Monday 19 May 1941

Battleship Bismarck, seen from the Prinz Eugen, 19 May 1941 (United States Navy Naval History and Heritage Command).

Anglo/Iraq War: The RAF bombs Fallujah on 19 May 1941 with ten tons of bombs from 57 aircraft, and the advancing British forces take the city. About 300 Iraqi troops are taken as prisoners, with the remaining Iraqi troops falling back on Baghdad.

The Rashid government in Baghdad releases a typical "everything is fine" communique:

Our bombers have attacked British tank units, which have suffered substantial losses in men and material. Our reconnaissance flights over Cineldebbana and other locations have proceeded without incident. Enemy aircraft overflew the area surrounding the capital and released several bombs over the base at Rashid without inflicting much damage.

The Luftwaffe presence in Iraq is diminished by losses, but still capable of attacks. They attack Habbaniya Airfield, which is now safe from ground attack due to the presence of the Kingcol forces that have crossed the desert from Palestine.

RAF planes based in Egypt also attack fields being used by the Luftwaffe in Damascus.

European Air Operations: It is another quiet day on the Channel front, without any major operations.

"Nigel Grey Leakey VC, King's African Rifles, awarded the Victoria Cross, Abyssinia, 19 May 1941." KIA 19 May 1941 (© IWM (MH 4038)).

East African Campaign: The battle at the Italian stronghold of Amba Alagi ends as the remaining 4777 Italian troops (including a large contingent of colonial soldiers) march out of the mountains. The Duke of Aosta is treated well by the British, but he is sent to a POW camp. The Duke has contracted tuberculosis and malaria and has not much longer to live. Out of the 230,000 or so Italians who occupied Abyssinia, very few troops remain, and this was the largest remaining force. The British War Cabinet Minutes in the evening summarize the situation;

This meant the end of Italian resistance in the North of Abyssinia, but enemy forces were still resisting in the South and near Gondar.

The Italian surrender at Amba Alagi generally is considered the climax of the campaign in Abyssinia. However, Italian units remain at Assab, the last Italian harbor on the Red Sea, and in the lakes district inland. As illustrated below, much hard fighting remains.

Well south of Amba Alagi, at Kolito, Abyssinia, a powerful force of Italians counterattack against an Allied bridgehead. It is a fierce battle, as the Italians use both light and medium tanks to dislodge the Allies. The Italians make some progress, but once their tanks are destroyed, they retreat.

Critical in the destruction of the Italian tanks are the actions of Sergeant Nigel Leakey (cousin of the famous anthropologist) of the 1/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles, 22nd (East African) Brigade (12th African Division). Leakey dramatically drops out of a tree or a rock outcropping on top of a tank, opens the turret, and shoots the Italians inside (aside from the driver, who he forces to drive to a place of his choosing). Leakey and some of his cronies then try this again with other tanks, but during this second attempt, Leakey is shot dead. Leakey wins the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions.

Another shot of battleship Bismarck, seen from the Prinz Eugen, 19 May 1941 (United States Navy Naval History and Heritage Command).

Battle of the Atlantic: At 02:00, battleship Bismarck leaves the port of Gdynia (Gotenhafen). This begins an operation that will become legendary and reverberate through history. This is the first step of Operation Rheinübung, a sortie into the North Atlantic. Bismarck and Prinz Eugen, both under the control of Admiral Günther Lütjens, depart without being spotted by spies and rendezvous near Cape Arkona on Rügen Island in the western Baltic. The crews of the Prinz Eugen and Bismarck have not been made aware yet that they are on an actual mission and not another training exercise.

Destroyers Z-23 (Commander Friedrich Böhme) and Z-16 “Friedrich Eckoldt” (Commander Alfred Schemmel) escort the Bismarck. Destroyer Z-10 “Hans Lody” (Commander Werner Pfeiffer) with the Chief of the 6th Flotilla (Commander Alfred Schulze-Hinrichs) join at 22:30. Accompanying the other ships are minesweepers, and the Luftwaffe provides air cover. The flotilla then passes through the Great Belt (a strait between Danish islands) shortly before midnight. One of three straits available, the Great Belt one offers maximum protection against the ships being observed by spies.

The Royal Navy actively patrols the Denmark Strait, which is the route for the two warships into the Atlantic. On patrol, there is cruiser HMS Suffolk. Today, cruiser HMS Norfolk (Rear-Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker, Rear-Admiral Commanding First Cruiser Squadron) departs from Hvalfjord, Iceland to relieve Suffolk temporarily while Suffolk proceeds to Iceland to refuel.

U-96 (Kptlt. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock), on its fourth patrol operating out of St. Nazaire and operating about 100 miles (170 km) west of Bloody Foreland, Ireland, spots a ship early in the morning. At 03:24, Lehmann-Willenbrock identifies it as a large tanker and pumps two torpedoes into it. In fact, it is the 2922-ton freighter Empire Ridge, and the two torpedoes are overkill. The ship immediately breaks in half and sinks quickly killing 31 of the 33-man crew. The two survivors are picked up by destroyer HMS Vanquisher. After this, U-96 heads back to port.

U-69 (Kptlt. Jost Metzler), on its third patrol out of Lorient, refuels from German tanker Egerland. The Kriegsmarine has upgraded its supply network in the Atlantic in preparation for the breakout of the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen in Operation Rheinübung. U-69 has been laying mines off of Lagos and Takoradi, but now is ready to go on normal patrol looking for prey.

British 5279-ton freighter Winkfield hits a mine in the Thames Estuary and sinks. There are two deaths.

