Air Operations, CBI

• Most of the 10th Air Force is grounded by bad weather, but 12 B-25s are able to attack road targets between Lashio, Takaw, and Hopong and 7 P-47s attack the airfield at Laihka.

• 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack the airfield at Kaifeng, a fuel dump at Hsiangcheng, and numerous rail lines.
• In their unit’s last mission from the Sian airfield, 8 530th Fighter Squadron P-51s destroy 4 aircraft on the ground at the Shihkiachwang airfield and 7 locomotives between Puchou and Sinsiang.
• An effort by 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and 345th Medium Bomb Group B-25s to attack a Japanese Navy force of 2 IJN battleships, 1 cruiser, and 3 destroyers fleeing from Singapore to Japan is aborted in the face of bad weather, and the flotilla escapes beyond the range of all Allied aircraft.

Air Operations, Europe

The 8th Air Force completes the Allied 'triple blow' against Dresden. Also bombed are Chemnitz, Magdeburg, Prague in error, and the Wesel Bridge over the Rhine. The total number of bombers and escorts in the raids is 1,440. 13 planes are lost. The RAF follow up with a severe night raid on Chemnitz.

• 36 Lancasters and 1 photographic Mosquito of Nos. 9 and 617 Squadrons are sent to attack Bielefeld and Altenbeken viaducts, but abandon the raids because of cloud.
• 1 Lancaster of No. 9 Squadron is lost.

OPERATION THUNDERCLAP

• 499 Lancasters and 218 Halifaxes of Nos. 1, 3,4,6 and 8 Groups continue Operation THUNDERCLAP by attacking Chemnitz. This raid takes place in two phases, 3 hours apart. A very elaborate diversion plan succeeds in keeping bomber casualties down but Chemnitz, now called Karl-Marx-Stadt, is also spared from the worst effects of its first major RAF raid. Both parts of the bomber force find the target area covered by cloud and only skymarking can be employed. Post-raid reconnaissance shows that many parts of the city are hit, but that most of the bombing is in open country.
• 8 Lancasters and 5 Halifaxes are lost.
• 224 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No. 5 Group attack the oil refinery in Rositz near Leipzig. Damage was caused to the southern part of the oil plant.
• 4 Lancasters are lost.

• Diversionary and 95 aircraft of No. 3 Group and of Heavy Conversion Units make a sweep into the Heligoland Bight, 46 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 19 to Mainz, 14 to Dessau, 12 to Duisburg, 11 to Nuremberg and 8 to Frankfurt, 30 Lancasters and 24 Halifaxes lay mines in the Kadet Channel, and there are 87 Mosquito patrols and 21 RCM sorties.
• 5 mine-laying Halifaxes and 1 mine-laying Lancaster are lost.

Air Operations, Formosa

Several 38th Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the airfield at Kagi and nearby targets of opportunity.

Air Operations, Japan

3 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack the Suribachi airfield.

Air Operations, Philippines

• FEAF B-24s attack Corregidor and Mariveles.
• V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Tuguegarao airfield on Luzon.
• B-25s and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers support US 6th Army ground forces near Clark Field, Marikina, and Montalban on Luzon.
• B-25s attack barges at Zamboanga, Mindanao.
• A-20s attack the southern Bataan Peninsula.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s strafe barges carrying Japanese Army ground troops from Manila to Bataan and Corregidor.
• P-38s attack the Matina airfiled on Mindanao.
• Fighter-bombers strafe airfields on Cebu and Negros.

Air Operations, Volcano Islands

• 17 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Iwo Jima.
• During the night, 9 VII Bomber Command B-24s conduct snooper raids against Iwo Jima and the Bonin Islands.

Burma

The 7th Indian Div from IV Corps begins to cross the Irrawaddy near Myaunga. There is only slight Japanese opposition because most of the Japanese forces have been withdrawn to defend Mandalay. North of Mandalay 19th Indian Div takes Singu despite the efforts of the defenders.

Diplomatic Relations

Chile declares war on Germany and Japan.

