This day in WW2 October 6th

Poland - Resistance ends. The Polish campaign is considered over.

Hitler makes a speech in the Reichstag appealing for peace and proposing that the Western powers recognize the new status Quo in Eastern Europe.

Heavy winds and low clouds give London a night of peace. The first night without bombing since September 7th.

Eastern Front - The Germans launch a two pronged assault on Moscow, breaking the Russian line from Rzhev to Vyzama. Armoured units advance on Mozhaysk, 50 miles from Moscow. Desperate Russian resistance halts the attack until the Germans suround the town 6 days later. 1 Panzergruppe under General Von Kleist advances in the Southern sector. They cross the Dneipr and the Samara, reach Berdyansk and surround the Russian 9th and 18th Armies.

North Africa - Montgomery gives his first directives for the offensive being prepared for the 8th Army.

Eastern Front - Army Group A captures an important oil producing centre in the Causasus called Malgobeck.

The second agreement on American aid to the USSR is signed in Washington. The Agreement proposes shipments of 4,400,000 tons of supplies between October 6th 1942 and July 1st 1943. 75% of the supplies are to be sent to Russia directly by sea with the other 25% sent via Iran.

Italy - The American 5th Army reaches the South Bank of the Volturno, The British 10th division which is attached to the US 5th Army captures Capua.

Solomon Islands - Units of the 25th Division land unnoposed on Kolombangara. To date the Central Solomons campaign has cost the Americans 1,100 dead and approximately 4,000 wounded. The Americans have counted 2,483 Japanese dead. At Vella Lavella the Japanese evacuate the garrison of 600 men. Rear Admiral Matsuji Ijuin commands a force of nine destroyers in the operation. The Japanese are engaged by the Americans and lose one destroyer. The Americans also lose a destroyer and two others are damaged.

New Guinea - The Australian 7th Division captures Dumpu and meet light resistance. They immediately commence work building a landing strip for fighters.

New Britain - US reconnaisance patrols are landed near Cape Gloucester ahead of the approaching landing

Western Europe - Montgomery Launches an offensive to clear the Scheldt estuary which would allow the allies unrestricted use of the port of Antwerp. The Germans have one division remaining in the sector based in the small port of Breskens. The Canadian II Corps opens the offensive by attacking Breskens and struggle to make ground in waterlogged terrain. North of the Leopold Canal the Canadians establish two small bridgeheads. The Germans counter-attack agressively prompting the Canadians to re-inforce.

The XIX Corps of the US 1st Army is locked in battle near Aachen and Geilenkirchen on the Siegfried line.

Eastern Front - Units of the Leningrad Front land on Saaremaa island in the gulf of Riga.

Palau Islands - Rain and organisational problems further delays operations on Peleliu. On the Island of Angaur artillery fires on Japanese positions in the North West of the Island.

China - General Stilwell is relieved as chief of staff for Chiang Kai-Shek following the breakdown in relations between Chiang and Roosevelt. Stilwell is now only to command Chinese troops in the Burma and some American trained and equiped troops in Yunnan province.

This day in WW2 October 5th

This day in WW2 October 7th