The Luftwaffe drops a parachute mine that sinks British 194-ton paddle minesweeper HMS City of Rochester in Acorn Yard, Rochester. This is not serious, however, because the ship was in the scrapyard awaiting disassembly and this is almost helpful to that process. There are no casualties.

British 3790-ton freighter Dixcove hits a mine off Courtsend in the outer Thames Estuary and is disabled. Taken under tow, the Dixcove makes it to Gravesend.

The Luftwaffe bombs Finnish 6549-ton tanker Josefina Thorden near Thorshavn and is disabled. The Josefina makes it to Kirkwall in tow and is repaired in the Tyne.

Royal Navy 23 ton armed yacht HMY Sea Angler catches fire and sinks.

Several small Royal Navy ships lay minefields PW9-PW-14 in the English Channel.

Convoy SC 32 departs Halifax bound for Liverpool.

Destroyer USS Murphy is laid down.

The third shot of battleship Bismarck, seen from the Prinz Eugen, 19 May 1941 (United States Navy Naval History and Heritage Command).

Battle of the Mediterranean: Luftwaffe raids continue on Crete in preparation for Operation Mercury, projected to begin on the 20th. The RAF is shot up and relocates its remaining six planes today from Crete to Alexandria, leaving the British troops there without air cover. Eleven Italian submarines ('Nereide', 'Tricheco', 'Uarsciek', 'Fisalia', 'Topazio', 'Adua', 'Dessie', 'Malachite', 'Squalo', 'Smeraldo' and 'Sirena') take up stations off of Crete. The Luftwaffe continues adding to its planes in mainland Greece. Everything appears set for the start of Operation Mercury in the early hours of the 20th.

The War Cabinet Minutes summarizes the British attitude toward the recent action south of Tobruk:

In the recent operation around Sollum, Capuzzo and Halfaya Pass we had taken all our objectives, but Capuzzo had afterwards been lost to a counter-attack by at least 40 enemy tanks. The capture of 500 German prisoners was satisfactory, while our forces in Tobruk had also done well.

This is a very generous appraisal of the results of Operation Brevity by the British high command. In fact, the British accomplished virtually nothing during Operation Brevity beyond occupying Halfaya Pass, a useless acquisition in and of itself. They also had lost some ground to Italian attacks at Tobruk. It is somewhat ironic that after many instances of giving Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell little credit for actual and meaningful victories, Winston Churchill is happy about the truly spurious victory of Operation Brevity.

However, Churchill still nags at Wavell. In another telegram today, he reminds Wavell that:

I have asked in earlier telegrams... to be told programme of using tigercubs [tanks recently arrived on the daring Tiger Convoy] when they arrive.... Tremendous risks were run to give you this aid, and I wish to be assured that not an hour will be lost in its becoming effective.

Churchill goes on to give specific instances of freighters having unloaded tanks, and pointedly asks "Shall be obliged if you will tell me in detail what has happened since those cruisers were landed." Well versed in details of the conflict, Churchill also gets into such minutiae as how the "German 6-pdr gun" (apparently the very effective German 88 mm flak gun) is being used.

Churchill's private secretary, John Colville, notes in his diary that "Before going to bed the PM told me he expected the German attack on Crete to begin tomorrow." Ultra, of course, is the source of Churchill's uncanny "insight." However, according to the War Cabinet minutes, Crete did not even come up.

Royal Navy units have been on station off Crete for some time, and now they need to refuel. Thus, they head to Alexandria. While Churchill has his "suspicions" about a coming assault on Crete, he maintains a firm policy of not interfering with military dispositions at lower levels with the information he has obtained through Ultra so as to not reveal his war-winning secret. So, Force A and Force B, including Battleships Barham and Queen Elizabeth, leave the vicinity of the island.

HMS Ark Royal, which departs Gibraltar for Operation Splice today.

Operation Splice, a supply convoy to Malta, begins when aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, carrying 48 Hawker Hurricanes, departs from Gibraltar under heavy escort from Force H. However, in order to deceive spies, the ships first head west, into the Atlantic, as a feint.

An Axis convoy that includes five freighters and 6212-ton tanker Panuca depart Naples bound for Palermo en route to Tripoli. This convoy has been delayed since the 16th. An unidentified Royal Navy submarine, perhaps HMS Urge, is spotted, and the ships maneuver. This results in a collision between two of the ships, the Panuca and 8230-ton freighter Preussen. They are not badly damaged and continue on.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Unbeaten, operating off Tagiura, Libya (just east of Tripoli), attacks 1367-ton Italian freighter Silvio Scaroni. The Unbeaten's attack fails, and the Silvio Scaroni and escorts continue on from Tripoli to Benghazi.

Lieutenant-General Sir William George Sheddon Dobbie, KCB, CMG, DSO, who has been acting Governor and Commander in Chief of Malta since 24 May 1940, finally is confirmed in the position. However, Winston Churchill is not happy about one aspect of the island's defense: air defense.

Thus, Churchill has decided to replace the Air Officer Commanding RAF Malta, Forster Herbert Maynard. He notes that "Everyone here appreciates the splendid work Maynard has done... but it is felt that a change would be better now." This is never a good sign for an officer. Maynard will be given a desk job in Coastal Command in the UK. Maynard's successor is not yet identified, as the first choice turned out to have health issues - but Churchill definitely wants him gone, so is in the process of finding someone else.

It is an overcast day on Malta, and the Luftwaffe only mounts one raid on the island. Shortly after 04:00, four fighter-bombers (Jabos) bomb Valletta and St. Julian's Bay. The attack destroys a church and 15 houses in Valletta.

Australian minesweeper HMAS Pirie is laid down.

Luftwaffe paratroopers (fallschirmjäger) in Greece making final preparations for their drop on Crete in gliders on the 20th pursuant to Operation Mercury.

