CBI - China: Day 24 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 24 of 33 of the 2nd Battle of Hebei.
Day 17 of 22 of the Battle of Tainjin-Beijing. The Chinese troops defending Tianjin are ordered to withdraw.
1938 — , July 30
Spain: Day 744 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
Czechoslovakia: British Lord Runciman arrives in Prague to negotiate between the Czechs and Germans.
CBI - China: Day 389 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 50 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
CBI - Russia: Day 2 of 14 of the Battle of Lake Khasan, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1939 — , July 30
CBI - China: Day 754 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 47 of 68 of the Battle of Tianjin.
CBI - Mongolia: Day 81 of 129 of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1940 — , July 30
USA: The Act of Havana is signed by the representatives from 21 nations in the Americas. It provides an emergency establishment of a regime of provisional administration "when islands or regions in the Americas now under the possession of non-American nations are in danger of becoming the subject of barter of territory or change of sovereignty."
ETO - UK: Day 21 of 114 of the Battle of Britain. The Luftwaffe attacks the northeastern British coast in the morning, Channel shipping during the day and at night bombs towns in England and Wales.
East Africa: Day 51 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,120 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 259 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
1941 — , July 30
USA: A special committee consisting of officials from the US Treasury, State and Justice Departments grants an exception of the rule freezing Japanese national assets so that the owners of the TATSUTA MARU can withdraw enough funds to pay for fuel for a return trip to Japan.
South America: Day 26 of 27 of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War, a territorial dispute between Peru and Ecuador.
Atlantic: German sub U-166 attacks the US freighter ROBERT E LEE southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana. The escorting patrol chaser USS PC-556 counter-attacks with depth charges and sinks the submarine.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 32 of 142 of Operation SILVER FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign to capture the Russian port of Murmansk in the Arctic.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 30 of 140 of Operation ARCTIC FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 39 of 164 of the Battle of Hanko.
Russian Front: Day 39 of 167 of Germany's Operation BARBAROSSA, the invasion of the USSR.
Russian Front - Center: Day 25 of 31 of the 1st Battle of Smolensk, Russia. German troops continue crushing the Smolensk pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 7 of 38 of the Battle of Gomel, Belarus.
Russian Front - South: Day 16 of 25 of the Battle of Uman, Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: German and Romanian troops keep pushing toward Vinnitsa and the Black Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine.
MTO - Libya: Day 112 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 416 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,485 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Hawaii: The US seizes 17 Japanese "spy" fishing boats in Hawaiian waters.
1942 — , July 30
USA: The "Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Services" (WAVES) is authorized by the US Congress as a division of the US Navy. Within their first year, the WAVES will be 27,000 strong.
Spotlight...
Recruitment poster for the WAVES (Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service)
The word "emergency" implies that the acceptance of women was due to the unusual circumstances of World War II, and at the end of the war the women would not be allowed to continue in Navy careers. After all, two months earlier the WAAC (Women's Auxiliary Army Corps) had been established, which was an "auxiliary" organization serving with the Army, not in it.
But the WAVES from the very beginning was an official part of the Navy, and its members held the same rank and ratings as male personnel. They also received the same pay and were subject to military discipline.
Almost a year later, on July 3, 1943, the WAAC became the Women's Army Corps (WAC), giving its members military status similar to that of the WAVES.
Obviously, this was the model used to create the WAVES recruitment poster
Within their first year, the WAVES were 27,000 strong. A large proportion of the WAVES did clerical work, but some took positions in the aviation community, Judge Advocate General's Corps, medical professions, communications, intelligence, storekeeper, science and technology.
The WAVES could not serve aboard combat ships or aircraft, and initially were restricted to duty in the continental United States.
Related dates...
30 Jul 42: Congress authorizes WAVES as a division of the US Navy
21 Jan 43: 11 graduates of first WAVES training course report for duty
Russian Front - North: Day 326 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 87 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 1 of 64 of the 1st Battle of Rzhev-Sychevka, Russia. The Soviets launch an offensive surrounding six German divisions near Rzhev.
Russian Front - South: Day 33 of 150 of Germany's CASE BLUE, the failed offensive to take the Caucasus oil fields.
Russian Front - South: Day 8 of 20 of Germany's Operation EDELWEISS. German Army Group South attacks the Soviet bridgehead at Kalach in the Don Estuary west of Stalingrad.
MTO - Greece: US B-24s night bomb an Axis convoy in Pylos Bay, claiming hits on two merchant ships.
MTO - Libya: US B-17s hit the harbor at Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 87 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,850 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 77 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.
Japanese warplanes attack the airfield at Hengyang, from which the 10th Air Force flies out to harass the Yangtze Valley.
PTO - Alaska: Day 54 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. US 11th Air Force bombs at Tanaga and the Kiska Islands. The US submarine USS GRUNION disappears without trace while on patrol off Kiska in the Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Malaya: Day 162 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 10 of 119 of the Battle of the Kokoda Track. 5th Air Force provides air support. The Japanese capture crucial islands en route to New Guinea.
1943 — , July 30
Sweden: The Swedish SAAB 21A aircraft makes its maiden flight. This is the world's second aircraft to be fitted with an ejector seat as standard equipment (the first was the Heinkel He-219).
