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102-756: Before World War II , the Italian Royal Air Force Regia Aeronautica constructed a series of airfields in the Foggia area. They consisted of hard-surfaced runways and taxiways, concrete parking areas and permanent buildings for the support units and barracks. After the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces in September, 1943 these airfields were seized by the German Luftwaffe . While under Axis control,

204-659: A Neutrality Pact in April 1941, and Japan adopted the doctrine of Nanshin-ron , promoted by the Navy, which took its focus southward and eventually led to war with the United States and the Western Allies. In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming more aggressive. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria , again provoking little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler began pressing German claims on

306-578: A cautious French probe into the Saarland . The Western Allies also began a naval blockade of Germany , which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Atlantic . On 8 September, German troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw . The Polish counter-offensive to

408-524: A pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defences at Westerplatte . The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on 3 September, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany. During the Phoney War period, the alliance provided no direct military support to Poland, outside of

510-781: A pretext to worsen relations. On 29 August, Hitler demanded that a Polish plenipotentiary immediately travel to Berlin to negotiate the handover of Danzig , and to allow a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor in which the German minority would vote on secession. The Poles refused to comply with the German demands, and on the night of 30–31 August in a confrontational meeting with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson , Ribbentrop declared that Germany considered its claims rejected. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as

612-475: A secret protocol that defined German and Soviet "spheres of influence" (western Poland and Lithuania for Germany; eastern Poland , Finland, Estonia , Latvia and Bessarabia for the Soviet Union), and raised the question of continuing Polish independence. The pact neutralised the possibility of Soviet opposition to a campaign against Poland and assured that Germany would not have to face the prospect of

714-774: A similar pact and rejected ceding part of its territory to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, and was subsequently expelled from the League of Nations for this crime of aggression. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, Soviet military success during the Winter War was modest, and the Finno-Soviet war ended in March 1940 with some Finnish concessions of territory . In June 1940,

816-452: A temporary steel control tower. Six-man tents were used for billeting, lined up in rows with the orderly room and the mess hall at one end. There was one dimly lit light bulb at the center of each tent. The tent floor was grass or more commonly dirt. Eventually, plywood was scavenged for flooring, wooden cots were used for beds, and ubiquitous 55-gallon drums were converted into stoves and other items. As many of these airfields were captured from

918-531: A two-front war, as it had in World War   I. Immediately afterwards, Hitler ordered the attack to proceed on 26 August, but upon hearing that the United Kingdom had concluded a formal mutual assistance pact with Poland and that Italy would maintain neutrality, he decided to delay it. In response to British requests for direct negotiations to avoid war, Germany made demands on Poland, which served as

1020-711: Is agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence, faint scarring of land shows remains of main runway, taxiways and hardstands visible in aerial photography. Abandoned German fighter base, was located approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) west-northwest of Foggia , 41°33′4″N 015°33′32″E  /  41.55111°N 15.55889°E  / 41.55111; 15.55889 Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE in early 1944 with one 6,000-foot-long PSP runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened 15 February 1944. Last combat operations flown in late April 1945. Closed October 1945. Today

1122-405: Is agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence, very faint scarring of land shows remains of main runway, taxiways and hardstands visible in aerial photography. Abandoned, was located 6-miles west of Cerignola , 41°14′32.42″N 015°48′18.90″E  /  41.2423389°N 15.8052500°E  / 41.2423389; 15.8052500 note: airfield name is not listed in

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1224-951: Is agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence. Almost no evidence of its visibility on aerial photography, however light land scarring of location of main runway is still faintly visible in aerial photography. Abandoned, was located approximately 22 km (14 mi) east-southeast of Campomarino . Airfield was 150" x 5,500" of PSP with 43 hardstands 41°51′48″N 015°18′41″E  /  41.86333°N 15.31139°E  / 41.86333; 15.31139 . Temporary airfield used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force fighter units. Built by COE in early in 1944 with single main PSP runway, with large parking area for aircraft. Possibly steel control tower, and large containment area for personnel. Supported numerous fighter groups during 1944 and 1945, with last combat operations flown in September 1945 and closed and dismantled soon afterwards. Today

1326-576: Is agricultural area with very clear existence in aerial photography of area. World War II Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers . Nearly all the world's countries —including all