Spy Stuff: In Tokyo, sleeper Soviet agent Richard Sorge uses his wireless once again to warn the Soviets of German plans to invade the USSR. This adds to a growing pile of such warnings received by the Kremlin.

German/Vichy France Relations: As part of the recent deal granting the Luftwaffe transit rights to Syrian airfields, the Germans begin releasing approximately 100,000 French POWs.

Anglo/Vichy French Relations: The minutes of the nightly War Cabinet meeting show that Churchill:

thought that we might give the French one last chance of stopping the passage of the German air force through Syria. If they did not take this chance, we should proclaim Syria to be an independent Arab State. It was relevant that Syria was territory mandated to France by the League of Nations, and that France had ceased to be a member of the League.

This is an instance of Churchill using sharp reasoning about legal technicalities in order to give a veneer of legality to a desired military action, i.e., an invasion of Syria. It is a favored tactic of Adolf Hitler, too. In fact, everyone accepts that France has operated a mandate in Syria for years without any question as to its legality.

In a telegram to Canadian leader William Mackenzie King, Churchill notes that:

Clearly, there is nothing further to hope from Vichy. They have gone over into the German camp and will collaborate with Hitler to the utmost extent that French opinion will allow.

Churchill suggests that Canada proceed to "complete rupture of relations" with Vichy France. France, of course, has possession of some small islands off the Canadian coast.

In a memo to Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, Churchill states:

I do not contemplate a breach of relations between the British and Vichy Governments, but only that we shall knock them about as much as may be necessary.

All of this worry about Vichy France is due to their agreement to allow Luftwaffe planes to use Syrian airfields on their way to Iraq. Hitler also is fretting about that decision, because he thinks his foreign ministry people have given up too much in exchange for that concession.

"Spitfire Mark VB, R6923 QJ-S, of No 92 Squadron RAF based at Biggin Hill, Kent, banking towards the photographing aircraft. R6923 was originally a Mark I, converted to a Mark V after serving with No. 19 Squadron and No. 7 Operational Training Unit in 1940. It was shot down over the sea by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 22 June 1941." This photo was taken on 19 May 1941. © IWM (CH 2929).

Anglo/US Relations: The War Cabinet Minutes begin by noting a number of shipping losses recently off Freetown. They say that Churchill "intended to bring the position in the Central Atlantic to the notice of President Roosevelt."

Churchill also rejects a draft telegram to the governments of Australia and New Zealand regarding the state of United States "opinion" because it "was unduly depressing and seemed to take no account of the value of the American gesture in moving a large part of the Pacific Fleet into the Atlantic."

German Military: The OKW (military high command) issues another in a string of highly questionable orders covering the conduct of soldiers in upcoming Operation Barbarossa. This one is entitled "Guidelines for the Behavior of Troops in Russia." It states in part that the invasion:

demands ruthless and energetic action against Bolshevik agitators, guerrillas, saboteurs (and) Jews, and the total elimination of all active or passive resistance.

Special care is to taken with prisoners, the Guidelines state, as those of Asian origin are "devious, unpredictable, underhanded and unfeeling." As with many other OKW orders issued during this period, the "Guidelines" are highly illegal under any remotely reasonable interpretation.

German Government: Adolf Hitler is buoyed by recent Italian infantry successes in North, stating:

It is quite clear that the Duce is one of the greatest men in modern history. He has extracted from the Italian people every ounce of what there was to be extracted—and what he has extracted from the Italian people is quite marvelous. If he did not get any further, it was simply because he had reached the extreme limit of their capabilities. After him there will not be another with his energy and talents for a long time, so events in Italy will definitely run downhill later.

Hitler does not spend much time worrying about Operation Mercury. As his recent Directive made clear, he considers it a minor operation that is certain of success.

US Government: New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia appointed head of the new Office of Civilian Defense (OCD). This is the national agency responsible for preparing for blackouts, air raid wardens, sirens, and shelters in case of enemy air raids. From this point forward, La Guardia - who has a fan in President Roosevelt - will remain the Mayor of New York, shuttling back and forth with three days in Washington and four in the city. At this time, the OCD is an organization designed more to stir interest in the war rather than a real project, because there is little chance of any air attacks on the continental United States (and Hawaii and Alaska are not yet states at this time).

"Panoramic view of a group portrait of the 51st Training Battalion, Battery "A" at Camp Callan, May 19, 1941, WWII training camp for coast artillerymen. Shows four rows of soldiers, the first row seated, others standing; flag, center, background with emblem and letters "RTC 51A"; buildings in the background. Camp Callan (San Diego, Calif.); 1941." California State Library.

British Government: Churchill writes an undistributed note which can be viewed as a sort of personal diary entry. He analyzes the military situation in Syria and is hopeful that the Vichy French in Syria "will come over to us," thus obviating the need for an invasion. Regarding Iraq, he ponders trying to install Ibn Saud as a sort of viceroy over "Iraq and Transjordania." He concludes:

As soon as the enemy forces in Cyrenaica have been destroyed, as they should be, having regard to our large numerical superiority in troops, artillery and tanks and the Air reinforcements we are sending, and provided Crete is held, we should invade Syria in force unless in the meanwhile a favourable situation has been created by the internal action of the Syrian Arabs.

As can be seen from later events, Churchill's prerequisites for an invasion of Syria will be discarded as they are wildly optimistic.

Life magazine, 19 May 1941. Ruth Ownbey on the cover.

French Indochina: Ho Chi Minh and Pác Bó together form the Viet Minh. This is a form of national independence front and seeks independence for the country (Vietnam) from the French, and also opposes future occupation by any foreign power such as the Japanese.

