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 On the Eastern Front... The surviving German defenders of the Konigsberg fortress surrender to the Red Army forces. Some of the German troops in East Prussia continue to resist in the Samland Peninsula.
On the Western Front... In the attacks against the Ruhr pocket, US 9th Army units penetrate into Essen and reach the famous Krupp factories. Other British and American units, including some more from US 9th Army, are advancing near the Leine River to the east.
In Italy... The Allied spring offensive begins with attacks by British 8th Army (General McCreery). Initially, the Polish 2nd Corps advances along Route 9 toward Imola supported by British 5th and 10th Corps the right and left flanks. The objectives of the offensive include Ferrara and Bologna while the US 5th Army, which is scheduled to begin operations on April 14th, is to strike at Bologna and past Modena to the Po River.
In Liberated Italy... A Liberty ship loaded with aircraft
bombs blows up in Bari harbor killing 360 and injuring 1730.
Over Germany... In a British RAF attack on German navy ships
in Kiel, during the night, the Admiral Scheer capsizes, while the
Admiral Hipper and Emden are damaged beyond repair. During
the day, the US 8th Air Force targets jet fighter bases in the area of
Munich. In Germany... Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Admiral
Canaris (former chief of the Abwehr) and Major General Oster are
hanged at the Flossenburg Concentration Camp.
In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, there are unsuccessful attacks by US 24th Corps around Kakazu along the Japanese held Shuri Line. At sea there are less intense Kamikaze attacks. However, in two days of the Japanese suicide strikes have badly damaged 3 destroyers and 2 other ships.
In the Philippines... In the Sulu Archipelago, the US 163rd Infantry Regiment, of US 41st Division, lands on Jolo. There is no Japanese resistance. Other 41st Division units land on Busuanga in the Calamian group.
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