USA: Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law, which aims to provide protection against poverty related to old age, unemployment and disability.
1936 — , August 14
Germany: Day 14 of 16 of the Berlin Olympics.
Spain: Day 29 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist forces capture Badajoz. The two parts of Nationalist Spain are now linked.
1937 — , August 14
Spain: Day 394 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War. After capturing Bilbao the Nationalist forces in the north switch their offensive toward Santander. Other Nationalists advance westward through the Cantabrian Mountains.
CBI - China: Day 39 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 2 of 106 of the 2nd Battle of Shanghai.
1938 — , August 14
Spain: Day 759 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 404 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 65 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
1939 — , August 14
Poland: Poland rejects the USSR's demand for permission to let the Soviet Army enter Poland.
CBI - China: Day 769 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 62 of 68 of the Battle of Tianjin.
CBI - Mongolia: Day 96 of 129 of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1940 — , August 14
Atlantic: German sub U-59 sinks the British ship BETTY 15 miles north of Ireland.
Atlantic: The HMS MALCOLM, HMS VERITY and three motor torpedo boats attack a German convoy off Texel Island, Netherlands, sinking one German motor torpedo boat and one German trawler.
ETO - UK: The British Ministry of Home Security announces that parachutes have been found in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Scotland but find no other evidence of German troops on British soil.
ETO - UK: Day 36 of 114 of the Battle of Britain. The Luftwaffe attacks at Dover and Folkestone in southern England and later hits Hampshire and Portland.
ETO - Ireland: On his way to ignite a coup in the Irish Republic and an uprising against Ulster, IRA Chief of Staff Sean Russell dies aboard a German U-boat due to a perforated ulcer. Trained in sabotage by the Germans, he was buried at sea, wrapped in a Swastika flag.
East Africa: Day 66 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt. In British Somaliland, the fighting gets really heavy near Berbera.
CBI - China: Day 1,135 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 274 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
1941 — , August 14
Canada: Roosevelt and Churchill sign the Atlantic Charter somewhere at sea aboard the HMS PRINCE OF WALES. It defines Allied goals for the post-war world; another step toward the creation of the United Nations
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Related dates (United Nations)...
12 Jun 41: Inter-Allied Declaration is signed in London, first step to the UN
14 Aug 41: Atlantic Charter signed, defining goals for post-war world
01 Jan 42: First use of term "United Nations" in Washington DC
24 Oct 45: UN Charter ratified by 5 members of Security Council
19 Dec 45: Eleanor Roosevelt appointed delegate to the UN
10 Jan 46: First General Assembly held, 51 nations represented
17 Jan 46: First Security Council meeting, adopting rules, procedures
12 Apr 46: The League of Nations holds its final meeting
24 Jan 46: First resolution adopted, focusing on atomic energy
10 Dec 48: General Assembly adopts Declaration of Human Rights
24 Oct 49: Cornerstone laid for UN Headquarters in New York City
ETO - Germany: The RAF night bombs the railway yards at Hanover.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 47 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 45 of 140 of Operation ARCTIC FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 54 of 164 of the Battle of Hanko. The Soviet transport ship SIBIR, carrying 2,500 wounded soldiers from Estonia, is bombed by the Luftwaffe, leaving very few survivors.
Russian Front: Day 54 of 167 of Germany's Operation BARBAROSSA, the invasion of the USSR.
Russian Front - North: Army Group North continues their slow advance toward Leningrad. Soviet troops continue trying to stop the Germans at Staraya Russa south of Lake Ilmen.
Russian Front - Center: Day 22 of 38 of the Battle of Gomel, Belarus. Heavy fighting continues at Gomel.
Russian Front - South: German Army Group South keeps pushing toward Stalingrad.
Russian Front - South: Day 7 of 70 of the Siege of Odessa, Ukraine.
MTO - Libya: Day 127 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 431 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,500 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1942 — , August 14
Atlantic: Iceland Base Command: Fighters shoot down a German FW-200 off the coast of Iceland, becoming the US Air Force's first aerial victory in the European Theater.
ETO - France: 7,000 "stateless" Jews are arrested in France by German authorities.
Russian Front - North: Day 341 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 102 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 16 of 64 of the 1st Battle of Rzhev-Sychevka, Russia. German troops near Rzhev continue their attempts to break their encirclement.
Russian Front - South: Day 48 of 150 of Germany's CASE BLUE. German troops cross the upper Kuban river at Krasnodar in the Caucasus.
MTO - Libya: US B-24s night bomb the harbor at Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 102 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,865 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 92 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.
PTO - Alaska: Day 69 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Malaya: Day 177 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 25 of 119 of the Battle of the Kokoda Track. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 8 of 187 of the Battle of Guadalcanal. US 5th Army Air Force provides air support.
1943 — , August 14
Russian Front - North: Day 706 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 467 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 41 of 50 of the Battle of Kursk, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 34 of 38 of the Battle of Orel, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 8 of 57 of the 2nd Battle of Smolensk, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 8 of 14 of the Battle of Spas-Demensk, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 2 of 6 of the 1st Battle of Dukhovshchina-Demidov, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 23 of 23 of the Battle of Belgorod, Russia. The German troops at Belgorod break out of the region after suffering 20,000 killed.
Russian Front - South: Day 33 of 48 of the USSR's Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive. The outflanked Germans continue retreating.
MTO - Austria: US 9th Air Force B-24s bomb a BF-109 factory at Wiener-Neustadt.
MTO - Italy: The Italian government declares Rome an open city.
