WHAT ALL HAPPENED JANUARY TO JUNE 1944
Find out what all happened January to June 1944

World War II: During the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, U.S. Army and Marine forces seize Kwajalein Atoll from the defending Japanese garrison. (3. February 1944)

World War II: In an event later dramatized in the movie The Great Escape, 76 Allied prisoners of war begin breaking out of the German camp Stalag Luft III. (24. March 1944)

World War II: Top Ace Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington is shot down in his Vought F4U Corsair by Captain Masajiro Kawato flying a Mitsubishi A6M Zero. (3. January 1944)

World War II: During the Anzio campaign the 1st Ranger Battalion (Darby's Rangers) is destroyed behind enemy lines in a heavily outnumbered encounter at Battle of Cisterna, Italy. (31. January 1944)

American paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division secure the town of Carentan. (12. June 1944)

World War II: The steamer Danae, carrying 350 Cretan Jews and 250 Cretan partisans, sunk without survivors off the shore of Santorini. (7. June 1944)

World War II: 270 inhabitants of the Greek town of Kleisoura are executed by the Germans. (5. April 1944)

Heinrich Kreipe is captured by Allied commandos in occupied Crete. (26. April 1944)

World War II: The Allies begin a major offensive against the Axis Powers on the Gustav Line. (11. May 1944)

Allied forces start bombing Belgrade, killing about 1,100 people. This bombing fell on the Orthodox Christian Easter. (16. April 1944)

World War II: After several failed attempts, the British Army abandons Operation Perch, its plan to capture the German-occupied town of Caen. (14. June 1944)

Opening day of the Soviet Union's Operation Bagration against the Army Group Centre. (22. June 1944)

World War II: The Battle of Tali-Ihantala, the largest battle ever fought in the Nordic Countries, begins. (25. June 1944)

World War II: Battle of Normandy – At Abbey Ardennes, members of the SS Division Hitlerjugend massacred 23 Canadian prisoners of war. (7. June 1944)

World War II: Operation Carpetbagger, involving the dropping of arms and supplies to resistance fighters in Europe, begins. (4. January 1944)

The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts a jazz concert for the first time. The performers are Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden. (18. January 1944)

World War II: The Allies commence Operation Shingle, an assault on Anzio, Italy. (22. January 1944)

Diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the Soviet Union are established. (13. April 1944)

World War II: The Narva Offensive begins. (15. February 1944)

World War II: Soviet Army planes attack Tallinn, Estonia. (9. March 1944)