February 1-9
Pacific, Guadalcanal
Japanese Navy warships evacuate 13,000 troops in night operations from the island. Their abandonment of Guadalcanal marks the first major land defeat of Japan. The Japanese have lost 10,000 men killed; the Americans some 1600.

February 2
Eastern Front, Caucasus
The siege of Stalingrad ends: Field Marshal Friedrich von Paulus and 93,000 German troops surrender. The Sixth Army has finally collapsed under the strain of supply shortages and constant attacks masterminded by Marshal Georgi Zhukov.

February 4
Air War, France
British and US bombers launch Operation Gondola with a series of raids aimed at destroying U-boats in the Bay of Biscay. Bombers use immensely powerful searchlights to illuminate submarines during attacks.

February 8
Eastern Front, Ukraine
In their continuing offensive Soviet forces take the city of Kursk, which will be the site of a major battle.

February 9
Sea War, Mediterranean
An Axis convoy carrying reinforcements to Tunisia leaves Italy. Malta-based Allied aircraft sink 10 vessels between February 9 and March 22. Minefields and British submarines also destroy several of the ships.

February 12-14
Eastern Front, Caucasus
The Soviets capture Krasnodar on the 12th and Rostov on the Don River two days later.

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