1428-781: Is an agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence, however light evidence of land scarring still is visible in aerial photography. Located approximately 55 km (34 mi) southeast of Campomarino , on the Adriatic coast. Airfield was 150 x 6,000" of PSP with 85 hardstands 41°55′22″N 015°04′31″E  /  41.92278°N 15.07528°E  / 41.92278; 15.07528 . Temporary airfield used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force fighter groups beginning in November 1943 until end of war. Built by COE with PSP runway (possibly two) with parking area and possible blister hangars. Closed in May 1945 and dismantled. Today

1530-817: Is for San Giovanni, which is indeed visible in aerial photography. Now Foggia-Gino Lisa Airport ( Italian : Aeroporto di Foggia ) ( IATA : FOG , ICAO : LIBF ) Located approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Foggia . 41°26′15″N 015°32′15″E  /  41.43750°N 15.53750°E  / 41.43750; 15.53750 Captured Regia Aeronautica airfield used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force as both operational airfield and as major command and control headquarters. Elevation 243', runway direction NNW ~ SSE, 400 x 6,000" sod & earth, 41 hardstands on compacted gravel. Open dispersal on east taxiway. Vacated February 1946 and turned over to Allied Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI). Today commercial airport. Abandoned,

1632-848: Is in agricultural area with little or no evidence of its existence. Former main runway now used as agricultural road. Abandoned, was located approximately 13 km (8.1 mi) west-northwest of Foggia , 41°29′52.72″N 015°25′10″E  /  41.4979778°N 15.41944°E  / 41.4979778; 15.41944 Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE beginning in late 1943. One PSP runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened early February 1944. Supported B-17 Flying Fortress operations as well as command and control headquarters. Last combat operations flown in late April 1945. Was home of P-51 Mustang equipped 332d Fighter Group " Tuskegee Airmen " while awaiting return to United States after war ended. Closed October 1945. Today it

1734-1322: Is in use as small private airfield, supporting operations of light general aviation aircraft. Remains of wartime runways visible although not in use. Abandoned, was located approximately 5 miles south of Cerignola -10 miles west of Canosa. Field was 100" x 6,000" of PSP and Gravel with 62 hardstands, secondary runway was all weather 100 x 6,000" with an additional 62 hardstands 41°08′30″N 015°55′20″E  /  41.14167°N 15.92222°E  / 41.14167; 15.92222 . Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE in early 1944. Single (possibly double) PSP main runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened March 1944. Very large and expansive facility used by two heavy bomb groups, composed of six operational squadrons. Capacity for approximately 150 heavy bombers with large support facilities with blister hangars as well as wooden structures. Airfield remained in operation until end of war, closing in July 1945. Abandoned and land returned to agricultural use. Faint scarring of land still visible from former airfield use visible on aerial photography, however little or no physical evidence on ground of existence. Abandoned, Ramitelli Airfield

1836-415: Is located .75-miles north from the field at 41°54′27″N 015°06′27″E  /  41.90750°N 15.10750°E  / 41.90750; 15.10750 . Abandoned. Field was 150" x 6,000" of grass with 54 hardstands 41°37′00″N 015°23′00″E  /  41.61667°N 15.38333°E  / 41.61667; 15.38333 . Abandoned, was located approximately 3.5 miles north of Foggia . Field

1938-1582: Is still used by the Italian Air Force ( Aeronautica Militare ). The airfield complex consisted of the following major airfields. In addition, there were numerous auxiliary landing airstrips not listed. Now Amendola Air Base ( ICAO : LIBA ) Located approximately 16 km (9.9 mi) northeast of Foggia . 41°32′29.98″N 015°42′44.92″E  /  41.5416611°N 15.7124778°E  / 41.5416611; 15.7124778 Captured Regia Aeronautica airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force, primarily for heavy bombardment units. Repaired by COE in September 1943 and put into use immediately. Last USAAF unit left in March 1946 and airfield turned over to Allied Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI). Today Italian Air Force ( Aeronautica Militare ) air base. Extensive remains of wartime use visible in aerial photography. Now Bari International Airport ( Italian : Aeroporto di Bari ) ( IATA : BRI , ICAO : LIBD ) Located approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Bari . 41°08′19.41″N 016°45′41.24″E  /  41.1387250°N 16.7614556°E  / 41.1387250; 16.7614556 Captured Regia Aeronautica airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force as command and control facility, using airfield for reconnaissance and liaison units. Last USAAF unit left in September 1945 and airfield turned over to Allied Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI). Military airfield until

2040-513: The Adriatic Sea , with numerous headquarters being assigned. In addition to the captured airfields, several temporary and semi-permanent airfields were constructed for operations by both Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force and RAF units. These airfields, by and large, consisted of grass or Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runways and parking and dispersal areas, with support structures quickly constructed out of wood or tents, along with (if needed)

