Chronology of World War II

Copyright © 1998-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
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URL: http://kpolsson.com/ww2hist/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.


1947

January 1
  • The United States and Great Britain join their German zones of administration. [145.54]
January 24
  • In Canada, Prime Minister William King repeals the Japanese repatriation orders-in-council. Japanese Canadians in Canada would no longer be subject to deportation. [7.309,332]
February 1
  • A German de-Nazification court convicts Franz von Papen as a "Major Offender", sentencing him to 8 years hard labor. [806.478]
February 10
  • In Paris, France, representatives of 21 nations sign five peace treaties with Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Finland. [164.804] [407.38,42]
February 25
  • Romania issues four postage stamps marking the February 10th signing of a peace treaty with Russia, Great Britain, and the United States of America. [343.427]
  • The Allied Control Council of Germany issues Law No. 46, disbanding Prussia. [145.52] [361.56]
May 1
  • Greece issues seven postage stamps depicting Greek participation in the war. [341.367]
May 4
  • Denmark issues three postage stamps in memory of the struggle for liberty and second anniversary of the liberation of the country. [340.725]
May 6
  • A British court condemns German former Army Commander-in-Chief Albert Kesslering to death. [149.308]
June 5
  • American Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs George Marshall announces the European Recovery Program, known as the Marshall Plan. (Over three years, US$13.3 billion is spent on economic assistance to European countries.) [145.54] [379.12] [438.36] [726.54]
(month unknown)
  • Czechoslovakia issues a silver 50-korun coin commemorating the August 1944 uprising in Slovakia. [788.65]
August 2
  • France issues a postage stamp commemorating the British commando raid on Nazi submarine base at St. Nazaire, 1942. [340.1124]
September 15
  • Paris peace treaty is ratified between Allies and Italy. [809.156]
October
  • The death sentence of German former Army Commander-in-Chief Albert Kesslering is commuted to life imprisonment. [149.308]
November 10
  • France issues a postage stamp to depicting captured patriot resistance during the war. [340.1051]
December
  • In France, Louis Darquier de Pellepoix is sentenced to death in absentia for collusion with the enemy. [635.70]

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1948

January 10
  • The USSR issues four postage stamps marking the 5th anniversary of liberation of Leningrad from German blockade. [343.528]
February
  • A court sentenced German former army commander Wilhelm List to life imprisonment. [149.309]
April 19
  • Poland issues a postage stamp marking the 5th anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. [343.274]
May 9
  • Romania issues seven postage stamps honoring the Romanian Army, August 23, 1944 to May 9, 1945. [343.495]
May 10
  • Great Britain issues two postage stamps marking the 3rd anniversary of the liberation of the Channel Islands from German occupation. [341.277]
(month unknown)
  • The US Congress passes the Japanese-American Claims Act, providing US$132 million for about 23,000 property claims. [428.A1]
  • Czechoslovakia issues a silver 50-korun coin commemorating the 1945 Prague uprising. [788.66]
September 15
  • Greece issues a postage stamp marking the 7th anniversary of the Battle of Crete. [341.368]
October 18
  • Walther von Brauchitsch, former Commander-in-Chief of the German Army, dies in British captivity. [149.307]
November 12
  • In Tokyo, Japan, the International War Crimes Tribunal announces final verdicts. It sentences former Japanese President Hedeki Tojo and six other Japanese leaders to death. Sixteen others are sentenced to life in prison. [166.418] [482.17]

1949

April
  • German former Reichsminister and head of Reich Chancellery Hans Heinrich Lammers is sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. [149.308]
April 28
  • Iran issues five postage stamps noting Iran's contribution toward victory of the Allied Nations. [341.871]
(month unknown)
  • A 112-acre cemetery in an extinct volcano on Oahu, Hawaii, is dedicated to American servicemen who died in the Pacific during World War II. [100.6]
  • The US government pays Switzerland US$62 million plus interest since 1944, as payment for an accidental bombing of Schaffhausen on April 1, 1944. [38.58]
  • The US government convicts Iva Toguri (Tokyo Rose) of treason, sentencing her to ten years imprisonment. [633.43]
  • Jersey issues a coin marking liberation from German occupation. [788.66]
August 23
  • Romania issues a postage stamp marking the 5th anniversary of liberation by the Soviet army. [343.428]
September 21
  • Control of Western Germany passes from the Allied Military Government to a supervised West German democracy. [275.204]
December 23
  • The USSR issues two postage stamps marking the 2nd anniversary of the return of western territories to Byelorussia and Ukraine. [343.533]

1950

February 24
  • A British court sentences German former army commander Erich von Manstein to 18 years imprisonment. [149.309]
April 4
  • Hungary issues four postage stamps marking the 5th anniversary of the liberation. [341.641]
April 28
  • Greece issues a postage stamp marking the 9th anniversary of the Battle of Crete. [341.368]
(month unknown)
  • The USSR issues two postage stamps marking the 5th International Victory Day. [343.533]
December
  • Lawyers for Kurt Meyer send a petition to the Canadian Department of Justice, arguing for his release. [101.22]