Future History: Nora Ephron is born in New York City. The family soon moves to Beverly Hills, and after graduating from Wellesley College, she works briefly as an intern in the John F. Kennedy White House as a mail girl. She then embarks on a long career as a writer, which includes a stint writing about gossip in the New York Post, and marries journalist Carl Bernstein. This makes her privy to many secrets of Bernstein's Watergate coverage, including the identity of "Deep Throat" (Mark Felt), though nobody believes her when she tells them until Felt himself finally admits to it shortly before his passing. A famous writer and director with numerous awards and highly praised films, including "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993) and "When Harry Met Sally" (1989), Ephron passes away at age 71 on 26 June 2012 from pneumonia. There now is a Nora Ephron prize awarded by the Tribeca Film Festival for female writers who offer "a distinctive voice."

Tania Mallet is born in Blackpool, England. She becomes a model and actress who is best known for playing the role of Tilly Masterson in "Goldfinger" (1964). She is a cousin of actress Helen Mirren.

Burnt remains of a Jewish-owned store in Paris, 19 May 1941 The French recently rounded up thousands of Jews for transport to concentration camps (Yad Vashem Photo Archives, Federal Archive 4520/123).

May 1941

May 1, 1941: British Hold Tobruk
May 2, 1941: Anglo-Iraq War
May 3, 1941: Liverpool Hammered
May 4, 1941: Hitler Victory Speech
May 5, 1941: Patriots Day
May 6, 1941: Stalin In Command
May 7, 1941: May Blitz
May 8, 1941: Pinguin Sunk
May 9, 1941: U-110 Captured
May 10, 1941: Hess Flies Into History
May 11, 1941: The Hess Peace Plan
May 12, 1941: Tiger Arrives Safely
May 13, 1941: Keitel's Illegal Order
May 14, 1941: Holocaust in Paris
May 15, 1941: Operation Brevity
May 16, 1941: Blitz Ends
May 17, 1941: Habbaniya Relieved
May 18, 1941: Croatia Partitioned
May 19, 1941: Bismarck at Sea
May 20, 1941: Invasion of Crete
May 21, 1941: Robin Moore Sinking
May 22, 1941: Royal Navy Destruction Off Crete
May 23, 1941: Crete Must Be Won
May 24, 1941: Bismarck Sinks Hood
May 25, 1941: Lütjens' Brilliant Maneuver
May 26, 1941: Bismarck Stopped
May 27, 1941: Bismarck Sunk
May 28, 1941: Crete Lost
May 29, 1941: Royal Navy Mauled Off Crete
May 30, 1941: Sorge Warns, Stalin Ignores
May 31, 1941: British Take Baghdad

2020

Saturday 17 May 1941

A Messerschmitt Bf 110D in British markings in North Africa. This aircraft served with II/ZG76 in Iraq and was captured after crash-landing near Mosul on 17 May 1941. The RAF named it "The Belle of Berlin" and used it as a communications aircraft and later as a unit 'hack' in RAF No.267 Squadron.

Anglo/Iraq War: On 17 May 1941, recently arrived Special Force Junck (Sonderkommando Junck), under the command of Commander of Aviation Iraq (Fliegerführer Irak) Oberst Werner Junck, raids the advancing British relief column (Kingcol) with three Bf 110s. The RAF sends two recently arrived Hawker Hurricanes (flown in from Egypt) and six Bristol Blenheim bombers of No. 84 Squadron to attack Junck's own airfield at Mosul. While the RAF loses one precious Hurricane, the Luftwaffe loses two planes and has four more damaged. In a separate action, two RAF Gloster Gladiators from Habbaniya Airfield catch two Bf 110s taking off from Rashid Airfield at Baghdad and shoot them down. One of these Bf 110s crashlands and will be repaired and placed in RAF service. While Junck still has a sizeable and effective force, it is suffering rapid attrition, and Iraqi/Luftwaffe ground support services are virtually nonexistent.

On the ground, the scratch British garrison at Habbaniya Airfield continues its unexpectedly stout defense against the Iraqi military with great success. The British relief column, Kingcol, reaches Habbaniya late in the evening, but the Habbaniya garrison was in no need of rescue. The newly arrived British forces then continue their advance east to within ten miles of Fallujah on the road to Baghdad.

The Soviet TASS News Agency announces that the USSR and Rashid Ali government in Iraq have reached an agreement for diplomatic, trad and consular arrangements.

Illustrated London News, 17 May 1941.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe is moving the bulk of its aircraft from the western front to the East in preparation for Operation Barbarossa. Thus, the Blitz is over and the pace of operations along the Channel front slows markedly. The Luftwaffe mounts a small raid on Birmingham that hits Alum Rock Road (a continuation of High Street).

RAF Bomber Command completes its missions over Cologne and Bramsfeld begun on the 16th, and during the day sends 70 aircraft to attack Kiel. At Bramsfeld the Atlantik rubber plant is hit with two high explosive bombs and 44 incendiary bombs. After dark, Bomber Command sends 14 bombers against Rotterdam and 15 against Boulogne.

Lieutenant Stanley Michel Kolendorski, KIA 17 May 1941.

The first American, Pilot Officer Stanley Michel "Mike" Kolendorski, is killed in action while flying a Hawker Hurricane in service with the RAF. He is with RAF No. 71 (some sources say 121) "Eagle" Squadron. Kolendorski is of Polish heritage, was born in 1915 in Jersey City, New Jersey, and was living in California with his wife Charlotte May when he enlisted with the RAF in Canada. Kolendorski, shot down over Holland, is buried at  Rockanje (Zeeweg) General Cemetery  Rockanje, Westvoorne Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, Memorial ID 18834392.

