Chronology of World War II

July 1945

Thursday, July 5th


Air Operations, CBI

CHINA
  • 2 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 2 81st Fighter Group P-47s attack a bridge near Chumatien.
  • 37 14th Air Force P-51s attack various targets in northern French Indochina and southern and eastern China.
FRENCH INDOCHINA
  • 8 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack shipping and small craft in Haiphong harbor.
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Air Operations, East Indies

FEAF B-24s attack Manggar and Riko.

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Air Operations, Formosa

V Bomber Command B-24s attack airfields at Taihoku, Takao, Toshien, Toyohara and supplies near Kamioka.

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Air Operations, Japan

  • 47 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and 25 41st Medium Bomb Command B-25s, escorted by 102 VII Fighter Command P-47s attack the Omura airfield on Kyushu and 2 nearby towns.
  • More than 100 VII Fighter Command P-51s attack targets on Honshu.
  • 35th Fighter Group P-51s sweep Kyushu. 35th Fighter Group P-51s down 4 N1K 'Rex' fighters over the Sasebo area at 1245 hours.
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Air Operations, Philippines

V Fighter Command fighter-bombers mount nearly 100 sorties against targets on Luzon.

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Australia, Home Front

John Curtin, Prime Minister since 1941, dies at the age of 60. Curtin had held to post since October 1941, and although his political power was tenuous at times he had fully mobilized Australia for war, often against internal government opposition. More than 30,000 people attend his funeral in Perth on July 9. Mr Ben Chifley takes over on July 13.

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Britain, Politics

The British election is held. The results are not available until July 26 because of the time taken to bring home and count the soldiers' votes. The Labor Party wins: Labor, 394; Conservatives, 188; Liberals, 14; National Liberals, 13; Ulster Unionists, 9; Communists, 2; Others, 20.

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Diplomatic Relations

Britain and the United States recognize a new Polish government of National Unity. Stanislaws Mikolajczyk, formerly leader of the London exile government, is one of the deputy Premiers.

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Dutch East Indies

More Australian forces land in Borneo, near Penadjim Point in the Bay of Balikpapan. The Australians quickly extend their control from a number of beachheads along the coast and toward the interior.

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Pacific

  • In Operation COLLIE the East Indies Fleet clears mines from the west coast of Malaya, prior to Operation ZIPPER (see September 9) and bombards Japanese bases in Nicobar Island and Sumatra over the next week.
  • The US destroyer Smith (DD-378) is damaged accidentally by a depth charge in the Balikpapan area of Borneo.
  • The US submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship No.11 Sapporo Maru (2820t) outside Odomari harbor, southwest of Sakhalin.
  • Mines sink the Japanese transport Toyokawa Maru (5123t) near Mutsure Jima and merchant tanker No.1 Tosei Maru (523t) off Nigata harbor.
  • The Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser CHA-37 is sunk by the US submarine Lizardfish (SS-373) off Java in the Dutch East Indies area.
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Philippines

Gen MacArthur announces that the Philippines have been completely liberated. The Philippines campaign has been the larges operation for US forces in the Pacific, and the Japanese have lost well over 200,000 men. However, many other Japanese troops remain on the island around 50,000 will surrender at the end of the war.

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United States, Command

It is announced that Gen Carl A. Spaatz will lead the US Strategic Air Force against Japan. Spaatz had formerly commanded the US bombing effort against Germany, and now he will oversee the air campaign against Japan and the deployment of the atomic bombs.

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Images from July 5, 1945

National Polling Day in London


National Polling Day in London

RAF Flying Boat Base in India


RAF Flying Boat Base in India

Exploding Mines off Okinawa


Exploding Mines off Okinawa

F4U Corsair Hitting the Barricade


F4U Corsair Hitting the Barricade

[July 4th - July 6th]