Air War: World War II Timeline
Explore 8 dated records related to air war between 1938 and 1946.
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.
- — Battle of Britain — The Luftwaffe begins a major air campaign against Britain.
- — Beginning of the London Blitz — German aircraft begin a series of mass raids on London.
- — Doolittle Raid — American bombers carry out the first US air strike on the Japanese home islands.
- — First British Thousand-Bomber Raid on Cologne — In 1942, RAF Bomber Command intensified strategic air attacks on Germany's industrial cities.
- — Bombing of Dresden — British and American aircraft carry out mass air raids on the German city of Dresden.
- — Firebombing of Tokyo — During the night of 9–10 March, American bombers carry out a devastating incendiary attack on Tokyo.
- — Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima — The United States drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city, killing large numbers of civilians.
- — Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki — A second American atomic bomb strikes the Japanese city.
For wider context, explore the interactive historical timeline and compare events across theaters.