APRIL 14
966
Christianization of Poland, or Baptism of Poland was a ceremony which took place on Holy Saturday, April 14, 966 in the city of Gniezno, Poland. The impetus for this event was the baptism of Mieszko I, the first ruler of the land which would become Poland. Mieszko's wife, Dobrawa of Bohemia, was a major influence on Mieszko's decision to accept Christianity. According to historians, the baptism of Poland marks the beginning of Polish statehood. However, Christianisation was a long and arduous process, since much of the Polish population remained pagan during the 1030s.
1945
Spring Offensive: The U.S. Fifth Army joined British allies in the assault on German-occupied Italy. The Fifth Army, under the new command of Lucian K. Truscott began pushing its way up the peninsula, captured Massa and crossed the Frigido River. Despite fierce German resistance in the mountains, they were able to disperse German troops into the open. The Fifth Army took Bologna, just after one week of engaging in battle. Then in rapid succession, Ferrara, Bondeno, and Modena also fell. Then on the 27th, Genoa, and on the 29th, Milan. The assaults on the enemy almost mimicked that of Napoleon's Italian campaigns. Italian guerilla groups assisted U.S. efforts, by taking control of the area west of the Como, Milan, and Genoa line. Finally on April 29, the Germans signed an unconditional surrender at Caserta. But by that time, casualties were enormous; almost 660,000 Axis troops dead—compared with 321,000 Allied dead.
German submarine U-235 was sunk in error by the Kriegsmarine torpedo boat T-17. The U-235 was heading to Norway with U-1272 when they encountered a small German convoy accompanied by the torpedo boat T-17. All vessels had not been warned of the others' presence. But the convoy had been warned that a British submarine was in the area. U-1272 dove deep and out of trouble, but U-235 surfaced, possibly to identify herself and then as if changing her mind, also dove. T-17 attacked, dropping depth charges. Any celebration on T-17 was abruptly stilled when among the wreckage appeared were bodies in Kriegsmarine uniforms. Forty-six men died; there were no survivors.
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