The British Ministry of Home Security announces that 6,065 people were killed and 6,926 injured during Luftwaffe attacks in April 1941. Among the dead, 2912 were men and 2418 were women, and 680 were children under the age of 16. An additional 61 people remain missing and are presumed dead. The figures are an increase from the 4259 killed and 5,557 injured in April 1941.

East African Campaign: The Sudan Defense Force, accompanied by Abyssinian guerilla forces, attack Italian positions at Chilga west of Gondar.

At Amba Alagi, surrender negotiations are concluded between the Duke of Aosta and the British (Indian and South African troops). An agreement for the Italians to surrender is reached at 17:30. It is to be a "surrender with honor," and the Italians will be permitted to march out with their rifles (to be surrendered later) but leave behind their other equipment and stores. The ceremony of surrender is to take place on 19 May. The Italians are forced to surrender due to lack of supplies, a situation exacerbated when a British artillery shell damaged the oil tank they were using to store their potable water.

"Six Blenheim Mark IVFs of No. 254 Squadron RAF, flying in formation over Northern Ireland shortly after the unit's arrival at Aldergrove, County Antrim." May 1941. © IWM (CH 2992).

Battle of the Atlantic: U-107 (Kptlt. Günther Hessler), on its lengthy second patrol, is operating off Freetown. The U-boat has been stalking independent 8029-ton Dutch tanker Marisa, which is full of oil, since mid-day on the 16th. At 00:36 on the 17th, Hessler finally gets into firing position and hits the Marisa with one torpedo. The explosion kills two or three men, but the rest of the crew takes to the lifeboats. Tankers being difficult to sink due to their compartmentalized structures, Hessler hits it with another torpedo in the stern at 01:15, then surfaces to use deck guns - both of which misfire. The survivors take to three lifeboats, two of which are picked up by Royal Navy destroyers (Columbine and Surprise), and the third of which makes landfall at French-Guinea on 23 May.

The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft of I Staffeln, Kampfgeschwader 40) bombs and sinks 7939-ton British freighter Statesman in the Northwest Approaches. There is one death.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 1091 ton British freighter Arthur Wright and 933-ton Norwegian freighter Ala five miles south of Shoreham. Ala has to be beached near Shoreham but later is refloated and repaired. There is one death on Ala, the rest of the two crews survive.

Winston Churchill, in a memo to First Lord of the Admiralty A.V. Alexander and First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dudley Pound, requests that ten of the Royal Navy's 40 large armed merchant cruisers (AMCs) be converted into troop transports.

Royal Navy ocean boarding vessel HMS Registan captures 488 ton Vichy French auxiliary schooner Izarra near Canada and sends it to St. John's, Newfoundland.

Four German freighters are reported to have left Chilean ports in an attempt to run the Royal Navy blockade of Europe.

Convoy OB 323 departs from Liverpool, Convoy SL 75 departs from Freetown bound for Liverpool.

Canadian corvette HMCS Dauphin (Lt. Commander Robert A. S. MacNeil) is commissioned and corvette Summerside is launched in Quebec City.

U-206 (Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Opitz) is commissioned, U-134 is launched, U-212, U-261, and U-465 are laid down.

The four-engine Junkers G-38. The last one is destroyed on 17 May 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The British attack on the Axis line centered on Halfaya Pass, launched on 15 May, lives up to its codename Operation Brevity by coming to an inglorious end. German Colonel Maximilian von Herff, in command of Group Herff, launches a counterattack in the area near Bir Wair and Musaid at 1600 hours. British Brigadier General William "Strafer" Gott withdraws his troops into the Halfaya Pass, Egypt, ending his offensive operation.

The only tangible benefit of the offensive is that the British remain in possession of strategically important Halfaya Pass. However, that that small gain has cost the British five tanks destroyed and 13 damaged in addition to 206 casualties. The Germans have suffered 295 casualties and Italians 395 (347 captured), along with losing three tanks lost and about the same number damaged.

At Tobruk, fresh Australian troops and their artillery pieces arrive during the night on destroyer HMAS Vampire. By first light, the troops and guns are used to attack the investing Axis troops, but they make no progress.

Winston Churchill cables Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell and begins with "Results of action [Operation Brevity] seem to us satisfactory." He notes that "News from Tobruk is also good." He makes an extremely rare direct reference to Ultra decrypts (which Wavell knows about) when he writes that "Enemy is anxious about Tobruk and reports with apparent satisfaction when it is quiet."

The RAF (Beaufighters of No. 252 Squadron based on Malta) raids Athens airfield and destroys the second - and last - Junkers G.38 (the "Generalfeldmarschall von Hindenburg") being operated by the Luftwaffe (after long service with Lufthansa) on the ground. The G.38 is an obsolete 1929 design but has an advanced design that foreshadows the "Blended Wing Body" design that offers aerodynamic advantages and will experience a resurgence of popularity by Boeing and NASA in the 21st Century. It also is one of the few four-engine designs ever used by the Wehrmacht and features unique seats in the wings for passengers with forward-facing windows.

The Luftwaffe continues its attack on British installations on Crete in preparation for Operation Mercury, the invasion of Crete. At Suda Bay, the German planes sink 10,694-ton British tanker Eleonora Maersk (20 killed, 7 later become POWs, 17 rescued) and 5719 ton Greek freighter Themoni. The Eleonora Maersk will stay sunk throughout the war but will be raised and repaired thereafter.

The Luftwaffe drops mines in the Suez Canal.

Tanker Rondine, carrying 5000 tons of aviation fuel, arrives later than expected at Athens. Operation Mercury accordingly is postponed to 20 May, which now appears to be a firm invasion date.

Quiet day on Crete, with the Luftwaffe only performing minimal reconnaissance.

