How many "Theaters" were there in WWII?

[oboe]

I'm not sure of the generally accepted names, but how close am I with a list like this:

Eastern Europe (Germany/Poland/Russia)
Northwest Europe (Germany, Britain, France, Low Countries, Norway)
Finland (Finland, Russia)
Mediterranean (North Africa/Italy/Greece)
China-Burma-India (Japan, China, Burma, India, SE Asia)
Southwest Pacific (Solomons, New Guinea, Australia)
Central Pacific (Hawaii, Midway, Japan)
Aleutian Islands (Alaska)

Is that pretty complete?

[DFunited]

Looks good to me.

[6389]

finalnd had army to fight the russains omg

[Seeker]

Looks good, though some will ***** on the exact countries.

As a matter of discussion; where would the battle of the Atlantic fit in?

[6389]

what wrong with making fun on certain countries.
so shut up you bloody chap

[crabofix]

Blacksea area

[oboe]

I was sure I had posted a reply here once!  Sorry for the delay in responding...

Seeker, you're absolutely right,  the Atlantic would be a theater.
In fact I think the area is so vast it could even be divided into North and South.    But not much air combat to be had there I think - mostly anti-sub patrols by RAF and USN bombers?

Black Sea is in interesting one too.  Doesn't really fit into the MTO - could it be considered part of Eastern Europe?

[BUG_EAF322]

russia-japan (end war)

[oboe]

Russia-Japan, another good one, though I'm sketchy on the details.   Seems to me Russia and Japan fought very early on
(1930's?), settled their differences, and then the SU attacked Japan again over the northern islands, in aug '45?

[crabofix]

Originally posted by oboe


Black Sea is in interesting one too.  Doesn't really fit into the MTO - could it be considered part of Eastern Europe?

It could, yes, but there are some diffrent mixes of airforces involved, I would guess. Romania, Bulgaria, Italian, Russian, German, US.

[redphoenix]

Mexico...

Yep... sunk a u-boat...

Declared war on Germany.

They also sent some chaps to Afrika...

[OIO]

Mexico also deployed a P-47 squadron to the pacific.

And I dont know if the Carribbean would be another theatre... Uboats sank quite a number of allied vessels there (and lost 2 Uboats i believe, one sunk by mexican aircraft, another by a Colombian destroyer).

[Sarge1]

The US had Two theaters of Operations  European-African-Middle eastern Theater Of Operations (ETO) and the asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO/ATO) and the Brits had China burma India theater of operations , all the battles in between fell some where in those two for US. They are the two MAIN ones for the US. ETO ATO.. It says so On my Dads Seporations for where it says list duty outside of the United states it has this  .. ETO ATO (PTO) european-african-middle eastern theater of  operations ETO. and the asiatic-pacific theater of operations ATO/PTO
and the battles were called Campaign's in those two Theaters of operation kind of confusing but these two links i just looked up for you may help on this. this gets confusing for why theycalled what what. medals are campain where you were were campaings the american is a blanket medal for any one in the war close to war but not actually there..sheeesh the army can confuse the  hell out of people but on the dicharge it says eto..lol


 i have alot of links for WW2 finding stuff out on my dad and step dad and  great uncle the main three i research on.  Now looking for why my Uncle won the silver star..
the poeple that knew why are long gone now...So that search goes on

hope some of this helps..Ribbons for ETO PTO

Better list of campians in PTO ETO

[Sarge1]

I am researching my family records of ww2 and seeing where they were.. found my dads. with the 76th div and the battles he was in even the company had his name on the list.. And my mom she was rosie the riviter on the b26 p47 and the F4u and the jeep. so thats why i posted those links i was researching info so thought i would post.


list of ETO campaigns

Egypt-Libya: 11 June 42 - 12 Feb 43
Air Offensive-Europe: 4 July 42- 5 June 44
Algeria-French Morocco: 8 Nov 42 - 5 June 44
Tunisia:12 Nov 42 - 13 May 43 (air starts 12 Nov 42)
Sicily: 9 July 43- 17 Aug 43 (air starts 14 May 43)
Naples-Foggia: 9 Sept 43 - 21 Jan 44 (air starts 18 Aug 43)
Anzio: 22 Jan 44 - 9 Sept 44
Rome-Arno: 22 Jan 44 - 9 Sept 44
Normandy: 6 June 44 - 25 July 44
Northern France: 25 July 44 - 14 Sept 44
Southern France: 15 Aug 44 - 14 Sept 44
Northern Apennines: 10 Sept 44 - 4 April 44
Rhineland: 15 Sept 44 - 21 Mar 45
Ardennes-Alsace: 16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45
Central Europe: 22 Mar 45 - 111 May 45
Po Valley: 5 April  45 - 8 May 45

Note: the Navy, USMC, and Coast Guard used a different set of campaigns which was larger and
more detailed.

list of ATO campaigns
Philippine Islands: 7 Dec 41-10 May 42
Burma, 1942: 7 De c41-26 May 42
Central Pacific: 7 Dec 41-26 May 42
East Indies: 1 Jan 42-22 July 42
India-Burma: 2 April 42- 28 Jan 45
Air Offensive Japan: 17 April 42-2 Sept 45
Aleutian Islands: 3 June 42- 24 August 43
China Defensive 4 July 42- 4 May 45
Papua: 23 July 42-23 Jan 43
Guadalcanal: 7 August 42- 21 Feb 43
New Guinea: 24 Jan 43- 31 Dec 44
Northern Solomons: 22 Feb 43- 21 Nov 44
Eastern Mandates (Air): 7 Dec 43- 16 April 44
Eastern Mandates (Ground): 31 Jan 44- 14 June 44
Bismark Archipelago 15 Dec 43 - 27 Nov 44
Western Pacific 15 June 44 - 2 Sept 44 (air starts 17 April 44)
Leyte: 17 Oct 44 - 1 Jult 45
Luzon: 15 Dec 44 - 4 July 45
Central Burma: 19 Jan 45 - 15 July 45
Southern Philippines: 27 Feb 45 - 4 July 45
Ryukyus: 26 March 45 - 2 Feb 45
Chnia Offensive: 5 May 45 - 2 Sept 45

[oboe]

Great info, Sarge1, thanks!

Might be interesting to tie combatants and aircraft used to each of those listed campaigns.    The thing we're missing is campaigns that didn't invlove the U.S.

So the Battle of France and Battle of Britain would be considered "campaigns".

Wonder why the Air Offensive Europe ended just before D-Day?  Surely they were pounded strategic targets through April '45.