This is a list of World War II battles encompassing land, naval, and air engagements as well as campaigns, military operations, and sieges. Campaigns generally refer to broader strategic operations conducted over a large area of territory and over a long period. Battles generally refer to short periods of intense combat localised to a specific area and over a specific period. However, use of the terms in naming such events is not consistent. For example, the Battle of the Atlantic was more or less an entire theatre of war, and the so-called battle lasted for the duration of the entire war.
Battles in 1939
Battles in 1940
Battles in 1941
Battles in 1942
Battles in 1943
Battles in 1944
Battles in 1945
African Front
Mediterranean Front
Western Front
Operation Blackout
Atlantic Ocean
Eastern Front
Battle of Vilya
Indian Ocean
Pacific Front
- Japanese attacks on the U.S. or U.S. unincorporated territories
- Attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941
- Niihau Incident
- Battle of Guam (1941) December 1941
- Battle of Wake Island December 1941
- Japanese occupation of Philippines: December 1941 â May 1942
- Japanese invasion of Batan Island December 1941
- Japanese invasion of Vigan December 1941
- Japanese invasion of Aparri December 1941
- Japanese invasion of Legazpi December 1941
- Japanese invasion of Davao December 1941
- Japanese invasion of Lingayen Gulf December 1941
- Japanese invasion of Lamon Bay December 1941
- Battle of Bataan (1942), JanuaryâÂÂApril 1942
- Battle of Corregidor: May 1942
- Bombardment of Ellwood February 1942
- Battle of Los Angeles February 1942
- Japanese occupation of Aleutian Islands
- Battle of Dutch Harbor: June 1942
- Japanese occupation of Kiska: June 1942
- Japanese occupation of Attu: June 1942
- Bombardment of Fort Stevens June 1942
- Lookout Air Raids September 1942
- Japanese occupation of Hong Kong December 1941
- Battle of Hong Kong
- Japanese occupation of Dutch East Indies: December 1941 â March 1942
- Battle of Borneo (1941âÂÂ42)
- Battle of Tarakan (1942)
- Battle of Balikpapan (1942)
- Battle of Manado (1942)
- Battle of Ambon (1942)
- Battle of Makassar Strait (1942)
- Fall of the Riau Islands (1942)
- Invasion of Sumatra (1942)
- Battle of Kalijati
- Battle of Kendari
- Battle of Leuwiliang
- Battle of Samarinda
- Battle of Banjarmasin
- Battle of Tjiater Pass
- Battle of Palembang (1942)
- Battle of Badung Strait (1942)
- Battle of Timor (1942âÂÂ43)
- Battle of the Java Sea (1942)
- Battle of Sunda Strait (1942)
- Battle of Java (1942)
- Second Battle of the Java Sea (1942)
- Japanese Invasion of Rabaul, JanuaryâÂÂFebruary 1942
- Battle of Port Moresby, February 1942 â August 1943
- Invasion of Buka and Bougainville, March â April 1942
- Japanese attacks on Australia: FebruaryâÂÂJune 1942
- Bombing of Darwin: February 1942
- Attack on Broome: March 1942
- Attack on Sydney Harbour: MayâÂÂJune 1942
- Raid on Darwin: May 1943
- Operation K : March 1942
- Japanese Invasion of SalamauaâÂÂLae, March 1942
- Raid on Heath's Farm July 1942
- Doolittle Raid : April 1942
- Japanese Invasion of Tulagi, May 1942
- Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942
- Battle of Midway, June 1942
- Japanese Invasion of Buna-Gona, July 1942
- Kokoda Track campaign, JulyâÂÂNovember 1942
- Battle of Kokoda
- Battle of Isurava, August 1942
- First Battle of Eora Creek â Templeton's Crossing, AugustâÂÂSeptember 1942
- Battle of Mission Ridge â Brigade Hill,
- Battle of Ioribaiwa, September 1942
- Second Battle of Eora Creek â Templeton's Crossing, October 1942
- Battle of OiviâÂÂGorari, November 1942
- Japanese occupation of Nauru August 1942
- Battle of Milne Bay, AugustâÂÂSeptember 1942
- Guadalcanal Campaign: August 1942 â February 1943
- Battle of Tulagi and GavutuâÂÂTanambogo, August 1942
- Battle of Savo Island, August 1942
- Makin Island raid, August 1942
- Battle of the Tenaru: August 1942
- Battle of the Eastern Solomons, August 1942
- Battle of Edson's Ridge: September 1942
- Actions along the Matanikau: SeptemberâÂÂOctober 1942
