April 1
Pacific, Okinawa
Operation Iceberg, the US invasion of the island, commences. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas, has assigned Vice Admiral Richmond Turner as commander of the amphibious forces and Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher as commander of the fast carrier forces. The US Tenth Army is led by Lieutenant General Simon B. Buckner, and comprises 183,000 men.

The island, only 325 miles (520 km) from Japan, has two airfields on the western side and two partially-protected bays on the east coast - an excellent springboard for the proposed invasion of the Japanese mainland.

The amphibious landing by the US II Amphibious Corps and XXIV Corps is virtually unopposed. The Japanese commander, Major General Mitsuru Ushijima, has withdrawn his 80,000 men behind Shuri, where he has built a major defensive line.

The US II Amphibious Corps pours ashore on Okinawa. By the end of the first day, 50,000 troops had been landed

April 2-3
Western Front, Germany
Units of the US First and Third Armies meet at Lippstadt to complete the encirclement of the economically-important Ruhr region.

April 4
Western Front, Holland
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group begins its offensive to liberate Holland and sweep across northern Germany. As food stocks in Holland are low, this operation is important as the Dutch postwar political attitude toward the Allies will depend on the speed of liberation.

April 5
Politics, Czechoslovakia
At Kosice, the National Front government of Czechs and Slovaks announces its program and proclaims the democratic principles of the Czech Republic. Stating that the liberation of the country is the first priority, it calls on the population to undertake a broad and active struggle against the Germans.

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