Chronology of World War II
Red Army liberates Bratislava
Wednesday, April 4, 1945 www.onwar.com

On the Eastern Front... Bratislava falls to troops of the Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front.

On the Western Front... British and Canadian units take Osnabruck and move on Minden. US 9th Army units have reached the river Weser opposite Hameln. Troops from US 3rd Army capture Kassel while other units take Gotha and advance near Erfurt. French units take Karlsruhe. The Nazi gold reserves are captured in the salt mine at Merkers

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the forces of US 10th Army begin to meet the first real Japanese resistance on the ground. Troops of US 24th Corps are brought to a halt on a line just south of Kuba while the forces of 3rd Amphibious Corps have reached the Ishikawa Isthmus. A storm damages many landing craft and hampers further reinforcement.


This chronological study of the Second World War provides a comprehensive day-by-day account of WWII. While focused on the military history of the war, with an emphasis on the battles and campaigns fought, the timeline includes social and political history as well. Some Holocaust related events are already recorded and additional updates are pending. In so far as possible, the images included in this presentation are pictures from the given days. Additional information and images are welcome through the feedback form found on the index.