1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar).

The number 1944 is a triple factorial, being equal to 12!!! (some mathematiciams prefer 12!₃ and read as "twelve triple factorial") or 12*9*6*3. The next factorial-like years will not occur until 2310 (11# - read as "eleven primorial" and equal to 11*7*5*3*2) or 3840 (10!₂ - read as "ten double factorial" and equal to 10*8*6*4*2).

Events

World War II

January

• January 4 - The Battle of Monte Cassino begins.
• January 9 - Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page is born.
• January 5 - Murder of Danish playwright Kaj Munk.
• January 14 - The Soviet troops start the offensive at Leningrad and Novgorod.
• January 15 - The 27th Polish Home Army Infantry Division recreated, marking the start of Operation Tempest by the Polish Home Army.
• January 17 - British forces, in Italy, cross the Garigliano River.
• January 17 - Meat Rationing ends in Australia.
• January 20 - The Royal Air Force drops 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin. The U.S. Army 36th Infantry Division, in Italy, attempts to cross the Rapido River.
• January 22 - Allies begin Operation Shingle, the assault on Anzio, Italy. The U.S. Army 45th Infantry Division stand their ground at Anzio against violent assaults for 4 months.
• January 27 - The two year Siege of Leningrad is lifted.
• January 29 - The Battle of Cisterna takes place.
• January 30 - United States troops invade Majuro, Marshall Islands.
• January 31 - American forces land on Kwajalein Atoll and other islands in the Japanese-held Marshall Islands.