July 1945

July

• 01

  • The landing at BalikpapanOn 1 July 1945 the Australian 7th Division landed at Balikpapan on Borneo – the last great landing of the Western Allies. The fighting lasted until 21 July.
• 05

  • MacArthur announces the liberation of the PhilippinesOn 5 July 1945 MacArthur announced the liberation of the whole Philippines, yet on Luzon and Mindanao the Japanese held out until Japan's surrender.
  • The powers recognise the Provisional Government of National UnityOn 5 July 1945 the US and Britain recognised the new Polish government in Warsaw and withdrew recognition from the government-in-exile in London.
• 06

  • Norway and Italy declare war on JapanNorway declared war on Japan on 6 July 1945 and Italy on 14 July. Both acts were formal, but mattered for internees, ships and the future peace.
• 10

  • Halsey's carriers over TokyoOn 10 July 1945 aircraft of Halsey and McCain's Task Force 38 struck airfields around Tokyo, opening the last carrier campaign against Japan.
  • The Augustów roundupOn 10–25 July 1945 the Red Army, NKVD and SMERSH, aided by the UB and the militia, combed the Suwałki region; some 600 detainees vanished without trace.
• 16

  • Key eventThe Trinity testAt 5.29 a.m. on 16 July 1945, in the Jornada del Muerto desert in New Mexico, the Americans detonated the “Gadget” – the first nuclear device in history.
• 17

  • Key eventThe Potsdam Conference beginsOn 17 July 1945 Truman, Churchill and Stalin opened the last Big Three conference at Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam, devoted to Germany and Poland.
• 22

  • The Battle of Tokyo BayOn the night of 22–23 July 1945 nine American destroyers attacked a Japanese convoy at the entrance to Tokyo Bay and sank one small freighter.
• 24

  • Truman tells Stalin about the bombOn 24 July 1945 at Potsdam Truman mentioned to Stalin a new weapon of unusual destructive force. Stalin, forewarned by his intelligence, took it calmly.
  • The raids on KureOn 24, 25 and 28 July 1945 Task Force 38 aircraft wrecked the remnants of the Japanese fleet at Kure; Hyūga, Ise and Haruna settled in shallow water.
• 26

  • Labour wins the electionOn 26 July 1945 the results of the 5 July election were declared. Labour won 393 seats, Churchill resigned and Clement Attlee became Prime Minister.
  • Key eventThe Potsdam DeclarationOn 26 July 1945 the US, Britain and China called on Japan to surrender its armed forces unconditionally under threat of “prompt and utter destruction”.
• 30

  • Attacks on Kobe and NagoyaBy late July 1945 Kobe and Nagoya were attacked only by fighters and carrier aircraft – B-29s had already burned both cities in the spring.
  • The sinking of the “Indianapolis”On 30 July 1945 the Japanese submarine I-58 sank the cruiser Indianapolis, which had delivered atomic bomb parts to Tinian. 316 of 1,195 men survived.