz. The Luftwaffe has been drained of irreplaceable aircrew and 524 aircraft that can no longer be used as an effective air response to the upcoming D-day invasion.
ETO - Germany: US 8th Air Force B-17s and B-24s bomb aircraft plants and oil installations in Germany and Poland.
ETO: US 9th Air Force B-26s and A-20s bomb airfields, marshalling yards, railroad bridges, coastal battery and V-weapon sites in France and Belgium.
Russian Front - North: Day 118 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia. Both German and Soviet troops remain in their defensive positions.
Russian Front - South: Day 52 of 60 of the Battle of Romania, 1st Jassy Offensive.
MTO: US 15th Air Force bombs targets in Austria and Yugoslavia.
MTO - Italy: Day 129 of 136 of the Battle of Anzio. RAF and US Air Forces provide air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 86 of 166 of the UK's Operation THURSDAY. Monsoon season begins and bogs down all operations in Burma.
CBI - Burma: Day 81 of 147 of the Battle of Myitkyina. US 10th Air Force provides air support. Monsoon season begins and bogs down all operations in Burma.
CBI - Burma: Day 59 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive. US 14th Air Force provides air support. Monsoon season begins and bogs down all operations in Burma.
CBI - China: Day 2,519 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 43 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
CBI - India: Day 83 of 118 of the Battle of Imphal-Kohima. The Anglo-Indian troops capture the northern half of Ninthoukgong.
PTO - Alaska: US 11th Air Force bombs targets on Shimushu and Matsuwa Islands.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 3 of 83 of the Battle of Biak. 5th Air Force provides air support. The first US vs Japanese tank battle in the Pacific takes place.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 167 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 38 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 211 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , May 29
Germany: Current figures claim an estimated 4.25 million persons are displaced in the Anglo-American zone, of which only 1.39 million have so far been repatriated.
CBI - China: Day 2,884 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 59 of 91 of the Battle of Zhijiang. US 14th Air Force provides air support. Japanese troops continue pulling out of China.
Day 51 of 60 of the Battle of West Hunan (near Zhijiang). Japanese troops continue withdrawing from southern China.
PTO: The USS SEGUNDO sinks seven two-masted schooners with her deck gun.
PTO - Dutch East Indies: Day 29 of 52 of the Battle of Tarakan Island.
PTO - Formosa: US 5th Air Force bombs several towns in Formosa.
PTO - Japan: US 20th Air Force B-29s fire-bomb Yokohama with incendiaries and destroy a third of the city.
PTO - Japan: Day 59 of 83 of the Battle of Okinawa. US 10th Army captures Shuri Castle.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 519 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 403 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 221 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 166 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 81 of 159 of the Battle of Mindanao Island. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 73 of 135 of the Battle of the Visayas region. US 5th and 7th Air Forces provide air support.
Day-By-Day listings for May 29 were last modified on Wednesday, March 7, 2018
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