Eastern Front

In Hungary, the Germans counterattack between Lake Venencei and Lake Balaton. North of Budapest, the German 8th Army holds attacks by the 3rd Ukraine Front.

In the central sector, the 1st Ukraine Front succeeds in joining up the 2 bridgeheads established over the Oder west of Breslau and fighting rages on the outskirts of the city. To the southwest, west and northwest of it, troops of the 1st Ukraine Front and 1st Belorussian Front take Striegau (Strzegom), Jauer (Jawor), Goldberg (Zlotoryia) and Sprottau (Szprotowa).

North of Poznan, the 2nd Belorussian Front takes Schneidemühl (Pila). On the front held by Himmler's Vistula Army Group there is fighting south of Frankfurt-am-Oder. The Russians advance northwest and southwest of Liegnitz (Legnica).

In Konev's drive to the Neisse, Sorau and Grünberg are both captured.

The Soviet 5th Guards and 3rd Guards Armies link up near Breslau, trapping 80,000 civilians and 35,000 German troops inside the city.[MORE]

Pacific

• The US submarine Hawkbill (SS-366) sinks two Japanese submarine chasers, Nos. 4 and 114, in the Java Sea.
• The Japanese coast defense vessel No. 9 is sunk by the US submarine Gato (SS-212) in the Yellow Sea.

Philippines

On Luzon while fighting continues at Manila, the US I Corps prepares to attack south of the Pampanga River, and XI Corps to liquidate Japanese resistance at Zigzag Pass and liberate the Bataan peninsula. One regiment of the 38th Div sails from Subic Bay for Mariveles on the tip of the Bataan peninsula. American PT boats enter Manila Bay for night reconnaissance, the first US naval units to operate in those waters since May 1942.

During this day's action one US ship, the minesweeper YMS-48, is sunk by coastal defense gunfire. Damaged by coastal gunfire are the destroyers Fletcher (DD-445) and Hopewell (DD-681). Two US destroyers, Radford (DD-446) and LaVallette (DD-448) are damaged by mines.

Western Front

On the northern flank of the Allied line, the Canadian 3rd Div, British XXX Corps, Canadian 1st Army, captures a village on the Rhine opposite Emmerich, while the British 15th Div continues its advance toward Calcar with considerable difficulty, and the 51st Div takes Kassel during the night, advancing without difficulty.

The XII Corps, US 3rd Army, retains firm control of the bridgehead beyond the Siegfried Line and even reinforces it, getting ready to advance on Prüm.

Images from February 14, 1945

US Army technician Alvin Harley of the 9th Armored Division receives a kiss from a liberated little French girl on Saint Valentine’s Day. Abancourt, Oise, Picardy, France. 14 February 1945.

Valentine's Day Kiss

A sniper from 'C' Company, 5th Battalion, The Black Watch in position in a ruined building in Gennep, Holland, 14 February 1945

Sniper from The Black Watch

Mistaken US bombing of Prague, 14 February 1945

Mistaken US bombing of Prague

Mistaken US bombing of Prague, 14 February 1945

Mistaken US bombing of Prague

392nd BG - 14 February 1945 - Mission #237 - Target: Magdeburg - The right landing gear on 42-50390 collapsed when 2/Lt Prater attempted to land with one engine out and low on fuel. The plane was repaired and continued flying combat missions.

Landing Mishap

Ash Wednesday in burning Dresden - The effects of intense heat which has killed a number of people in a shelter.

Effects of Intense Heat

A pile of bodies awaits public cremation in the aftermath of the Dresden bombing.

Bodies Awaiting Public Cremation

Britiish Navy rescues Norwegian Islanders. 14 February 1945, HMS Zambesi, Kola Bay, Murmansk, USSR. 525 Norwegians From Soroy Island, who had been hiding in cave in the mountains on their island to avoid German patrols, were rescued by 4 British destroyers who went in 60 miles behind enemy lines to bring them out. The Norwegians on board HMS Zambesi were transferred to merchant ships at Kola Bay for the trip to Britain.

Britiish Navy rescues Norwegian Islanders