Mediterranean
Front
(200)1940
June
- 28
- The death of Italo BalboOn 28 June 1940 Italian anti-aircraft guns over Tobruk mistakenly shot down the aircraft of Marshal Italo Balbo, Governor of Libya. Nine people were killed.
- A convoy clash off CreteOn 28 June 1940 British cruisers caught three Italian destroyers carrying supplies for Tobruk. Espero was sunk covering the escape of the other two.
July
August
September
October
November
December
1941
1942
January
February
March
April
May
June
- 14
- The retreat from the Gazala LineOn 14 June 1942 the Eighth Army began to abandon the Gazala Line. Churchill presumed Tobruk would not be given up; Auchinleck said he had no such intention.
- Operation VigorousOn 14 June 1942 the Alexandria–Malta convoy learned that the Italian fleet had sailed. After two days of air attacks and conflicting orders it turned back.
July
August
September
October
- 22
- Clark's mission to AlgeriaOn the night of 21–22 October 1942 General Mark Clark landed from a submarine near Cherchell to agree French help for the landings with General Mast.
- The raid on GenoaOn the night of 22–23 October 1942, 112 RAF Lancasters bombed central Genoa, opening an autumn bombing offensive against the cities of northern Italy.
November
- 08
- Key eventThe landings in North AfricaOn 8 November 1942 more than 70,000 American and British troops landed in Morocco and Algeria. The Vichy French resisted at Casablanca and Oran.
- The Algiers putschOn the night of 7/8 November 1942 some 400 underground volunteers seized Algiers for several hours and detained General Juin and Admiral Darlan.
December
1943
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
- 03
- The Armistice of CassibileOn 3 September 1943 Castellano and Bedell Smith signed a secret “short armistice” in Sicily. Italy surrendered, but this was announced only on 8 September.
- Operation BaytownOn 3 September 1943 the British Eighth Army's XIII Corps crossed the Strait of Messina to Calabria. The Allies were back on the mainland almost unopposed.
- 08
- Key eventThe Italian surrender announcedOn 8 September 1943 Eisenhower announced Italy's surrender on the radio, and Badoglio had to confirm it. At noon B-17s bombed Kesselring's HQ at Frascati.
- Operation AchseOn the evening of 8 September 1943, minutes after Italy's surrender was announced, Germany launched Operation Achse and disarmed the Italian army within days.
- 10
- The Germans occupy RomeOn 10 September 1943, after two days of fighting by Italian troops and civilians left by their commanders, Rome capitulated to the Germans. Occupation began.
- The surrender of the Italian fleetOn 9–11 September 1943 the Italian fleet obeyed the armistice and sailed for Malta. En route German guided bombs sank the battleship Roma and Admiral Bergamini.
- 16
- The Dodecanese campaign beginsAfter Italy's surrender the British lost the race for Rhodes, but in mid-September 1943 they occupied Kos, Leros and Samos. The Dodecanese campaign had begun.
- The crisis at SalernoOn 13 and 14 September 1943 a German counter-attack nearly split the Salerno beachhead. On 16 September Eighth Army patrols met the Fifth Army.
October
November
December
1944
January
February
March
- 01
- The strikes in northern ItalyOn 1 March 1944 a general strike began in Turin, Milan, Genoa and other cities of occupied Italy. The Germans and the Salò Fascists replied with deportations.
- The second bombing of the VaticanOn 1 March 1944 six small bombs fell just outside the Vatican wall, killing a workman and damaging the Holy Office. The British privately admitted a mistake.
April
May
June
July
August
September
November
December
1945
January
February
April
- 28
- The death of MussoliniOn 27 April 1945 partisans captured Mussolini at Dongo; on 28 April they shot him with Clara Petacci, and on 29 April the bodies were put on display in Milan.
- The surrender of the 148th DivisionAt Collecchio and Fornovo di Taro the Brazilians trapped the German 148th Division and remnants of Italian divisions. On 29 April 1945 some 15,000 surrendered.