2142-604: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement and the German–Polish declaration of non-aggression . The situation became a crisis in late August as German troops continued to mobilise against the Polish border. On 23 August the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, after tripartite negotiations for a military alliance between France, the United Kingdom, and Soviet Union had stalled. This pact had

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2244-689: The British Empire , with fighting in the Balkans , Mediterranean, and Middle East , the aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz , and naval Battle of the Atlantic . Through a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany took control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy , Japan , and other countries. In June 1941, Germany led the European Axis in an invasion of

2346-581: The German Revolution of 1918–1919 , and a democratic government, later known as the Weimar Republic , was created. The interwar period saw strife between supporters of the new republic and hardline opponents on both the political right and left. Italy, as an Entente ally, had made some post-war territorial gains; however, Italian nationalists were angered that the promises made by the United Kingdom and France to secure Italian entrance into

2448-853: The German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France 's declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939. Dates for the beginning of the Pacific War include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria , on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor , who stated that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously, and

2550-807: The Italian Armistice in September. As by this point the Italian Kingdom had defected from the Axis and had declared war on Germany, the ACI pilots flew for the Allies . A small part of the Italian Royal Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica ) remained under German control. This was known as the National Republican Air Force ( Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana , or ANR), ostensibly part of the forces of Benito Mussolini 's Fascist state in northern Italy,

2652-593: The Italian Social Republic ( Repubblica Sociale Italiana ). The ANR pilots flew with the Axis . By the end of 1943, 281 Italian warplanes had landed at Allied airfields, but most were no longer useful for combat. The crews of these aircraft were re-equipped with Allied aircraft and engaged in transport, escort, reconnaissance, sea rescue, and limited tactical ground support operations flying 11,000 missions from 1943 to 1945. The ACI never operated over Italian territory, its objectives being always in

2754-576: The Italian mainland , and Allied offensives in the Pacific—cost the Axis powers their initiative and forced them into strategic retreat on all fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France at Normandy , while the Soviet Union regained its territorial losses and pushed Germany and its allies westward. At the same time, Japan suffered reversals in mainland Asia, while the Allies crippled

2856-553: The Japanese Navy and captured key islands . The war in Europe concluded with the liberation of German-occupied territories ; the invasion of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops; Hitler's suicide ; and the German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following the refusal of Japan to surrender on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration ,

2958-695: The League of Nations as a force to preserve peace. Both Italy and Ethiopia were member nations, but the League did little when the former clearly violated Article X of the League's Covenant . The United Kingdom and France supported imposing sanctions on Italy for the invasion, but the sanctions were not fully enforced and failed to end the Italian invasion. Italy subsequently dropped its objections to Germany's goal of absorbing Austria . When civil war broke out in Spain, Hitler and Mussolini lent military support to

3060-731: The Nationalist rebels , led by General Francisco Franco . Italy supported the Nationalists to a greater extent than the Nazis: Mussolini sent more than 70,000 ground troops, 6,000 aviation personnel, and 720 aircraft to Spain. The Soviet Union supported the existing government of the Spanish Republic . More than 30,000 foreign volunteers, known as the International Brigades , also fought against

3162-690: The Rome–Berlin Axis . A month later, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact , which Italy joined the following year. The Kuomintang (KMT) party in China launched a unification campaign against regional warlords and nominally unified China in the mid-1920s, but was soon embroiled in a civil war against its former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allies and new regional warlords . In 1931, an increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan , which had long sought influence in China as

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3264-590: The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. By contrast, the Germans were steadily making preparations for an attack on the Soviet Union, massing forces on the Soviet border. Hitler believed that the United Kingdom's refusal to end the war was based on the hope that the United States and the Soviet Union would enter the war against Germany sooner or later. On 31 July 1940, Hitler decided that

3366-598: The Stresa Front in April 1935 in order to contain Germany, a key step towards military globalisation ; however, that June, the United Kingdom made an independent naval agreement with Germany, easing prior restrictions. The Soviet Union, concerned by Germany's goals of capturing vast areas of Eastern Europe , drafted a treaty of mutual assistance with France. Before taking effect, though, the Franco-Soviet pact

3468-709: The Sudetenland , an area of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. Soon the United Kingdom and France followed the appeasement policy of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and conceded this territory to Germany in the Munich Agreement , which was made against the wishes of the Czechoslovak government, in exchange for a promise of no further territorial demands. Soon afterwards, Germany and Italy forced Czechoslovakia to cede additional territory to Hungary, and Poland annexed

