The Chief of Staff of the United States Army

“ February 1944 1st February 1944 15th February 1944 In a bold attempt to outflank the strong defence line through Cassino, substantial Allied forces were landed in the German rear at Anzio on 22 January. A firm beachhead was established, but swift enemy reaction confined it to a small area. The Soviets struck the invader again, this time in the north.
The defence of Cassino and enemy counter-attacks at Anzio frustrated our hopes for an early penetration of the German position. Static warfare continued in Italy until strength could be gathered for a fresh assault. ”

“ October 1944 1st October 1944 15th October 1944 Airborne landings in the Arnhem area gave the Allied forces a menacing salient, while intense fighting raged before the defences of Aachen, Metz, and Belfort. French patriots freed western France, except for isolated coastal strong points. In difficult mountain assaults, the Allies in Italy cracked the main defences south of Bologna. Soviet forces cleared the Estonian mainland and drove deeper into the Balkans, while the Germans evacuated southern Greece. ”

“ Meanwhile, Allied aircraft in the Central and Southwest Pacific persistently pounded the Japanese bases and airfields. On the heels of the withdrawing enemy, the Chinese reoccupied additional territory in central China.
Seizure of the port and airfield at Saidor brought under effective Allied control the straits leading to the Bismarck Sea. Allied forces continued their assaults on the enemy’s New Britain bases. In northern Burma, United States Engineers pushed construction of the Ledo Road into enemy-held territory in the Hukawng Valley. ”

“ With the capture of Salamaua in New Guinea, we next looked toward Lae. To reach this objective Allied airborne troops dropped on Nadzab and drove eastward in coordination with an amphibious force which landed a few miles beyond Lae. By mid-September the garrison was under heavy pressure from three sides. Our mounting air power dominated the bases to the north and east. ”

“ May 1945 1st May 1945 15th May 1945 In Burma, the British exploited the enemy’s collapse with a 200-mile dash toward Rangoon. After fierce mountain fighting, Baguio fell to our Luzon forces. New landings liberated large areas of southern Mindanao. Borneo, already virtually isolated, was threatened with Allied reconquest as Australian troops landed on Tarakan Island. The Japanese still held the initiative in China, but their thrust toward Chihkiang was halted by strong air and ground opposition. ”

“ British attacks met intense resistance. Although the Soviets continued to push toward Pripet Marshes, they suffered their first setback since July as the enemy counter-attacked toward Kiev. The Cairo Conference arrived at a definite commitment to invade France in the late spring of 1944.
Winter closed in. Ice covered the Eastern Front as far south as the Ukraine while mud deepened in Italy. On both fronts operations were slowed down, but on neither did the enemy find rest. Continuing pressure kept him committed to action and consequent attrition in a two-front war. ”

“ April 1944 1st April 1944 15th April 1944 Axis territory, already under terrific air assault and, in Italy, converted to a battleground, was again penetrated as sweeping advances carried the Soviet Armies into Romania. German divisions, sorely needed on the battle fronts, were being held in the west against the invasion threat of our rapidly growing forces in Great Britain. ”

“ Allied troops in north Burma cleared Myitkyina after weeks of heavy fighting.
September 1944 1st September 1944 15th September 1944 His offensive against Imphal repulsed, the enemy was now retreating under constant pressure from Allied air and ground forces. Japanese in China, stalled by Chinese resistance at Hengyang and by floods near Canton, prepared to strike toward the U. S. air center at Kweilin. In by-passed Pacific areas, thousands of Japan’s soldiers were hopelessly isolated by our air and naval supremacy. ”

“ April 1945 1st April 1945 15th April 1945 American forces landed on Okinawa in the Ryukyus, after intensive air and naval preparation and seizure of supporting positions on adjacent islands. Initial resistance was light and two airfields were quickly seized. Heavy fighting continued against the Japanese on Luzon, but the conquest of the Philippine Archipelago progressed rapidly with landings on Panay, Cebu, and Negros. ”

“ On the Eastern Front, the Soviets drove 20 miles into East Prussia. Although hard-pressed from three sides, Germany might have expected to find some compensation in the shortening of her fronts and communication lines. ”