- Battle of Cape Esperance, October 1942
- Battle for Henderson Field: October 1942
- Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, October 1942
- Matanikau Offensive: November 1942
- Koli Point action: November 1942
- Carlson's Patrol: NovemberâÂÂDecember 1942
- Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. November 1942
- Battle of Tassafaronga, November 1942
- Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse: December 1942
- Operation Ke: January â February 1943
- Battle of Rennell Island: January 1943
- New Guinea campaign: October 1942 â August 1945
- Battle of Goodenough Island, October 1942
- Battle of BunaâÂÂGona, November 1942 â January 1943
- Battle of Wau, January 1943
- Battle of the Bismarck Sea, March 1943
- SalamauaâÂÂLae campaign, AprilâÂÂSeptember 1943
- Battle of Mubo, AprilâÂÂJuly 1943
- Battle of Bobdubi, AprilâÂÂAugust 1943
- Battle of Lababia Ridge, June 1943
- Landing at Nassau Bay, JuneâÂÂJuly 1943
- Battle of Roosevelt Ridge, JulyâÂÂAugust 1943
- Battle of Mount Tambu, JulyâÂÂAugust 1943
- Landing at Lae, September 1943
- Landing at Nadzab, September 1943
- Finisterre Range campaign, September 1943 â April 1944
- Battle of Kaiapit September 1943
- Battle of Dumpu September â October 1943
- Battle of John's KnollâÂÂTrevor's Ridge October 1943
- Battle of the Pimple December 1943
- Battle of Shaggy Ridge January 1944
- Battle of Madang, FebruaryâÂÂApril 1944
- Huon Peninsula campaign, September 1943 â March 1944
- Landing at Scarlet Beach, SeptemberâÂÂOctober 1943
- Battle of Finschhafen, SeptemberâÂÂOctober 1943
- Battle of Sattelberg, November 1943
- Battle of Wareo, NovemberâÂÂDecember 1943
- Landing on Long Island, December 1943
- Battle of Sio, December 1943March 1944
- Landing at Saidor, JanuaryâÂÂFebruary 1944
- Landing on Emirau, March 1944
- Bombing of Wewak
- Operation Vengeance, April 1943
- Bougainville Campaign, November 1943 â August 1945
- Battle of Koromokina Lagoon November 1943
- Landings at Cape Torokina November 1943
- Battle of Piva Forks November 1943
- Battle for Piva Trail November 1943
- Battle of the Coconut Grove November 1943
- Raid on Koiari November 1943
- Battle of Hellzapoppin Ridge and Hill 600A December 1943
- Neutralisation of Rabaul January-February 1944
- Torokina Airfield March 1944
- Piva Airfield March 1944
- Battle of the Green Islands February 1944
- Bougainville counterattack March 1944
- Battle of the Perimeter March 1944
- Battle of Pearl Ridge, December 1944
- Battle of Tsimba Ridge January â February 1945
- Battle of Slater's Knoll, March â April 1945
- Battle of the Hongorai River May â June 1945
- Battle of Porton Plantation June 1945
- Battle of Ratsua June â August 1945
- New Britain campaign, December 1943 â August 1945
- Bombing of Rabaul November 1943
- Battle of Arawe December 1943 - February 1944
- Battle of Cape Gloucester: December 1943 â April 1944
- Battle of Karavia Bay, February 1944
- Battle of Talasea March 1944
- Landing at Jacquinot Bay November 1944
- Battle of Wide BayâÂÂOpen Bay December 1944 - April 1945
- Admiralty Islands campaign, FebruaryâÂÂMay 1944
- Western New Guinea campaign, April 1944 â August 1945
- Landing at Aitape Apri-May 1944
- Battle of Hollandia April-June 1944
- Battle of Wakde May 1944
- Battle of Lone Tree Hill May-September 1944
- Battle of Biak May-August 1944
- Battle of Noemfoor July-August 1944
- Battle of Driniumor River July-August 1944
- Battle of Sansapor July-August 1944
- . Battle of Morotai September-October 1944
- Aitape-Wewak campaign 1944-1945
- Aleutian Islands Campaign, MarchâÂÂAugust 1943
- Landing at Amchitka, January 1943
- Battle of the Komandorski Islands: March 1943
- Battle of Attu: May 1943
- Battle of the Pips: July 1943
- Operation Cottage: August 1943
- Solomon Islands Campaign, JuneâÂÂNovember 1943
- Battle of Blackett Strait, March 1943
- Operation I-Go, April 1943
- Operation Cartwheel, June 1943 â March 1944
- Operation SO and SE, June 1943
- New Georgia Campaign, JuneâÂÂAugust 1943
- New Georgia counterattack, July 1943