3570-658: The Tanggu Truce was signed in 1933. Thereafter, Chinese volunteer forces continued the resistance to Japanese aggression in Manchuria , and Chahar and Suiyuan . After the 1936 Xi'an Incident , the Kuomintang and CCP forces agreed on a ceasefire to present a united front to oppose Japan. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a brief colonial war that began in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war began with

3672-579: The Trans-Olza region of Czechoslovakia. Although all of Germany's stated demands had been satisfied by the agreement, privately Hitler was furious that British interference had prevented him from seizing all of Czechoslovakia in one operation. In subsequent speeches Hitler attacked British and Jewish "war-mongers" and in January 1939 secretly ordered a major build-up of the German navy to challenge British naval supremacy. In March 1939, Germany invaded

3774-558: The Treaty of Craiova . The loss of one-third of Romania's 1939 territory caused a coup against King Carol II, turning Romania into a fascist dictatorship under Marshal Ion Antonescu , with a course set towards the Axis in the hopes of a German guarantee. Meanwhile, German-Soviet political relations and economic co-operation gradually stalled, and both states began preparations for war. In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden , which

3876-749: The United Kingdom and France to declare war on Germany. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which they had agreed on " spheres of influence " in Eastern Europe. In 1940, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania . After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and

3978-709: The Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although they had to abandon almost all their equipment. On 10 June, Italy invaded France , declaring war on both France and

4080-451: The aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan . Key events leading up to the war included Japan's invasion of Manchuria , the Spanish Civil War , the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , and Germany's annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany , under Adolf Hitler , invaded Poland , prompting

4182-402: The great powers —participated, with many investing all available economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in pursuit of total war , blurring the distinction between military and civilian resources. Tanks and aircraft played major roles , with the latter enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and delivery of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II

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4284-404: The reunification of East and West Germany to take place and resolved most post–World War   II issues. No formal peace treaty between Japan and the Soviet Union was ever signed, although the state of war between the two countries was terminated by the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , which also restored full diplomatic relations between them. World War I had radically altered

4386-409: The Allies were attempting to cut off . Denmark capitulated after six hours , and despite Allied support , Norway was conquered within two months. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the resignation of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , who was replaced by Winston Churchill on 10   May 1940. On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France . To circumvent

4488-400: The Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania's case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union . In early June 1940, the Italian Regia Aeronautica attacked and besieged Malta , a British possession. From late summer to early autumn, Italy conquered British Somaliland and made an incursion into British-held Egypt . In October, Italy attacked Greece , but the attack

4590-421: The Blitz , but largely ended in May 1941 after failing to significantly disrupt the British war effort. Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy , using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic . The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27   May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck . In November 1939,

4692-572: The Corp of Engineering Plans dated 1 June 1944 - marked on Vesuvio, Italy Aeronautical chart dated 1 March 1945 Captured Regia Aeronautica airfields used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force for both heavy bombers and tactical fighters. Also major command and control headquarters. Opened late 1943 with combat operations commencing as soon as operationally capable. Last combat operations flown in mid 1944, used by 526th Air Service Group until July 1945 as support base. Closed afterwards. Very clear outline visible today in aerial photography. Correction There

4794-405: The European Axis declaring war on the US. Japan conquered much of coastal China and Southeast Asia , but its advances in the Pacific were halted in mid-1942 after its defeat in the naval Battle of Midway ; Germany and Italy were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Key setbacks in 1943—including German defeats on the Eastern Front, the Allied invasions of Sicily and

4896-410: The French possessions of Syria and Lebanon , assisted by the Free French . With the situation in Europe and Asia relatively stable, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union made preparations for war. With the Soviets wary of mounting tensions with Germany, and the Japanese planning to take advantage of the European War by seizing resource-rich European possessions in Southeast Asia , the two powers signed

4998-426: The Germans, and the last large operational unit of the Polish Army surrendered on 6   October . Despite the military defeat, Poland never surrendered; instead, it formed the Polish government-in-exile and a clandestine state apparatus remained in occupied Poland. A significant part of Polish military personnel evacuated to Romania and Latvia; many of them later fought against the Axis in other theatres of

5100-469: The Italians and Germans, wrecked enemy aircraft were a common sight, with metal from their fuselages and wings, glass and other useful parts finding their way into the support areas. By mid-1944, about two dozen airfields were in operation in the Foggia area supporting strategic bombing missions; escort missions; tactical fighter operations, reconnaissance and air defense missions. Albert Speer , Hitler's Minister for Armaments, declared: I could see omens of

