March 19
1940 – The first strong condemnation from an official representative of the United States government came from the US Ambassador in Canada, James Cromwell, he declares that Hitler's Germany is openly trying to destroy the social and economic order on which government of the USA is based.
----- As a reprisal for the German attack on Scapa Flow on 14 October 1939, 50 RAF bombers raid the German seaplane base at Hornum on the island of Sylt.
1941 – London has one of the heaviest night raids since the beginning of the war.
----- Admiral Weichold, representative of the German Navy at the Italian supreme command headquarters in Rome, sends a letter to the Chief of Staff of the Italian navy. Admiral Arturp Riccardi, suggesting that the Italians should attack in force in the eastern Mediterranean; he has learned that in the British Naval base at Alexandria only one battleship, the Valiant, is war ready.
----- The German issue what amounts to an ultimatum to Yugoslavia, giving them only five days to decide about the demands made by Hitler to Prince Paul on 4 March.
1942 – British General WilliamSlim arrives to assume command of the British troops, now regrouped to form the 1 Burma Corps.
----- In the Sittang Valley, the Japanese advance on Toyngoo, which is defended by the Chinese 200th Division.
----- Eastern Front; Russian pressure in the aentral and southern sectors continues.
----- Northern sectors, Army Group North launches a vigorous counter-attack to relieve the II Corps of the 16th Army from encirclement in the area of Kholm and Staraya Russia.
1943 – Eastern Front; After the recapturing of Kharkov the Raus Corps of the German Army Group South also retakes Belgorak. This group is now practically back to it's winter positions of 1941.
----- Immediately north of Belogord the Russians have opened up a wide salient in the German front west of Kursk. The elimination of thissalient [operation citadel] is to be for several months the object of one of the most epic battles in history.
----- Tunisia; The New Zealand Corps advances inexorably towards the Tebaga Gap.
1944 – Eastern Front; In the central sector, German focrces are surrounded by the Russians north of the Pripet marshes.
----- Troops of the 2nd Ukraine reach the Dniestr and begin to cross.
----- North-west of Konev's forces the German strongpoint of Mogilev-Podolsky is taken by Soviet divisions converging from the north-east and south-east.
----- In the Dubno region the Germans are forced to evacuate Kremenech.
----- Hungary; German troops cross the Hungarian frontier, the surprise operation, code named Margarete I, is to ensure Hungary's continued allegiance and exploit it's resources, including the small oilfields.
----- Signs show the Rumania is about to collapse in the face of the Russian advance, and the BBC warns the Rumanian people that the hour of defeat is about to strike.
----- Italian Front In the Monte Cassino sector a German counter-attack fails to capture Height 193, but the Allied advance slows down. Fighting has been ferocious, but both sides agree to a two hour truce, to allow the dead and wounded to be carried off the battlefield, in a sign of ancient chivalry. Allies even lend stretchers to the Germans and give chocolate to wounded men and stretcher-bearers.
----- Admirality Islands; US 8th Cavalry begins mop up of Manus Island.
----- New Guines; US destroyers repeat their shelling of the Japanese base at Wewak. The japanese convoy that had off loaded at Wewak, is surprised by US warships at Hollandia and destroyed by bombers and torpedo-aircraft of the US 5th Army Air Corps.
----- Burma; A detachment sent from the British and Chinese strongpoint at Fort Hertz occupies the village of Sumprabum.
----- The US 5307th Unit is ordered to block the road to Kamaing near Inkangahtawang.
----- 5th Indian Division moves by rail and air into the areas where Japanese pressure in strongest.
1945 – Western Front; Koblenz is taken by the US 87th Division.
----- The 90th Division launches it's offensive across the Nahe river near Mainz, while 4th Aroumerd Division makes rapid progress to reach Wendelshiem and Schimsheim.
----- South of the nahe river, 11th Armoured breaks through the last defences of the German 7th Army and starts to to pursue the enemy on the east bank of the Rhine.
----- The 76th Division extends it's bridgehead across the Moselle to allow the engineers to throw a bridge over the river Muhlheim.
----- XX Corps is adveancing rapidly toward the Rhine, whils units of the10thArmoured reach the neighborhood of Kaiserelautern.
----- The 80th Division takes Kusel and St. Wendel, while the 65th adds considerably to the Saarlautern bridgehead.
----- 70th Div. Crosses the river Saar in the area of
saarbrucken.
----- The army presists in it's offensive against the Siefried Line, in the area of the XV Corps, 45th Division, the village of Whenheim falls.
----- Berlin; Hitler orders that in the area of the Reich abandoned by the German army everything must be destroyed -dykes, power stations, mines, industrial plants, even food and clothing shops, the invaders must find nothing to sustain them. Among those opposed to this insane directive is Albert Spears, in charge of arms production. By arrangement with Guderian, Chief of Staff of the Wehmacht, he sabotages Hitler's order.
----- Phillippines; Luzon, 33rd Division occupies the town of Bauang, with it's bridge, and the offensive against the Shinbu Linew continues.
----- Burma; Indian 19th Division follow up on attacks against Fort Dufferin, and powerful air bombardment opens a gap in it's walls.
Gen. Frank Merrill on left and Gen. Stilwell on right
Troops crossing Moselle to set-up beachhead;
Pontoon bridges for troop and equipment crossings;