World War II Chronicles

The historic first meeting for the "Big Three" -- Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin -- met in Tehran, Iran on November 28, 1943. The three pledged the destruction of the German forces, and the decision to invade France across the channel became irreversible.

In August 1943, Japan began to strategically use its fortress islands to protect the mainland from being attacked. The Gilbert Islands were vital in this defense, and they were the U.S. Marines' next target in November 1943.

Since August 1940, Berlin had been the target of sporadic Allied bombing attacks. But in November 1943, RAF Chief Arthur Harris sought approval from Churchill to make the bombing of Berlin a priority, and prove the value of his strategic bombing campaign. Known as the Battle of Berlin, the third RAF campaign of the war started on November 13.

The United Nations established the Relief and Rehabilitation Administration on November 10, 1943, to help refugees displaced from the war across Europe. Known as UNRA, the organization provided food, shelter, clothing, and medical aid to displaced persons.

Following the successful conquest of New Britain in the Solomon Islands, U.S. Forces refocused its next mission on the island of Bougainville. The island was defended by more than 40,000 Japanese, but possession of an airbase there would allow U.S. forces to counter the Japanese air base at Rabaul. U.S. Marines made a surprise landing at Bougainville on November 1, 1943, encountering little resistance.

Since the Soviet counteroffensive launched in August 1943, the Red Army had advanced like a steamroller. The Army broke through German defenses, as a Black Sea naval base fell back into the hands of the Soviets. At the end of October, Russian troops closed in and captured the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

Selective Service, or "The Draft" as it became known, registered men age 18-37. By September 1943, in order to meet the needs of the Armed Forces, the U.S. was in danger of having to draft men over 40. The shortage was a result of reluctance to draft fathers. Congress instituted the "Daddy Draft" in October of 1943.

The war had radically altered the lifestyles of teenagers in America by the Fall of 1943. Parents were often out of the house, as fathers went off to war and mothers went to work. Some of American youth contributed to the workforce, while others misbehaved, leading to the development of community service youth programs to curb such behavior.

The power of radio was at its zenith during World War II. By 1943, over 900 radio stations were broadcasting to 30 million homes. Networks began to develop into worldwide news organizations, and radio became crucial in building morale at home.

In 1943, American submarines at last began to achieve major successes in the Pacific. In the Pacific Theater, U.S. submarines sank almost 1,300 ships, representing over five million tons of cargo -- an astounding achievement considering the submarine force consisted of less than 2% of the U.S. Navy's personnel.