5202-450: The Nationalists. Both Germany and the Soviet Union used this proxy war as an opportunity to test in combat their most advanced weapons and tactics. The Nationalists won the civil war in April 1939; Franco, now dictator, remained officially neutral during World War   II but generally favoured the Axis . His greatest collaboration with Germany was the sending of volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front . In July 1937, Japan captured

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5304-452: The Royal Navy putting three Italian battleships out of commission after a carrier attack at Taranto , and neutralising several more warships at the Battle of Cape Matapan . Italian defeats prompted Germany to deploy an expeditionary force to North Africa; at the end of March 1941, Rommel 's Afrika Korps launched an offensive which drove back Commonwealth forces. In less than a month, Axis forces advanced to western Egypt and besieged

5406-423: The Soviet Union occupied the entire territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the Romanian regions of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region . In August 1940, Hitler imposed the Second Vienna Award on Romania which led to the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. In September 1940, Bulgaria demanded Southern Dobruja from Romania with German and Italian support, leading to

5508-421: The Soviet Union , opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains. Japan aimed to dominate East Asia and the Asia-Pacific , and by 1937 was at war with the Republic of China . In December 1941, Japan attacked American and British territories in Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific , including Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , which resulted in the US and the UK declaring war against Japan, and

5610-418: The Soviet Union and Mongolia . The Japanese doctrine of Hokushin-ron , which emphasised Japan's expansion northward, was favoured by the Imperial Army during this time. This policy would prove difficult to maintain in light of the Japanese defeat at Khalkin Gol in 1939, the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and ally Nazi Germany pursuing neutrality with the Soviets. Japan and the Soviet Union eventually signed

5712-575: The Soviet Union should be eliminated and aimed for the conquest of Ukraine , the Baltic states and Byelorussia . However, other senior German officials like Ribbentrop saw an opportunity to create a Euro-Asian bloc against the British Empire by inviting the Soviet Union into the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940, negotiations took place to determine if the Soviet Union would join the pact. The Soviets showed some interest but asked for concessions from Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan that Germany considered unacceptable. On 18 December 1940, Hitler issued

5814-402: The US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August. Faced with an imminent invasion of the Japanese archipelago , the possibility of further atomic bombings, and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan and its invasion of Manchuria , Japan announced its unconditional surrender on 15 August and signed a surrender document on 2 September 1945 , marking

5916-424: The United Kingdom and France guaranteed their support for Polish independence ; when Italy conquered Albania in April 1939, the same guarantee was extended to the Kingdoms of Romania and Greece . Shortly after the Franco - British pledge to Poland, Germany and Italy formalised their own alliance with the Pact of Steel . Hitler accused the United Kingdom and Poland of trying to "encircle" Germany and renounced

6018-489: The United Kingdom attacked on 3   July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany. The air Battle of Britain began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours . The German campaign for air superiority started in August but its failure to defeat RAF Fighter Command forced the indefinite postponement of the proposed German invasion of Britain . The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in

6120-401: The United Kingdom. The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14   June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany ; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones , and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime , which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which

6222-473: The United States was assisting China and the Western Allies, and had amended the Neutrality Act to allow "cash and carry" purchases by the Allies. In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased . In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases . Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in

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6324-434: The Yellow River ; this manoeuvre bought time for the Chinese to prepare their defences at Wuhan , but the city was taken by October. Japanese military victories did not bring about the collapse of Chinese resistance that Japan had hoped to achieve; instead, the Chinese government relocated inland to Chongqing and continued the war. In the mid-to-late 1930s, Japanese forces in Manchukuo had sporadic border clashes with

6426-432: The airfields were heavily bombed by the U.S. Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force in 1943 before being seized by the British Eighth Army in October 1943 during the Italian Campaign . After the area was captured, the facilities were repaired by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE) to make them usable for heavy bomber operations by the new Fifteenth Air Force and the Royal Air Force . Weather in southern Italy

6528-405: The capital Nanking in December 1937. After the fall of Nanking, tens or hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants were murdered by the Japanese . In March 1938, Nationalist Chinese forces won their first major victory at Taierzhuang , but then the city of Xuzhou was taken by the Japanese in May. In June 1938, Chinese forces stalled the Japanese advance by flooding

6630-403: The conflict well into 1941. In December 1940, Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an " arsenal of democracy " and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of military and humanitarian aid to support the British war effort; Lend-Lease was later extended to the other Allies, including the Soviet Union after it