War Crimes: The Luftwaffe attacks 7938-ton hospital ship Aba about fifty miles south of Crete. Some Royal Navy ships of Force C come to the hospital ship's aid, and one, anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Coventry, is strafed by the Luftwaffe planes. Attacking hospital ships, which are plainly marked, is a war crime, but it is fair to say that both sides have been guilty (under some interpretations) of violations of such commonly accepted rules of war.

Bomb damage in Birmingham, 17 May 1941 (Birmingham City Library).

POWs: Rudolf Hess takes up temporary residence at the Tower of London, arriving there by train from Scotland. He is imprisoned near the White Tower and can idle his days away by watching guardsmen drill through his window. A "special place" is being prepared for him near London. Hess is treated well but is not allowed visitors, not allowed to learn any war/political news and not told that his peace initiative is being treated as a joke. Army psychiatrists conclude that he is sane, but his disposition darkens as days go by without any meeting with Winston Churchill and no movement on his peace offer.

Applied Science: Vannevar Bush creates the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD). Separately, Arthur Compton and the United States National Academy of Sciences together publish a report about favorable prospects for the invention of an atomic bomb.

Lieutenant General Herbert J. Brees (right) pins the third star on his successor in command of the Third Army, Walter Krueger (left), on 17 May 1941, in San Antonio, Texas (U.S. War Department (Archive of U.S. War Department)).

US/Vichy French Relations: Four US Senators of President Roosevelt's Democratic Party publicly advocate seizing Vichy French possessions in the Western Hemisphere. These include but are not limited to Martinique and small islands off the Canadian coast. This would be done in collaboration with Latin American republics pursuant to the pact of Havana.

German Military: Adolf Hitler issues his Directive No. 29, which addresses "The aim of German operations in the southeast," i.e., the Balkans and Crete. The main points of the Directive are that the Italians will be primarily responsible for defending Greece, and how Crete will be garrisoned - its capture being assumed in upcoming Operation Mercury.

A Curtiss-Wright Navy SNC-1 trainer airplane, 17 May 1941.

US Government: The Department of Justice launches a crackdown on illegal aliens in the United States. It appears primarily directed at German and Italian nationals, particularly seamen whose ships recently were seized.

The Dies Committee investigating un-American activities announces that it will hold hearings next week regarding "the extent to which Communist and Communist sympathizers have been able to obtain employment in the federal government."

Italian Government: King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy is in Albania visiting Albanian Prime Minister Shefqet Vërlaci when both are shot at in their car. The culprit is 19-year old Albanian nationalist Vasil Laçi, who will be executed on 27 May.

Philippines: A load of 31 P-40B fighters arrives by ship and is transported to Nichols Field, the only paved airfield capable of handling fighters. The shipment does not include the Prestone antifreeze which is necessary for their operation - so the planes are unusable until the coolant arrives. This will not be until early July, and training is critical because P-40s are considered tough to fly, especially by inexperienced pilots.

American Homefront: It is "Connie Mack Day" at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, PA.

Connie Mack Day program at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, 17 May 1941. In 1953, Shibe Park will be renamed Connie Mack Stadium and demolished on 13 July 1976 after being replaced by Veterans Stadium.

May 1941

May 1, 1941: British Hold Tobruk
May 2, 1941: Anglo-Iraq War
May 3, 1941: Liverpool Hammered
May 4, 1941: Hitler Victory Speech
May 5, 1941: Patriots Day
May 6, 1941: Stalin In Command
May 7, 1941: May Blitz
May 8, 1941: Pinguin Sunk
May 9, 1941: U-110 Captured
May 10, 1941: Hess Flies Into History
May 11, 1941: The Hess Peace Plan
May 12, 1941: Tiger Arrives Safely
May 13, 1941: Keitel's Illegal Order
May 14, 1941: Holocaust in Paris
May 15, 1941: Operation Brevity
May 16, 1941: Blitz Ends
May 17, 1941: Habbaniya Relieved
May 18, 1941: Croatia Partitioned
May 19, 1941: Bismarck at Sea
May 20, 1941: Invasion of Crete
May 21, 1941: Robin Moore Sinking
May 22, 1941: Royal Navy Destruction Off Crete
May 23, 1941: Crete Must Be Won
May 24, 1941: Bismarck Sinks Hood
May 25, 1941: Lütjens' Brilliant Maneuver
May 26, 1941: Bismarck Stopped
May 27, 1941: Bismarck Sunk
May 28, 1941: Crete Lost
May 29, 1941: Royal Navy Mauled Off Crete
May 30, 1941: Sorge Warns, Stalin Ignores
May 31, 1941: British Take Baghdad

2020

Friday 16 May 1941

"Children waving at a Valentine tank of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Tank Regiment (1st Polish Corps) on the move against the 'invaders' during a mock invasion exercise in Perthshire. Polish troops played the role of the defenders, while Scottish troops (probably the 51st Highland Division) took the part of the invaders." Captain W.T. Lockeyear, © IWM (H 9786).

Anglo/Iraq War: Special Force Junck (Sonderkommando Junck) on 16 May 1941 has assembled a squadron (Fliegerführer Irak) in Mosul composed of 12 Messerschmitt Bf 110s, 5 Heinkel He 111s, a communications flight equipped with light aircraft, a section of anti-aircraft guns, and 3 Junkers Ju 52s. The RAF No. 203 Squadron opens hostilities in the early morning hours by raiding Sonderkommando Junck's airfield at Mosul. They destroy a Heinkel bomber and 2 Bf 110s. Already, Sonderkommando Junck is being whittled down.

