July 1: United States Women's Army Corps (WAC) converted to full status.

July 5: Battle of Kursk - The largest tank battle in history begins. - A fleet sets sail for the Allied invasion of Sicily. - Conclusion of the National Bands Agreement in Greece.

July 6: Americans and Japanese fight the Battle of Kula Gulf off Kolombangara.

July 10: Allied invasion of Sicily: The allied invasion of Axis-controlled Europe begins with landings on the island of Sicily off mainland Italy by the Seventh United States Army and the British Eighth Army including the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

July 11: United States Army forces assault the village of Piano Lupo, just outside of Gela in Sicily.

July 12: Battle of Prokhorovka - The Wehrmacht and the Red Army fight to a draw.

July 19: Rome is bombed by the Allies for the first time in the war.

July 24: Operation Gomorrha begins: British and Canadian aeroplanes bomb Hamburg by night; the American planes bomb the city by day. By the end of the operation in November, 9,000 tons of explosives will have killed more than 42,000 people and destroyed 280,000 buildings.

July 25: Benito Mussolini, the Fascist Prime Minister of Italy since 1925, is arrested after the Grand Council of Fascism withdraws its support. "Il Duce" is replaced by General Pietro Badoglio. (source: Wikipedia)