6732-410: The creation of a " New Roman Empire ". Adolf Hitler , after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, eventually became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933 when Paul von Hindenburg and the Reichstag appointed him. Following Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of Germany and abolished democracy, espousing a radical, racially motivated revision of

6834-432: The directive to prepare for an invasion of the Soviet Union. Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force ( Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana , or ACI ), or Air Force of the South ( Aeronautica del Sud ), was the air force of the Royalist " Badoglio government" in Southern Italy during the last years of World War II . The ACI was formed in Southern Italy in October 1943 after

6936-616: The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. To prevent a future world war, the League of Nations was established in 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference . The organisation's primary goals were to prevent armed conflict through collective security, military, and naval disarmament , as well as settling international disputes through peaceful negotiations and arbitration. Despite strong pacifist sentiment after World War   I , irredentist and revanchist nationalism had emerged in several European states. These sentiments were especially marked in Germany because of

7038-421: The end of May completed the German conquest of the Balkans. Partisan warfare subsequently broke out against the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia , which continued until the end of the war. In the Middle East in May, Commonwealth forces quashed an uprising in Iraq which had been supported by German aircraft from bases within Vichy-controlled Syria . Between June and July, British-led forces invaded and occupied

7140-409: The end of the war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the world, and it set the foundation of international relations for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent conflicts, with the victorious great powers—China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the US—becoming

7242-468: The first step of what its government saw as the country's right to rule Asia , staged the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade Manchuria and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo . China appealed to the League of Nations to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being condemned for its incursion into Manchuria. The two nations then fought several battles, in Shanghai , Rehe and Hebei , until

7344-920: The former Chinese imperial capital of Peking after instigating the Marco Polo Bridge incident , which culminated in the Japanese campaign to invade all of China. The Soviets quickly signed a non-aggression pact with China to lend materiel support, effectively ending China's prior cooperation with Germany . From September to November, the Japanese attacked Taiyuan , engaged the Kuomintang Army around Xinkou , and fought Communist forces in Pingxingguan . Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek deployed his best army to defend Shanghai , but after three months of fighting, Shanghai fell. The Japanese continued to push Chinese forces back, capturing

7446-646: The immediate area, and has erected memorials to "All airmen who flew from Biferno, Canne, Madna, Ramitelli, and Nuova airfields during World War II." Abandoned, was located approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Foggia , 41°19′11.69″N 015°32′40.71″E  /  41.3199139°N 15.5446417°E  / 41.3199139; 15.5446417 Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE in early 1944 with one PSP runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened 15 March 1944. Last combat operations flown in late April 1945. Closed August 1945. Today

7548-525: The invasion of the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia ) by the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regno d'Italia ), which was launched from Italian Somaliland and Eritrea . The war resulted in the military occupation of Ethiopia and its annexation into the newly created colony of Italian East Africa ( Africa Orientale Italiana , or AOI); in addition it exposed the weakness of

7650-412: The late 1960s when opened for civilian airline use. Today evidence of wartime use still visible in older military airfield area. Construction stopped and cancelled. Runway was to be 150' x 6000" with 62 hardstands 41°12′40″N 015°30′00″E  /  41.21111°N 15.50000°E  / 41.21111; 15.50000 Abandoned airfield The airfields runway was located almost on and parallel to

7752-626: The original hardstand parking bays. The old runway was made of PSP, many pieces of which are now used as garden seats and roofs of small sheds in the vicinity. The old headquarters can be seen, as well as possibly Officers mess building, now a two-storey building. Runway, taxiway composed of concrete reinforced with large limestone pebbles still showing near the start of old runway. Used by No. 241 Squadron RAF (Spitfires) December 1943 – May 1944 and afterwards by parts of Italian Co-belligerent Air Force, and Yugoslav Air Force until end of war. Campomarino council has now put up signs for all five of airfields in

7854-502: The permanent members of its security council . The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War . In the wake of European devastation, the influence of its great powers waned, triggering the decolonisation of Africa and Asia . Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery and expansion . World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939 with

7956-589: The political European map with the defeat of the Central Powers —including Austria-Hungary , Germany , Bulgaria , and the Ottoman Empire —and the 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia , which led to the founding of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the victorious Allies of World War I , such as France, Belgium, Italy, Romania, and Greece, gained territory, and new nation-states were created out of