ETO - Germany: The RAF bombs Hamburg, for a third time. US 8th Air Force B-17s bomb at Kassel.
Russian Front - North: Day 691 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 452 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 26 of 50 of the Battle of Kursk, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 19 of 38 of the Battle of Orel, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 8 of 23 of the Battle of Belgorod, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 18 of 48 of the USSR's Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive. German Army Group A loses their initiative to take positions along the Mius River.
MTO - Italy: Otto Skorzeny's SS men arrive in Rome. These are the men sent to rescue Mussolini.
MTO - Italy: Day 22 of 40 of the Battle of Sicily. RAF and US Air Forces provide air support. The Germans evacuate Santo Stefano Quisquina under heavy US pressure, while the British 8th Army captures Catenanuova.
CBI - China: Day 2,215 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
The USS FINBACK sinks a Japanese freighter in the South China Sea.
PTO - Alaska: Day 419 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 100 of 148 of the 2nd Battle of Lae-Salamaua. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 41 of 67 of the Battle of New Georgia. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
1944 — , July 30
ETO - UK: Day 48 of 86 of the V-1 "Buzz Bomb" offensive on Britain.
ETO - France: Day 6 of 29 of the Breakout Battle of Normandy. Day 6 of 7 of Operation COBRA. British troops attack Caumont, 15 miles east of St Lo. German troops continue retreating from Normandy.
ETO - France: Day 55 of 62 of the Battle of Caen. Canadian troops continue attacking south of Caen.
ETO - France: The US coastal minesweeper YMS-304 hits a mine and sinks off the coast of Normandy.
Germany: Günther von Kluge writes to Hitler, warning that the entire western front is on the brink of collapse.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 5 of 19 of the Battle of Ilomantsi, North Karelia.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 40 of 50 of the Battle of Karelia. Soviet troops continue their offensive against the Finns in eastern Karelia between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in northern Russia.
Russian Front - North: Day 180 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia. Day 6 of 19 of the Battle of Tannenberg Line, Estonia. The Germans continue holding the Sinimaed Hills west of Narva.
Russian Front - Center: Day 26 of 27 of the Battle of Siauliai, Lithuania.
Russian Front - Center: Day 3 of 32 of the Battle of Kaunas, Lithuania.
Russian Front - Center: Day 13 of 16 of the Battle of Lublin, Poland.
MTO: US 15th Air Force bombs targets in Hungary and Yugoslavia.
CBI - Burma: Day 148 of 166 of the UK's Operation THURSDAY. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 143 of 147 of the Battle of Myitkyina. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 121 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,581 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 105 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
Day 39 of 48 of the Battle of Hengyang. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Dutch New Guinea: Day 29 of 61 of the Battle of Noemfoor. Although the island has been declared secured, bitter fighting from Japanese continues.
PTO - Mariana Islands: Day 7 of 9 of the Battle of Tinian. US 7th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Mariana Islands: Day 10 of 21 of the 2nd Battle of Guam. US 7th Air Force provides air support. Although this battle is declared as completed, it'll be a while before it's really over.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 65 of 83 of the Battle of Biak. There are still 3,000 Japanese soldiers on the island who won't give up.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 229 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 100 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 47 of 80 of the Battle of Lone Tree Hill.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 21 of 47 of the Battle of Driniumor River, a failed Japanese offense on US troops near Aitape.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 273 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , July 30
Austria: British, US and French troops enter Vienna.
CBI: The USS BLENNY sinks two small Japanese vessels in the South China Sea off Malaya. The USS BUGARA sinks 3 small enemy vessels in the Gulf of Siam and South China Sea.
CBI - China: Day 2,946 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
US 14th Air Force: B-25s bomb supply convoys moving through the Siang Chiang Valley.
PTO - Borneo: Day 51 of 67 of the Battle of North Borneo. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support. Japanese behead 144 Dutch prisoners at Samarinda, but only after they have been forced to watch their wives get bayoneted or hacked to death with swords and their children get hurled down a mine shaft where all of the bodies are eventually dumped.
PTO - Japan: The Japanese reject the Potsdam ultimatum. Nevertheless, the US begins making plans for the surrender.
PTO - Japan: The Japanese government instructs their citizens on how to prepare acorns for food.
PTO - Japan: The American battleships USS SOUTH DAKOTA, USS INDIANA and USS MASSACHUSETTS and the British HMS KING GEORGE V end their two-day bombardment of Hamamatsu.
PTO - Japan: The USS SENNET sinks a Japanese transport in the Sea of Japan.
PTO - Japan: US 20th Air Force attacks airfields, railroads and other tactical targets throughout the Kobe-Osaka area.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 581 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 465 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 283 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 228 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting until the end of the war.
PTO - Philippines: Day 143 of 159 of the Battle of Mindanao Island. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting until the end of the war.
PTO - Philippines: Day 135 of 135 of the Battle of the Visayas region. This battle finally comes to an end as the last Japanese troops surrender.
Day-By-Day listings for July 30 were last modified on Sunday, January 31, 2016
Spotlight...
