Air Operations, Carolines

• 30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based at Saipan attack the Yap Atoll.
• During the night, 868th Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s attack Japanese airfields and defenses in the Palau Islands.

Air Operations, CBI

• 32 10th Air Force P-47s support British Army ground forces advancing on Pinbaw.
• 8 P-51s attack Japanese Army ground troops near Kadu.
• 6 P-47s attack Onsansaing.

• 7 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 21 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack targets in and around Anjen, Hengyang, and Lingyang.
• More than 40 fighter-bombers attack various targets across east-central China.
• 30 10th Air Force fighter-bombers attack targets on the Salween River front or along the Burma Road.
• A P-40 with the 3rd CACW Fighter Group’s 8th CACW Fighter Squadron downs 2 Ki-44 'Tojo' fighters over Kaifeng Bridge at 1130 hours.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-24s attack the Galela area and Saumlakki.

Air Operations, Europe

211 people are killed by a V-1 at East Barnet, London.

• 46 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne. Local reports mention the heavy damage caused by 13 4,000-lb bombs which fall in residential areas. 721 domestic and 64 commercial or industrial buildings are either destroyed or damaged with 571 receiving only slight damage. 1 gasometer is blown up.
• 8 other Mosquitos are sent to Hombert, Castrop-Rauxel and the airfield at Venlo.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack the airfield at Langgoer.
• B-25s, A-20s, and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack numerous targets in the Wewak area.
• Fighter-bombers attack the airfield at Nabire, Manokwari, Moemi, and Urarom.

Air Operations, Volcano Islands

30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based at Saipan attack Iwo Jima.

Battle of the Atlantic

Schnorkel U-boats operate around the Scottish coast until early October. Only U-482 achieves any success reporting 5 sinkings.

Britain, Home Front

A Liberator bomber crashes on an infants' school at Freckleton in Lancashire killing 57.

Burma-China

Gen Joseph Stilwell receives orders to conduct a highway from the India-Burma frontier to Myitkyina and to improve the miserable track that leads from Myitkyina to China. The Americans are still asking for Stilwell to be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese army.

On the Salween front the Japanese defending Lung-ling ask for the reinforcements.

Eastern Front

The attacks of the 2nd and 3rd Ukraine Fronts link up cutting off a large part, about 12 divs, of the German 6th Army. The 2nd Ukraine Front also takes Vaslui, 35 miles south of Jassy. About 130,000 men are caught in the pocket. The few troops that escape encirclement, mostly Germans, retire hurredly toward the Carpathian passes. Many of the Rumanian troops formerly allied with the Germans have either simply deserted or gone over to join the Soviets.

The Soviet 52nd Army has severed the German line of retreat by cutting the road to Husi, VII Corps has been destroyed by the 4th Guards Army. IV Corps is mauled on the Barludi River, and to compound the army group's difficulties XXX, XLIX and LII Corps have collapsed.[MORE]

Marianas

US destroyers shell Aguijan.

New Guinea

The battle for Numfoor is over and most of the victorious American 503rd Parachute Regt is withdrawn to other sectors.

Northern France

The resistance forces have, for the moment, largely freed Paris after a bitter struggle. The French Forces of the Interior (FFI) under Gen Marie Pierre Koenig and Paris civilians free the French capital. Since August 19 when Koenig announced a general uprising against the Germans in Paris, there has been bitter fighting in the city, finally leaving it in the hands of the patriots.

The French 2nd Arm Div of the American V Corps begins to move towards Paris along 2 center lines in support of the final assault on the city by the FFI. The US 4th Div captures Arpajon, south of Paris.

The 30th Div of the US XIX Corps enters Evreux, while further north units of the 2nd Arm Div capture Le Neubourg and press on toward Elbeuf.

Deauville on the Channel coast is taken by the Allies, led by Belgian troops.

In the American 3rd Army sector the 79th Div of XV Corps maintains firm control of its bridgehead at Mantes-Gassicourt, north of Paris, while the 5th Div of XX Corps takes Fontainebleau and the 7th Arm Div approaches Melun.

Pacific

• The Japanese destroyer Asakaze is sunk by the USS Haddo (SS-255) near the Philippines.
• The Japanese minesweeper No. 22 is sunk by the US submarine Batfish (SS-310) in the Palau Islands area.

Rumania, Politics

There is a Coup d'etat in Bucharest. The pro-German premier, Ion Antonescu, conducator of Rumania since 1940, is deposed and arrested. King Michael I asks the moderate Constantin Sanatescu to form a government, and on the same day he orders the cessation of hostilities against the Red Army and accepts the unconditional surrender demanded by Moscow. At the same time he allows the Germans to leave his country unmolested. On August 25 Rumania declares war on Germany. There is fighting near Bucharest.

Southern France

The French 9th Colonial Div and 1st Div of II Corps penetrate into the suburbs of Toulon and advance resolutely toward the city center. Units of the 3rd Algerian Div and the 1st Arm Div break into the outskirts of Marseilles from north and east. The German garrison there rejects a demand to surrender by the French headquarters.

Images from August 23, 1944

A Bedford QL 3-ton truck drives into Gace, to the waves and cheers of the local inhabitants, 23 August 1944.

A Truck Drives into Gace

A Humber scout car crew are greeted by local people in the town of Gace, 23 August 1944.

Scout Car Crew Greeted by Locals

French Chilren Climb Aboard a Free French M3A3 Stuart Tank, 23 August 1944

Cromwell OP tanks and Humber scout cars of 5th RHA, 7th Armoured Division, climb the hill into Lisieux, 23 August 1944. On the right is a Royal Artillery battery commander’s half-track of 51st Highland Division, and in the center a wounded Highlander shot by a sniper is carried to safety.

7th Armored Division Rolls into Lisieux

A column of Cromwell and Sherman Firefly tanks of 1st RTR, 7th Armoured Division, enters Lisieux, 23 or 24 August 1944. In the background is the Basilica of St Therese.

7th Armored Division Enters Lisieux

US Tank Destroyer M10 GI With Bazooka Fontainebleau, France, 23 August 1944

French-manned US Tank in Marseilles, France, 23 August 1944

A French Resistance fighter known as Nicole poses her with captured German MP 40 submachine gun. She was credited with capturing 25 Germans and killing several more in Chartres, Eure-et-Loir, France. 23 August 1944

French Resistance Fighter Known as Nicole