- Landings on Rendova, JuneâÂÂJuly 1943
- Battle of Viru Harbor, JuneâÂÂJuly 1943
- Battle of Arundel Island, AugustâÂÂSeptember 1943
- Battle of Munda Point: JulyâÂÂAugust 1943
- Drive on Munda Point: July 1943
- Battle of Wickham Anchorage, June-July 1943
- Battle of Kula Gulf: July 1943
- Battle of Bairoko: July 1943
- Battle of Enogai: July 1943
- Battle of Kolombangara: July 1943
- Battle off Horaniu: August 1943
- Battle of Vella Gulf: August 1943
- Land Battle of Vella Lavella: AugustâÂÂOctober 1943
- Naval Battle of Vella Lavella: October 1943
- Raid on Choiseul: OctoberâÂÂNovember 1943
- Battle of Empress Augusta Bay: November 1943
- Battle of Cape St. George: November 1943
- Battle of the Treasury Islands: November 1943
- Operation Dexterity, December 1943
- Battle of Karavia Bay, February 1944
- Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, November 1943 â February 1944
- Battle of Tarawa, November 1943
- Battle of Makin, November 1943
- Attack on Truk, February 1944
- Battle of Eniwetok, February 1944
- Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, JuneâÂÂNovember 1944
- Battle of Saipan, June 1944
- Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 1944
- Battle of Guam (1944), JulyâÂÂAugust 1944
- Battle of Tinian, JulyâÂÂAugust 1944
- Battle of Peleliu, SeptemberâÂÂNovember 1944
- Shin'yÃ
 Maru incident, September 1944
- Battle of Angaur, SeptemberâÂÂOctober 1944
- Formosa Air Battle, October 1944
- Philippines Campaign (1944âÂÂ45): October 1944 â September 1945
- Battle of Leyte: OctoberâÂÂDecember 1944
- Battle of Leyte Gulf: October 1944
- Battle off Samar: 25 October 1944
- Battle of Ormoc Bay: NovemberâÂÂDecember 1944
- Battle of Mindoro December 1944
- Battle of Luzon: JanuaryâÂÂAugust 1945
- Raid at Cabanatuan January 1945
- South China Sea raid January 1945
- Battle of Camotes Islands January 1945
- Invasion of Lingayen Gulf January 1945
- Battle of Maguindanao January â September 1945
- Battle of Bataan (1945) January â February 1945
- Battle of Corregidor (1945) February 1945
- Battle of Manila (1945): FebruaryâÂÂMarch 1945
- Battle of Wawa Dam: February â March 1945
- Raid on Los Baños February 1945
- Battle of Baguio: February â April 1945
- Battle of Villa Verde Trail February â May 1945
- Invasion of Palawan February â April 1945
- Battle of Bacsil Ridge: March 1945
- Talisay Landing: March 1945
- Battle of Visayas: March â August 1945
- Battle of Mindanao: MarchâÂÂAug 1945
- Battle of Davao April â June 1945
- Battle for Cebu City: MarchâÂÂApr 1945
- Battle of Bessang Pass June 1945
- Battle of Mayoyao Ridge July â August 1945
- Battle of Iwo Jima: FebruaryâÂÂMarch 1945
- Battle of Okinawa: AprilâÂÂJune 1945
- Operation Ten-Go
- Operation Kikusui
- Attack on Kure (March 1945)
- Attacks on Kure and the Seto Inland Sea July 1945
- Attack on Yokosuka
- Borneo campaign, May â August 1945
- Battle of Tarakan (1945) May â June 1945
- Battle of North Borneo June â August 1945
- Battle of Labuan, June 1945
- Battle of Balikpapan (1945): July 1945
- Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: August 1945
- KyÃ
«jÃ
 incident August 1945
- Soviet invasion of Manchuria August 1945
- Battle of Mutanchiang August 1945
- Siege of Hutou Fortress
- Seishin Operation
- Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin
- Soviet assault on Maoka
- Invasion of the Kuril Islands
- Battle of Shumshu
- Liberation of Hong Kong
China Front
Southeast Asia Front
Military engagements during occupations
Resistances
Naval engagements
General
Specific
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
Major bombing campaigns
General
Specific
Operations
Raids
Small to medium-sized raiding operations were carried out by both Allied and Axis armies during World War II. The modus operandi used included guerrilla attacks by partisans in occupied territory and/or combined operations involving the landing and removal of specialised light infantry, such as commandos, by means of small boats.
Raiding units
Defensive lines
Contemporaneous wars
See also
Notes
References