On this day

January 1, 1945

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from January 1, 1945

3D ARMY HITS OUT; BOMBS AND SHELLS: THEY CLOSE A YEAR AND USHER IN A NEW ONE FOR GERMANY

By Drew Middleton By Wireless To the New York Times

BATTLE OF THE BULGE: US 1st Army takes Rochefort; capture seen as end to Ger threat to Meuse River; Gers withdraw south of Homme River; Ger Elite Guard unit identified in salient; 3d Army launches new drive into Ger positions between St Hubert and Bastogne after repulsing 3 counter-attacks west of Bastogne; UP repts Libramont fall to Amers; Amers take Remofosse and Marvie, go deeper into Harlange and gain near Wiltz; clear Gers from part of Arlon-Bastogne rd; RAF pounds Houffalize; Ger resistance stiffening southeast of Bastogne in Luxembourg and east to Ger border; Allied planes bomb Ger positions around Vielsalm; map

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War News Summarized

By MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1945

The dawn of the New Year broke with word that the American counter-attack against the perimeter of the newly gained German salient in Belgium and Luxembourg was making good progress.

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Notable Births

Victor Ashe

1945Victor Ashe, American politician and former United States Ambassador to Poland[†]

Victor Henderson Ashe II is an American former diplomat and politician who served as United States Ambassador to Poland. From 1987 to 2004, he was mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. Ashe is a Republican. Ambassador Ashe concluded his service as Ambassador to Poland on September 26, 2009.

Jacky Ickx

1945Jacky Ickx, Belgian racing driver[†]

Jacques Bernard Edmon Martin Henri "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1966 to 1979. Ickx twice finished runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1969 and 1970, and won eight Grands Prix across 14 seasons. In endurance racing, Ickx won two World Endurance Championships with Porsche and is a six-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as a two-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring. In rallying, Ickx won the Paris–Dakar Rally in 1983 with Mercedes.

Jimmy Jones (basketball)

1945Jimmy Jones, American basketball player[†]

James Jones is an American former professional basketball player who was a six-time All-Star in the American Basketball Association (ABA), one of only four players to be named an ABA All-Star six times in its nine-year history.

Historical Events

World War II

1945World War II: The German Luftwaffe launches Operation Bodenplatte, a massive, but failed, attempt to knock out Allied air power in northern Europe in a single blow.[†]

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.