Sourced, honest, no affiliate links.

SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

20 July 1943

What happened on this day in the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, with a source for every entry.

About this page

Each day we list events from the Second World War that happened on that date, from 1939 to 1945. Every entry names its source and links to it, so you can read further. Entries are sourced and machine-screened before they go up, a subset is human-reviewed, and we add more over time.

6 of 11 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

Join us on Discord (opens external site)

Entries

  2. Mediterranean

    Planning for invasion of Sardinia (BRIMSTONE) is dropped because of successes in Sicilian campaign. Attention of planners becomes focused next on Naples because of its harbor and its proximity to Rome.

    Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)

  3. New Georgia

    Elements of 145th Inf, 37th Div, relieve hard-pressed 169th Inf of 43d Div E of Munda. 148th breaks through enemy positions that have been checking it and prepares to relieve 145th.

    Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)

  4. UK Parliament

    Bombing of Rome (House of Lords)

    Official record of proceedings in the House of Lords, sitting of 1943-07-20: "Bombing of Rome." The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne) (Lord Cecil): "My Lords, as the noble Viscount will remember.

    Source Hansard (UK Parliament) (opens external site)

  5. Mediterranean Theater

    THOR mission records show at least 114 Allied sorties (38 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-07-20, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, USAAF 9th Air Force. Targets included ITALY.

    Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

    THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

  6. Pacific Theater

    THOR mission records show at least 91 Allied sorties (16 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1943-07-20, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force, USAAF 13th Air Force, USAAF 7th Air Force.

    Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

    THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

The full list for this date is being cleaned and will return soon.

Sources listed with each entry. Spotted an error? Tell us.

20 July in other years 19401941194219441945

Talk about it

Discuss each day's entries and suggest sources in the Zero Hour community.

Join us on Discord (opens external site)