History of the United States Army that captured North Africa and Sicily and later fought in Italy. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, and in the subsequent liberation of Europe and defeat of Nazi Germany, millions of U.S. Army troops played a central role. In the Pacific, Army soldiers participated alongside the U.S. Marine Corps in the "island hopping" campaign that wrested the Pacific Islands from Japanese control. Following the Axis surrenders in May (Germany) and August (Japan) of 1945, Army troops were deployed to Japan and Germany to occupy the two defeated nations. The U.S. Army Air Force, which was an outgrowth of the earlier Army
Defender of the Motherland Day Defender of the Motherland Day Defender of the Motherland Day (; ) also known as Uzbek Army Day is a holiday observed in Uzbekistan. It is celebrated on 14 January.It is the official professional holiday of the Uzbek Armed Forces. On 14 January 1992, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established. This was considered to be the official holiday of the Armed Forces. Before this, Uzbekistan as part of the Soviet Union recognized Soviet Army and Navy Day as the armed forces official holiday. Following the fall of the USSR, some former republics of the Soviet Union