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Today in World War II History

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Today in World War II History—June 22, 1940 & 1945

Monday, June 22, 2020 by Sarah Sundin
Gen. Wilhelm Keitel accepting the French surrender from Gen. Charles Huntziger, Compiègne, France, 22 Jun 1940 (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1982-089-18)

Gen. Wilhelm Keitel accepting the French surrender from Gen. Charles Huntziger, Compiègne, France, 22 Jun 1940 (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1982-089-18)

80 Years Ago—June 22, 1940: France signs armistice with Germany at Compiègne, splitting into a Nazi-occupied zone in the north and a “free” zone in the south, based in Vichy.

In Japan, Prince Konoye Fumimora forms a new cabinet with Hideki Tojo as Minister of War.

Raising the US flag on Okinawa, Japan, 22 Jun 1945 (US Army photo)

Raising the US flag on Okinawa, Japan, 22 Jun 1945 (US Army photo)

75 Years Ago—June 22, 1945: Battle for Okinawa officially ends at a high cost—12,520 Americans killed, 110,000 Japanese killed, plus thousands of civilians who committed suicide.

During the Okinawa campaign, the US Navy took its heaviest losses of the war with 36 vessels sunk and 4907 killed. In addition, the US lost 763 planes and the Japanese lost 7800.

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