1951

February
  • Canadian Cabinet considers a petition for the release of Kurt Meyer, but decides against it. [101.22]
March 7
  • German General Alexander Frieherr von Falkenhausen is sentenced to 12 years in prison for his part in deporting 12,000 Begian Jews and the execution of hostages. (He serves only three weeks.) [734.66]
April 28
  • US-Japan peace treaty takes effect. [823.1540]
September
  • Canadian Cabinet again decides not to release Kurt Meyer, but agrees to transfer him to a prison in Ward, Germany. [101.22]
September 8
  • Japan signs the San Francisco Peace Treaty with 48 nations, regaining its independence. [166.419] [482.17]
October 18
  • Kurt Meyer is transferred from a Canadian prison to one in Werl, Germany. [101.22]

1952

April 28
  • Japan and the United States sign a formal peace treaty. [166.321]
May 28
  • France issues a postage stamp marking the 1940 May 27 Battle of Narvik, Norway. [340.1053]
June 14
  • France issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of the defense of Bir-Hacheim. [340.1053]
(month unknown)
  • Canada and Japan sign a peace treaty. [48.3]
October 23
  • German former Army Commander-in-Chief Albert Kesslering is pardoned and freed from British captivity. [149.308]
December 25
  • German former army commander Wilhelm List is pardoned and freed from captivity. [149.309]

1953

February 12
  • Poland issues two postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. [343.277]
February 18
  • Hungary issues two postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. [341.643]
May 6
  • German former army commander Erich von Manstein is freed from captivity. [149.309]
July 23
  • Former German General Nickolaus von Falkenhorst is freed from British captivity. He was condemned to death in 1946 for his part in the execution of captured British commandos. [149.308]
October 20
  • Romania issues a postage stamp marking the 9th anniversary of liberation. [343.432]
December 25
  • The United States returns control of the Amami Islands, north of Okinawa, to Japan. [284.37]

1954

January 14
  • The government of Canada agrees to commute the life sentences of Kurt Meyer and Johann Neitz to 14 years. [101.23]
June 1
  • Italy issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of the resistance movement. [341.1032]
June 5
  • France issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of the liberation of the country. [340.1054]
June 6
  • Twelve French colonies issue a common postage stamp celebrating the 10th anniversary of the liberation of France. [282.38A]
(month unknown)
  • A court in France sentences Klaus Barbie to death in absentia. (In 1983, Barbie will return to France from Bolivia to stand trial for war crimes.) [419.3]
  • Czechoslovakia issues 10- and 25-korun coins commemorating the August 1944 uprising in Slovakia. [788.66]
  • Jersey issues a coin marking liberation from German occupation. [788.66]
August 23
  • Romania issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of liberation. [343.433]
August 24
  • Poland issues two postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Studzianki. [343.278]
September
  • Kurt Meyer is released from prison in Werl, Germany. [101.23]

1955

January 17
  • Poland issues two postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of the liberation of Warsaw. [343.277]
April 4
  • Hungary issues four postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of the liberation. [341.645]
April 9
  • The German Democratic Republic issues two postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of liberation. [341.170]
April 23
  • France issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of the liberation of concentration camps. [340.1053]
May 4
  • Netherlands issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of liberation. [342.996]
May 5
  • The Allied occupation of West Germany ends. The Federal Republic of Germany becomes independent sovereign state with the ratification of Paris agreements in Bonn, Germany. [166.419] [407.184]
  • Czechoslovakia issues four postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of liberation from German control. [340.634]
May 9
  • Romania issues a postage stamp marking the 10th anniversary of victory over Germany. [343.433]
May 15
  • In Vienna, Austria, the Austrian State Treaty is signed. [407.189]
(month unknown)
  • Sepp Dietrich, convicted in 1946 and sentenced to death, is paroled. [277.311]
  • Czechoslovakia issues four coins commemorating the end of World War II. [788.66]
July 27
  • Allied occupation of Austria ends, granting her independence. [166.419]

1956

  • The Soviet Union and Japan restore diplomatic relations, but no peace treaty is signed. Japan wants territory back seized by Soviet Union in the final days of the war. [603.A15]
December
  • Joachim Peiper, convicted in 1946 and sentenced to death, is paroled. (He is killed in 1976 when his house is firebombed.) [277.311]

1957

April 15
  • Malta issues three postage stamps commemorating the award, in 1942, of the George Cross to Malta for its war effort. [342.638]
May 18
  • France issues five postage stamps honoring heores of the French Underground during the war. [340.1056]

1958

April 15
  • Malta issues three postage stamps commemorating the award, in 1942, of the George Cross to Malta for its war effort. [342.638]
April 19
  • France issues four postage stamps honoring heores of the French Underground during the war. [340.1057]
September 1
  • Poland issues a postage stamp marking the 19th anniversary of the defence of the Polish post office at Danzig, September 1, 1939. [343.281]

1959

April 15
  • Malta issues three postage stamps commemorating the award, in 1942, of the George Cross to Malta for its war effort. [342.638]
April 25
  • France issues five postage stamps honoring heores of the French Underground during the war. [340.1058]
August 23
  • Romania issues a postage stamp marking the 15th anniversary of liberation. [343.437]

End of 1947-1959. Next: 1960.

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1918-1935 1936-1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946
1947-1959 1960-1969 1970-1989 1990-1992 1993-1994 1995-1999 2000-end


A list of references to all source material is available.


Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 1998-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/ww2hist/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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