8058-599: The port of Tobruk . By late March 1941, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact ; however, the Yugoslav government was overthrown two days later by pro-British nationalists. Germany and Italy responded with simultaneous invasions of both Yugoslavia and Greece , commencing on 6 April 1941; both nations were forced to surrender within the month. The airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete at

8160-722: The remainder of Czechoslovakia and subsequently split it into the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and a pro-German client state , the Slovak Republic . Hitler also delivered an ultimatum to Lithuania on 20 March 1939, forcing the concession of the Klaipėda Region , formerly the German Memelland . Greatly alarmed and with Hitler making further demands on the Free City of Danzig ,

8262-775: The shore. 41°58′00″N 015°2′55″E  /  41.96667°N 15.04861°E  / 41.96667; 15.04861 It was in use by the Balkan (Yugoslav), Desert (RAF), South African and 15th (US) Air Forces, as well as by the Italian Cobellligerent Air Force. completely swallowed-up by the rising Adriatic Sea Located approximately 2.2 miles South-east of Campomarino, 41°55′58″N 015°4′14″E  /  41.93278°N 15.07056°E  / 41.93278; 15.07056 mostly now agricultural land. Airfield named after grass plants still growing round field edges. The houses of Cianaluca have been built on

8364-410: The significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles . Under the treaty, Germany lost around 13 percent of its home territory and all its overseas possessions , while German annexation of other states was prohibited, reparations were imposed, and limits were placed on the size and capability of the country's armed forces . The German Empire was dissolved in

8466-498: The start or prelude to World War II. The exact date of the war's end also is not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 15 August 1945 ( V-J Day ), rather than with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945, which officially ended the war in Asia . A peace treaty between Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951. A 1990 treaty regarding Germany's future allowed

8568-593: The strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region, which was mistakenly perceived by the Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles. By successfully implementing new Blitzkrieg tactics,

8670-585: The two wars became World War II in 1941. Other proposed starting dates for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War   II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939. Others view the Spanish Civil War as

8772-513: The war were not fulfilled in the peace settlement. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy with a nationalist, totalitarian , and class collaborationist agenda that abolished representative democracy, repressed socialist, left-wing, and liberal forces, and pursued an aggressive expansionist foreign policy aimed at making Italy a world power, promising

8874-687: The war's end almost every day in the blue southern sky when, flying provocatively low, the bombers of the American Fifteenth Air Force crossed the Alps from their Italian bases to attack German Industrial targets. With the end of the war in May 1945, most of the airfields were abandoned and the land returned to the owners, or the Italian government. Today, most of the airfields are long since returned to agriculture, and little or no evidence remains of their use as wartime airfields. A few, however, still exist as commercial airports and one

8976-475: The war. Germany annexed western Poland and occupied central Poland ; the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland ; small shares of Polish territory were transferred to Lithuania and Slovakia . On 6 October, Hitler made a public peace overture to the United Kingdom and France but said that the future of Poland was to be determined exclusively by Germany and the Soviet Union. The proposal was rejected and Hitler ordered an immediate offensive against France, which

9078-512: The west halted the German advance for several days, but it was outflanked and encircled by the Wehrmacht . Remnants of the Polish army broke through to besieged Warsaw . On 17 September 1939, two days after signing a cease-fire with Japan , the Soviet Union invaded Poland under the supposed pretext that the Polish state had ceased to exist. On 27 September, the Warsaw garrison surrendered to

9180-707: The world order , and soon began a massive rearmament campaign . France, seeking to secure its alliance with Italy, allowed Italy a free hand in Ethiopia , which Italy desired as a colonial possession. The situation was aggravated in early 1935 when the Territory of the Saar Basin was legally reunited with Germany, and Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, accelerated his rearmament programme, and introduced conscription. The United Kingdom, France and Italy formed

9282-614: Was invaded by Germany. The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany. At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy, and Germany as the Axis powers . The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country—with the exception of the Soviet Union—that attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three. The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary , Slovakia , and Romania joined. Romania and Hungary later made major contributions to

9384-484: Was 450' x 6,000" grass with 100 hardstands 41°32′54″N 015°27′27″E  /  41.54833°N 15.45750°E  / 41.54833; 15.45750 Temporary airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force 1st Fighter Group. PSP runway with parking area. Built by COE in late 1943. Used by 1st FG until March 1945, closing in April 1945 and airfield dismantled. Today no evidence of existence visible on aerial photography, land completely returned to agricultural use. Abandoned,

