World War II Timeline: April 1945

A dated guide to 6 documented events in April 1945, with links to individual historical records.

Dated historical records

Entries below follow the dates recorded in the WWII CHRONOS archive. Each linked title opens the original historical entry, including its source reference.

1. 1945-04-01 — Battle of Okinawa — American landings on Okinawa begin a prolonged battle.
2. 1945-04-12 — Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt — The US president dies during the final campaigns of the Second World War.
3. 1945-04-16 — Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation — Soviet forces begin the final offensive on the capital of Nazi Germany.
4. 1945-04-25 — Meeting on the Elbe — American and Soviet troops meet near Torgau.
5. 1945-04-25 — San Francisco Conference Opens — Delegates begin discussing the Charter of the United Nations.
6. 1945-04-30 — Suicide of Adolf Hitler — Adolf Hitler dies in Berlin as the Nazi regime collapses.

For wider context, explore the interactive historical timeline and compare events across theaters.