By March 1945, the end of World War II was no longer a question of if but when. In the European theater, Germany launched its last major offensive maneuvers on the Eastern Front with Operation Spring Awakening. At the same time, Allied forces expanded offensive operations across the European and Pacific theaters, steadily dismantling what remained of Germany’s defenses and breaking down Japanese morale.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin met in February 1945 at the Black Sea resort town of Yalta in Crimea to make decisions regarding the future of the war. Although German’s defeat in Europe appeared imminent, the outcome in the Pacific theater was less certain. Key decisions of the Yalta Conference included the following:
- The Soviet Union agreed to enter the war against Japan. In exchange, the Soviets would receive a “sphere of influence” in Manchuria after the Japanese surrender.
- The leaders accepted the inclusion of Communists in the postwar Polish national government.
- They finalized voting procedures in the United Nations Security Council, establishing five permanent members with the inclusion of France, each with veto power over any decision set before the Security Council.
Additionally, the leaders agreed to encourage future Eastern European governments that were “friendly” to the Soviet regime and to allow free elections in all territories liberated from Nazi Germany. The spirit of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union would be short-lived, however. Roosevelt’s death in April 1945 ushered in the Harry S. Truman presidency, whose administration began to clash almost immediately with the Soviet Union.
The last major German offensive of the war, Operation Spring Awakening, began on March 6, 1945. Fighting raged through March 15 in western Hungary on the Eastern Front of the European theater. Adolf Hitler sought to destroy Soviet forces between Lake Balaton and the Danube and Drava Rivers, secure Hungarian oil deposits, and establish bridgeheads over the Danube with a plan to advance. But the offensive did not progress as the Germans hoped. On March 16, German forces began withdrawing, marking the end of Germany’s offensive operations in the war.
In the Pacific theater, Operation Meetinghouse commenced on March 9. For two days, American forces under the command of General Curtis LeMay carried out the deadliest air raid of the war over Tokyo. Napalm bombs destroyed nearly a quarter of Tokyo’s buildings, devastated almost 16 square miles, and killed over 100,000 civilians—more than the initial blast of either atomic bomb.
On March 7, Allied forces captured the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen and breached the Rhine River, bringing the war decisively to German soil. One day later, SS commander Karl Wolff, chief of staff to Heinrich Himmler, had opened secret cease-fire negotiations in Italy with Allen Dulles, chief of the Office of Strategic Services, for a surrender of German forces.
Adolf Hitler issued the “Nero Decree” on March 19, just one day before his last public appearance. The “Nero Decree” called for the destruction of all German infrastructure presumed in danger of falling to Allied forces. More than anything, it reflected Hitler’s recognition that Germany would inevitably lose the war.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific theater, the pivotal Battle of Iwo Jima drew to a close in late March. Fought from February 19 to March 26, 1945, the 36-day battle pitted U.S. forces against the Japanese defenders, both fighting for control of the island’s key airfields, which could serve as emergency landing strips for B-29 bombers and as a vital staging area for the invasion of Japan. The iconic photograph of the second flag-raising atop Mount Suribachi became a powerful and lasting symbol of American resolve and sacrifice. The battle resulted in over 26,000 American casualties and nearly 20,000 Japanese deaths, leaving few Japanese survivors by its conclusion.
By the end of March, plans were well underway for the U.S. 77th Infantry Division to land on Okinawa in preparation for a large-scale invasion of the Japanese islands. Though fierce fighting still lay ahead, both the Battle of Iwo Jima and the firebombing of Tokyo earlier in the month signaled a decisive shift in the Pacific theater. American forces began to believe more and more that victory was guaranteed both in Europe and in the Pacific.
Be sure to visit the Wright Museum of World War II when we open for the season on May 1 to learn more about the beginning of the end of World War II and what was happening on the home front during that time.
Until the Museum reopens, learn more about the events of March 1945 from the following sites. And be sure to check out our March trivia quiz featuring questions all about March 1945.
Information for this article was found on the following sites:
“Kamikazes! When Japanese Planes Attacked the U.S. Submarine Devilfish”
“Nazi Germany Surrenders: February 1945-May 1945”
“Operation Spring Awakening: Adolf Hitler’s Last WWII Offensive”
