SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

31 August 1944

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

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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.

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

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Entries

Italy

AAI: Gen Clark orders U.S. Fifth Army to follow withdrawing enemy. IV Corps patrols cross the Arno, night 31 August-1 September, in preparation for crossing in force and confirm the fact that enemy is withdrawing.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
N France

21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army area, Br 1 Corps continues to crosses the Seine on left flank of army. 2 Corps attacks eastward from Seine bridgehead with 4th Armd Div on right, 3d Div in center, and 2d Div on left.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
S France

Hq, 6th Army Group, arrives. In U.S. Seventh Army area, patrols of TF Bibo find Briançon free of enemy. VI Corps speeds up the Rhône Valley toward Lyon.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
American forces turn over the government of France to Free French troops.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
The Soviet army enters Bucharest.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
Netherlands New Guinea

1944 battle of WW2's Pacific Theater.

Source Wikidata (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 51 Allied sorties (9 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1944-08-31, flown by USAAF 14th Air Force, USAAF 10th Air Force.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

THOR mission records show at least 398 Allied sorties (22 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1944-08-31, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, RAF. Targets included ITALY, GREECE.

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.

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31 August in other years 1940 1941 1942 1943 1945

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31 August 1944

Entries

AAI: Gen Clark orders U.S. Fifth Army to follow withdrawing enemy. IV Corps patrols cross the Arno, night 31 August-1 September, in preparation for crossing in force and confirm the fact that enemy is withdrawing.

21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army area, Br 1 Corps continues to crosses the Seine on left flank of army. 2 Corps attacks eastward from Seine bridgehead with 4th Armd Div on right, 3d Div in center, and 2d Div on left.

Hq, 6th Army Group, arrives. In U.S. Seventh Army area, patrols of TF Bibo find Briançon free of enemy. VI Corps speeds up the Rhône Valley toward Lyon.

American forces turn over the government of France to Free French troops.

The Soviet army enters Bucharest.

1944 battle of WW2's Pacific Theater.

THOR mission records show at least 51 Allied sorties (9 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1944-08-31, flown by USAAF 14th Air Force, USAAF 10th Air Force.

THOR mission records show at least 398 Allied sorties (22 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1944-08-31, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, RAF. Targets included ITALY, GREECE.

Talk about it