Chronology of World War II
Red Army occupies Vienna
Friday, April 13, 1945 www.onwar.com

On the Eastern Front... Vienna falls to Soviet troops of 3rd Ukrainian Front after heavy fighting.

On the Western Front... The Nazi concentration camps at Belsen and Buchenwald are liberated by British and American forces respectively. Jena is captured by US 3rd Army units. To the south, US 7th Army forces take Bamberg.

In Italy... New Zealander troops capture Massa Lombarda, southwest of  Lake Comacchio.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, elements of the US 6th Marine Division not engaged on the Motobu Peninsula continue to advance up the west coast of the island and reach the northwest tip at Hedo Point. Japanese Kamikaze attacks hit a destroyer. British carriers attack Sakashima Gunto.

In the Philippines... In Manila Bay, American forces land on Fort Drum, known as "the Concrete Battleship", and begin to pour 5,000 gallons of oil fuel into the fortifications. This is then set on fire and burns for five days, eliminating the Japanese garrison.

Over Japan... Some 327 American B-29 Superfortress bombers attack Tokyo during the night, dropping some 2139 tons of incendiaries. The nominal target area is the arms manufacturing district.

In Santiago... The government of Chile declares war on Japan.


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.