The Germans respond by sending three Heinkel He 111 bombers and six Bf 110s against the main British airfield at Habbaniya. The Germans kill numerous British ground personnel and destroy a Hawker Audax fighter-bomber and shoot down a Gloster Gladiator fighter, both obsolete biplanes but still useful in the theater. Debris from the exploding Gladiator disables one of the Heinkels' engines, causing it to crash-land on the way back to Mosul.

Oberst Werner Junck, leader of the German forces (Fliegerführer Irak), flies to Baghdad from Mosul in place of the deceased Major Axel von Blomberg, recently shot in his transport while approaching Baghdad. He meets with Rashid Ali, German representative Dr. Grobba, and other top Iraqi leaders. The group decides to interdict Kingcol, the British relief column currently at Fort Rutbah, and prevent it from relieving RAF Habbaniya. Sonderkommando Junck also is to assist Iraqi ground forces in taking Habbaniya.

Several German ships anchored at Bandari Shahpur are ordered to scuttle themselves in the Shatt al-Arab. The hope is that they will block the entrance to the refinery there.

The Soviet Union recognizes the Rashid Ali government in Iraq via an exchange of diplomatic notes in Ankara, Turkey.

An early Consolidated B-24 Liberator that arrives in the UK on 16 May 1941. This plane is slotted to be used for crew training in RAF No. 120 Squadron Coastal Command.

European Air Operations: There are two separate commonly discussed periods of war activity between the Reich and Great Britain that overlap: the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. It is easy to confuse them and think of the Blitz and the Battle of Britain as one period of time, but they are separate actions that involve different characteristics. While the Battle of Britain is said to have ended at the end of October 1940, the Blitz continues until 16 May 1941. It finally ends today - or, at least the first and most destructive part of the Blitz.

The Luftwaffe sends 111 aircraft to raid RAF airfields in Birmingham and the West Midlands. The Germans lose three planes. While not apparent at the moment, this is the final Luftwaffe night bomber raid on England during the May Blitz. The Luftwaffe is shifting massive forces east in preparation for Operation Barbarossa.

The Luftwaffe sends fighter-bombers (Jabo) to raid southeast England. While Jabos carry a small payload, they are more accurate than level bombers and incur fewer losses. They also engage in strafing missions and can battle defending RAF fighters on an equal basis.

RAF Bomber Command raids Cologne with 93 planes after dark, causing fires on both sides of the Rhine. The Atlantik rubber plant at Bramsfeld (in the Ruhr Valley) also is attacked, with some success. Diversionary attacks in France and Holland also are effective, and overall the RAF loses two planes.

Manchester Guardian, 16 May 1941.

East African Campaign: Following a renewed attack on his defenses at Amba Alagi, the Duke of Aosta has had enough. His troops are giving ground and his supplies are running out, a situation exacerbated by an artillery hit on an oil tank that contains the Italians' only supply of fresh water. In addition, British promises of self-determination for Eritrea have induced the Italians' Eritrean troops to desert and motivated partisans (Arbegnoch), who are said to be committing atrocities against Italians. The Duke sues for peace and institutes a ceasefire.

British freighter Rodney Star, sunk 16 May 1941 off Freetown by U-105.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-105 (Kptlt. Georg Schewe), on its lengthy second patrol out of Lorient, extends its string of successes around 420 miles off of Freetown. Schewe spots independent (unescorted) 11,803-ton refrigerated transport Rodney Star (master Samuel John Clement) during the early morning hours, and at 05:48 fires two torpedoes. One hits in the stern, disabling the Rodney Star. Schewe then fires another torpedo at 06:20, and a third at 07:46, but larger ships tend to be hard to sink, so Schewe finally surfaces and uses its deck gun. After pumping 91 high explosive shells and 22 incendiary rounds into the crippled freighter, the Rodney Star finally sinks by the stern.

The 83-man crew of the Rodney Star (everyone survives) spends six days in lifeboats before being rescued by HMS Batna and Boreas and taken to Takoradi. According to some accounts, U-105's deck gun blew up during a training exercise on 6 May, while other accounts state that it blew up while firing on the Rodney Star, injuring six crew.

British 2448-ton freighter Archangel is badly damaged by the Luftwaffe. The ship, 10 miles north of Aberdeen, is attacked by three Heinkel He 111 bombers around midnight on the 16th and badly damaged. The ship later sinks while under tow to Aberdeen (some accounts say it was beached and broke up onshore). There are 41 deaths and 42 wounded, all enlisted men out of 475 men on board (figures vary). The wounded suffer from burns.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 5673-ton British freighter Ethel Radcliffe at Great Yarmouth. The Ethel Radcliffe had been damaged by German S boats on 17 April.

The Luftwaffe bombs and badly damages 715-ton British freighter Joffre Rose off St. David's Head. The ship's master manages to beach the ship in Dale Bay, and, and further attacks by the Luftwaffe, the ship ultimately is refloated and repaired.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 811-ton British freighter Obsidian in St. George's Channel.

U-107 (Kptlt. Günter Hessler), also operating off Freetown, spots 8029-ton Dutch tanker Marisa in the distance and begins pursuit.

U-109 (Kptlt. Hans-Georg Fischer), on its first patrol out of Kiel, spots a large formation of US ships that includes battleships and several destroyers. Fischer, following orders, avoids contact.

Issues to the port-side crane of battleship Bismarck are resolved to Captain Lindemann's satisfaction. Admiral Lütjens reports the ship ready for action. Admiral Doenitz authorizes Operation Rheinübung, the planned sortie to the North Atlantic by Bismarck and cruiser Prinz Eugen, to begin on the evening of 19 May.

Royal Navy minelayers HMS Teviotbank and Plover lay minefield BS-56 in the English Channel.