9486-536: Was located 6 km (3.7 mi) northeast of Cerignola , 41°18′15″N 015°50′30″E  /  41.30417°N 15.84167°E  / 41.30417; 15.84167 Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE beginning in late 1943. One PSP runway NNW ~ SSE, 100 x 6,000 base of gravel and oiled subsurface; with extensive taxiway and 67 hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened January 1944. Supported B-24 Liberator operations, and airfield closed in late July 1945. Today

9588-710: Was located approximately 4 miles south-southeast of Campomarino , on the Adriatic coast. Airfield was 150 x 5,500 PSP over gravel with 43 hardstands 41°53′43″N 015°07′08″E  /  41.89528°N 15.11889°E  / 41.89528; 15.11889 . Temporary airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force 332d Fighter Group. PSP runway with parking area. Built by COE in early 1944. Used by 322d FG until end of war, used by 523d Air Service Group and 949th Air Engineering Squadron after May 1945, closing in October 1945 and airfield dismantled. Today no evidence of main runway visible on aerial photography, land completely returned to agricultural use. The original 332nd FG operations block

9690-407: Was located approximately 40 km (25 mi) north-northwest of Foggia , 41°42′45″N 015°25′48″E  /  41.71250°N 15.43000°E  / 41.71250; 15.43000 Temporary airfield used primarily by 31st FG and Reconnaissance units of 15th Air Force. Built by COE in late September 1943; last combat operations flown in March 1945. Airfield closed in September 1945. Today

9792-986: Was located approximately 9 km (5.6 mi) west-southwest of Cerignola , 41°14′21.90″N 015°48′06.57″E  /  41.2394167°N 15.8018250°E  / 41.2394167; 15.8018250 Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE in late 1943. Single (possibly double) PSP main runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened January 1944. Very large and expansive facility used by two heavy bomb groups, composed of eight operational squadrons. Capacity for approximately 150 heavy bombers with large support facilities to east of airfield with blister hangars as well as wooden structures. Airfield remained in operation until end of war, closing in October 1945. Abandoned and land returned to agricultural use. Faint scarring of land still visible from former airfield use visible on aerial photography, however little or no physical evidence on ground of existence. Abandoned,

9894-737: Was much better than in England where the Eighth Air Force was conducting daylight strategic bombing of Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany . Using the Foggia Airfield Complex for strategic bombing missions would allow Allied heavy bombers to attack targets in France , Germany , Austria and the Balkans which were inaccessible from England. In addition to the air forces, Foggia was a major Allied command center for ground forces in southern Italy and naval forces operating in

9996-505: Was no Cerignola airfield per se . Cerignola town hosted the headquarters of 304 Bomb Wing, a command unit, not an operational one. Cerignola here conflates four separate airfields located to the west of the town: San Giovanni, Giulia, Stornara and Torretta, listed separately below. The Bomb Groups under 304 Bomb Wing's command, operated out of San Giovanni, Giulia and Stornara. 301 Bomb Group operated temporarily out of Giulia, and 330 Wing RAF, temporarily out of Torretta. The grid reference given

10098-456: Was postponed until the spring of 1940 due to bad weather. After the outbreak of war in Poland, Stalin threatened Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania with military invasion, forcing the three Baltic countries to sign pacts allowing the creation of Soviet military bases in these countries; in October 1939, significant Soviet military contingents were moved there. Finland refused to sign

10200-827: Was repulsed with heavy Italian casualties; the campaign ended within months with minor territorial changes. To assist Italy and prevent Britain from gaining a foothold, Germany prepared to invade the Balkans, which would threaten Romanian oil fields and strike against British dominance of the Mediterranean. In December 1940, British Empire forces began counter-offensives against Italian forces in Egypt and Italian East Africa . The offensives were successful; by early February 1941, Italy had lost control of eastern Libya, and large numbers of Italian troops had been taken prisoner. The Italian Navy also suffered significant defeats, with

10302-673: Was required to go through the bureaucracy of the League of Nations, which rendered it essentially toothless. The United States, concerned with events in Europe and Asia, passed the Neutrality Act in August of the same year. Hitler defied the Versailles and Locarno Treaties by remilitarising the Rhineland in March 1936, encountering little opposition due to the policy of appeasement . In October 1936, Germany and Italy formed

10404-537: Was the deadliest conflict in history, resulting in 70 to 85 million deaths , more than half being civilians. Millions died in genocides , including the Holocaust of European Jews, as well as from massacres, starvation, and disease. Following the Allied powers' victory, Germany , Austria , Japan , and Korea were occupied, and war crimes tribunals were conducted against German and Japanese leaders . The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in

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