Books by Donald A Bertke

The Allies advance against the Germans and the Japanese. Major events during this period: The continuing naval battle in the English Channel; attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler in East Prussia; arrival of Brazilian Expeditionary Force to join the Allies in Italy; the landing in southern France by US and French troops; the surrender of Finland and Bulgaria; liberation of French ports along the Atlantic and Mediterranean; the liberation of Guam by US Army and Marine troops; capture of Tinian Island by US marines; landing on Morotai Island by US troops; capture of Peleliu, Angaur Island and Ulithi Atoll by US forces; withdrawal of the defeated Japanese Army from Kohima and Imphal, India, back to Burma; the landing at Noemfoor, New Guinea, by US and Australian troops; resignation of the Tojo government in Japan; operations of USN Wolfpacks in the Pacific Ocean; USN air attacks on the Philippine Islands.

This volume covers day-to-day naval actions during March-June 1943. The Allies attacked German U-boats day and night, forcing their withdrawal from the vital North Atlantic convoy routes, clearing the way for the eventual invasion of Europe from Britain. In the Bismarck Sea, Allied aircraft destroyed an entire Japanese troop convoy bound for New Guinea. In the Komandorski Islands, the U.S. Navy engaged a superior Japanese force and out fought them. After this loss, the Japanese commander was fired in disgrace. The Allies isolated the German and Italian troops fighting in Tunisia with an air and sea blockade. Without support from Italy, Tunisia fell. U.S. aircraft ambushed Japanese Admiral Yamamoto while he was en route to an inspection visit in the Solomon Islands. The U.S. 7th Infantry Division liberated Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands.

Volume 8 documents the swing of battle from the Axis to the Allies from December 1942 thru February 1943 as naval actions forced the Japanese to begin their retreat and their efforts to forestall the inevitable. Meanwhile, naval actions slowly strangled the Axis nations in Europe and led them to the road of defeat. Specific events include: * The last naval battles for Guadalcanal. * The IJN's secret evacuation of the Japanese Army from Guadalcanal. * The Russian encirclement and destruction of the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad. * The German counterattacks against the much larger Russian Army in the Ukraine. * The Battle of the North Atlantic between Allied convoy escorts and German U-boats. * The Allies' advance to trap German and Italian troops in Tunisia. * Intense actions in the Arctic Ocean as the German surface fleet tried to destroy the Arctic Convoys. * Increased attacks by USN submarines on Japanese shipping.

From September through November 1942, the Allies defeated the Axis forces on all active fronts. On land, the British defeated Rommel in Operation SUPERCHARGE, the US Marines defeated the Japanese on Guadalcanal, and the Russians trapped the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad and disrupted the entire Axis southern front in Russia. At sea, the Royal Navy landed desperately needed supplies on Malta in Operations PEDESTAL and STONEAGE; the USN defended the US Marines on Guadalcanal from a Japanese attack in the Battle of Cape Esperance; the Allies landed troops at Morocco and Algeria in Operation TORCH; USN cruisers sank a Japanese battleship in the 1st Battle of Savo Island; the 2nd Battle of Savo Island was the only battleship-to-battleship engagement of the war in the Pacific; the Battle of the North Atlantic increased in intensity; and the Germans tried to capture the French Fleet at Toulon, France, in Operation ANTON, only to arrive as the ships sank beneath the sea.

Detailed record of world-wide naval actions and activities during World War II from August 1939 through March 1940. Includes naval events for all Axis, Allied, and neutral nations--both military and civilian. Events are partitioned by month, geographical area, day, and time.