This day in WW2 October 5th

Mutual assistance treaty signed between the USSR and Latvia. The treaty grants the USSR sea and air bases in Latvia.

Daylight air attacks by the Luftwaffe on Great Britain cease. The Germans continue constant night bombing. A one mile tunnel between Bethnal Green and Liverpool St is opened to provide shelter for up to 4,000 people.

Pacific - American carrier aircraft bomb Japanese Installations on Bougainville Island in the Solomons.

Italy - Fighting continues on the Ariatic coast. The XIII corps of the British 8th Army comes under heavy attack at the Biferno Bridgehead near Termoli. The Germans enter Termoli for a short time.

Pacific - An American task force of 6 carriers, 7 cruisers and 24 destroyers commanded by rear admiral A E Montgomery shells and bombs Wake island. Japanese facilities on the island are heavily damaged in this attack and a follow up attack the next day.

Admiral Nimitz issues the directives for the coming offensive in the central Pacific. Vice Admiral Spruance is tasked with the landings on Makin, Tarawa and Abemama Islands in the Gilbert Islands. He is also required to protect the landing forces by all possible means and neutralise Japanese bases on the Marshall Islands and Nauru whilst the operation is in progress. The landings are initially timed for the 19th of November but are later pushed back to the 20th.

Western Europe - Units of the US 2nd Army advance towards Geilenkirchen and towards the South, reach the road between Geilenkirchen and and Aachen. In the XII coprs sector bad weather holds up an attack on Schmidt which was an important target on the Ruhr dykes South of Aachen.

Italy - The American IV Corps resumes attacks towards La Spezia in a westward diection whilst other units advance northwards through hilly terrain.

Eastern Front - The armies of the 1st Baltic Front commence an offensive towards the Baltic and East Prussia. Their jumping off point is Siualiai in Lithuania. Their aim is to isolate Army Group North. Meanwhile the 2nd and 3rd Fronts continue to advance on Riga. Attacks are also lainched at the Southern end of the Eastern Front with Malinovsky's 2nd Ukraine Front attacking from Arad in Romania. It's objectives are Szeged and Budapest

Greece - British forces land on the Greek mainland and enter Patras.

Palau Islands - Operations on Peleliu are slowed by heavy rain and the relief of American forces around Mount Umurbrogal.

This day in WW2 October 6th