May 3
Politics, Japan
Admiral Soemu Toyoda is appointed commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet. He replaces Admiral Mineichi Koga, who has been killed in a plane crash on March 31.

May 9
Eastern Front, Crimea
The Soviet 4th Ukrainian Front liberates the port of Sebastopol. It is a crushing defeat for the German defenders, who have lost 100,000 men killed and captured during the fighting.

Infantry of the British 4th Division pick their way
through shattered streets during the advance
to the Rapido River in Italy

May 11-18
Italy, Cassino
The Allied 15th Army Group begins its offensive to outflank the monastery. On the 12th, the French Expeditionary Corps takes Monte Faito, but the Polish 5th Division fails to capture Colle Sant'Angelo. On the 13th, the French open the way to Rome, while the US II Corps takes Santa Maria Infante, and the British 4th Division begins to enlarge its bridgehead across the Rapido River.

On the 17th, the Germans evacuate the monastery at Monte Cassino because of the deep breakthroughs by the French Expeditionary Corps and the US II Corps. The next day, the Polish 12th Podolski Regiment storms the ruins of Monte Cassino.

May 18
Pacific, Admiralties
The last pockets of Japanese resistance on the islands have been crushed. This effectively isolates the main Japanese bases at Rabaul and Kavieng in the southwest Pacific.

MAY 19
Home Front, Germany
Following their recapture after a mass breakout from Stalag Luft III near Sagan, Silesia, 50 Allied airmen are shot by the Gestapo. Only three of the escaped prisoners - two Norwegians and a Dutchman - reach England.

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