August 28, 1944

1944Marianne Heemskerk, Dutch swimmer^[†]

Marianne Yvonne Heemskerk is a former butterfly swimmer from the Netherlands, who won the silver medal in the 100 m butterfly at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. She was also part of the 4 × 100 m medley relay team that finished fourth. She also participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics but did not reach the finals. Heemskerk broke the world record in the women's 200m butterfly on 12 June 1960 in Leipzig, East Germany.

1944World War II: Marseille and Toulon are liberated.^[†]

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.