MTO - Italy: Day 37 of 40 of the Battle of Sicily. RAF and US Air Forces provide air support. The British 8th Army is now only 29 miles from Messina. US troops speed eastward along the coast to the Barcelona area in hot pursuit of the enemy east of Randazzo.
CBI - China: Day 2,230 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: Day 434 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. US 11th Air Force bombs Kiska Island twice during the day.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 115 of 148 of the 2nd Battle of Lae-Salamaua. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 56 of 67 of the Battle of New Georgia. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support. US troops push to the crest of Roosevelt Ridge.
1944 — , August 14
Canada: Roosevelt and Churchill meet at Quebec where they initial the Morgenthau Plan, proposed by US Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr, that calls for the division of post-war Germany into North and South Germany and their transformation into non-industrial societies.
ETO - UK: Day 63 of 86 of the V-1 "Buzz Bomb" offensive on Britain.
ETO - France: Day 21 of 29 of the Breakout Battle of Normandy. Allied Air Forces provide air support. The British launch Operation TRACTABLE toward Falaise after a carpet bombing by 800 planes. 150 Polish soldiers are killed as the second of the three waves of RAF Lancasters release their bombs too early.
ETO - France: Day 14 of 284 of the Battle of Brittany.
Russian Front - North: Day 5 of 28 of the Battle of Tartu in southeastern Estonia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 18 of 32 of the Battle of Kaunas, Lithuania.
Russian Front - Center: Day 9 of 9 of the Battle of Osovets, Poland. The Soviets begin an offensive from their Vistula bridgeheads, 100 miles to the south of Warsaw, Poland.
MTO - Italy: Allied troops continue pressing the German line holding the Po Valley. Allied Air Forces provide air support.
MTO - France: US Air Forces bomb targets in southern France.
CBI - Burma: Day 163 of 166 of the UK's Operation THURSDAY. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 136 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,596 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 120 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
CBI - Dutch East Indies: The USS RAY continues attacking Japanese convoys off Borneo, sinking the tanker ZUISHO MARU and damaging a transport ship.
PTO: The USS COD sinks the Japanese landing craft LSV-129. Elsewhere, the USS CROAKER sinks a Japanese freighter.
PTO - Caroline Islands: US planes hits targets on Ponape Island and Wotje Atoll.
PTO - Dutch New Guinea: Day 44 of 61 of the Battle of Noemfoor. Although the island has been declared secured, bitter fighting from Japanese continues.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 80 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 244 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 115 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 62 of 80 of the Battle of Lone Tree Hill.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 36 of 47 of the Battle of Driniumor River.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 288 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , August 14
USA: Although V-J Day will be officially declared as 02 Sep 45, the day the Japanese will sign the documents of surrender aboard the USS MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay, news that Japan has finally agreed to surrender spreads unbridled celebrations throughout all Allied nations. In New York's Times Square a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt of an American sailor kissing a woman in a white dress becomes one of the most iconic photos of the entire war.
Spotlight...
The Kiss
This famous photograph, known as "V-J Day in Times Square" and "V-Day" and "The Kiss" was shot just south of 45th Street looking north from a location where Broadway and 7th Avenue converge. Soon afterward, throngs of people crowded into the square and it became a sea of people.
The photo was published in the August 27, 1945 issue of Life Magazine with the caption, In New York's Times Square a white-clad girl clutches her purse and skirt as an uninhibited sailor plants his lips squarely on hers.
After the celebration...
The celebrating went on for many hours before it finally died down, leaving people sitting on the curb among tickertape, confetti and paper. New York City's street sweepers were probably never happier to clean up such a mess.
Related dates...
10 Aug 45: Japan announces willingness to surrender if Emperor remains
14 Aug 45: News of Japan's surrender spreads unbridled celebrations throughout all Allied nations, including Times Square where the famous "kiss" photo is taken
15 Aug 45: Hirohito tells Japan they must now endure the unendurable
27 Aug 45: Famous photo taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt is published
02 Sep 45: Japan formally surrenders on board the USS MISSOURI
Related WWII Store items...
The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo That Ended World War II
USA: The US government "orders" the resumption of civilian automobile production.
CBI - China: Day 2,961 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 6 of 25 of the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria.
Chiang Kai-Shek's representatives sign a treaty of alliance with the Russians.
Song Ziwen and Vyacheslav Molotov sign the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance at Moscow, Russia, affirming that the USSR recognizes the Chinese Nationalist Party as the legitimate ruler of China (as opposed to the Chinese Communists), and that Outer Mongolia region of China is to become independent, under Soviet control.
CBI - India: More than 150 Burmese civilians held by the Japanese on Tarmugli in the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal are shot or bayoneted by their captors.
CBI - Malaya: The USS CARBONERO sinks a junk in the Gulf of Siam.
PTO - Borneo: Day 66 of 67 of the Battle of North Borneo. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Japan: Warplanes from USS TICONDEROGA continue attacking Tokyo, Japan.
PTO - Japan: US 20th Air Force B-29s bomb a number of the Japanese cities. Just before landing back at base, they get the news that the war is over and this becomes their last combat mission of the war.
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B-29 Superfortress related dates...
03 Mar 44: B-29 drops dummy atomic bomb in California
PTO - New Guinea: Day 596 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 480 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 298 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 243 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 158 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.
1947 — , August 14
UK: India is granted independence by the United Kingdom, forming the Republic of India. "Jai Hind," the battle cry of the Indian National Army, becomes India's first commemorative postal marking.
UK: Pakistan is granted independence by the United Kingdom, forming the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Day-By-Day listings for August 14 were last modified on Thursday, August 1, 2019
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