Convoys HX 127 and BHX 127 depart from Halifax and Bermuda, respectively.

Royal Navy corvettes Jasmine (Lt.Cdr. (retired) Cecil Dick Bluett Coventry) and Lavender (Lt.Cdr. Jackson Whayman, RNR) are commissioned, frigate Exe is laid down at Paisley.

Canadian corvette HMCS Levis (Lt. Charles W. Gilding) is commissioned, and corvette Shawinigan is launched at Lauzon, Quebec.

U-385 and U-386 are laid down.

RAF ace Noël le Chevalier Agazarian, KIA 16 May 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Brevity lives up to its codename as the British attack on Axis forces on the Egyptian/Libyan border, begun on the 15th and aimed at Sollum, stalls out. Berlin orders General Rommel - back in undisputed command of Afrika Korps following the departure of his General Staff "minder" General Friedrich Paulus on 8 May - to leave his Italian forces to guard Tobruk and block the British advance further south with his panzers of the 5th Panzer Regiment and 8th Panzer Regiment.

Lt. Colonel Hans Cramer, in command of the panzers, launches an aggressive attack against the British which succeeds. At the front, the British 22nd Guards Infantry Brigade withdraws from Fort Capuzzo and Sollum to Halfaya Pass, while the British 7th Armored Brigade withdraws from Sidi Aziz. The British Army forms a new line running from Sidi Omar to Sidi Suleiman to Sollum. This gives up all of the British gains from Operation Brevity aside from Halfaya Pass itself. The British are forced to retire because they have sustained heavy tank losses following the rapid Wehrmacht response to the attack.

Overhead, the RAF and Luftwaffe battle it out during Operation Brevity. RAF ace (seven victories) Noël le Chevalier Agazarian of 274 Squadron perishes when Fw. Franz Elles in a Messerschmitt Bf 109 of 2./JG 27 shoots his Hawker Hurricane near Gambut.

Separately from the German attacks, Italian troops launch an unexpected attack on Tobruk. Sappers clear barbed wire and clear mines. The Italian infantry then moves forward and takes some bunkers.

Clearly worried about the staunch Axis defense on the Libyan frontier, Winston Churchill cables Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell and asks if it would be okay to repeat the recent Tiger Convoy, which sent hundreds of tanks directly through the Mediterranean to Alexandria. Churchill notes, "in view of the heavy loss of I tanks on 15th May, victory may depend upon the last hundred."

In a message to South African leader Jan Smuts, Churchill notes that "President Roosevelt is pushing United States supplies towards Suez to the utmost." Churchill also states "I have good hopes that we shall win the campaign in the Eastern Mediterranean this summer."

The British use Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire to reinforce Tobruk during the night.

Light cruisers HMS Fiji and Gloucester land troops at Heraklion, Crete and then join the Royal Navy forces operating in large numbers near Crete. The Luftwaffe continues its attacks on the British base at Suda Bay, damaging 5993-ton freighter Logician and 6397-ton Greek freighter Nicolaou Ourania (beached and repaired by the Germans) and sinking 1070-ton Greek freighter Kythera. The RAF loses two Hurricanes of No. 33 Squadron based at Maleme.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Unbeaten fires at Axis transports off Tripoli but misses.

Winston Churchill sends Malta Governor Dobbie a message saying that he is sending Donald Parker Stevenson, DSO, to be his new air commander because "He embodies the offensive spirit." The Luftwaffe raids continue against the island, and today they damage destroyer HMS Encounter and sink freighter Araybank.

A minesweeper, HMS Gloxinia, is damaged by a mine near Malta, and minesweeper Widnes is damaged by a bombing near-miss in the eastern Mediterranean, adding to the numerous minesweepers in the Mediterranean that have been put out of action. The island's government releases figures today providing data on the effects of the air attacks to date:

• 2087 houses destroyed
• 11,679 homeless

The damage extends throughout the island, with areas populated by refugees also suffering along with Valetta. Wing Commander J. Warfield is named commanding officer of RAF Station Takali in Malta.

USS Monssen (DD-436) at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 16 May 1941 (Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.).

Anglo/US Relations: Churchill sends President Roosevelt a lengthy cable. This message summarizes what has been learned from Rudolf Hess. The gist of the cable is that the Hess flight has brought valuable intelligence, but otherwise cannot be taken seriously.

Churchill writes that Hess has made "proposals for settlement." Churchill continues:

Hess said that the Fuehrer had never entertained any designs against the British Empire, which would be left intact save for the return of former German colonies, in exchange for a free hand for him in Europe. But condition was attached that Hitler would not negotiate with present Government in England.

Churchill notes that Hess has denied that Germany is making plans to attack Russia, but that the Reich does have plans in Asia. These include the removal of British forces from Iraq. Hess also makes "rather disparaging remarks" about the United States and its "aircraft types and production."

Churchill concludes that if Hess "is honest and if he is sane this is an encouraging sign of ineptitude of German Intelligence service" for thinking that there is a strong peace faction in Great Britain which he hoped to stimulate. Regarding that last point, Churchill later notes that "Hess seems in good health and not excited and no ordinary signs of insanity can be detected."

US/Chinese Relations: President Roosevelt states that the US has a vital interest in the defense of China.

Wake Island, May 1941(U.S. National Archives Photo 80-G-451195 from the U.S. National Park Service website A MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: Marines in the Battle for Wake Island).

Spy Stuff: German envoys in Stockholm overhear the Russian envoy claiming that at no time in Russian history have more powerful troop contingents been massed in the west. This jibes with other warnings being received in Berlin from Antonescu in Romania that Soviet troops are massing around Kyiv. In fact, the Soviets are indeed moving two armies to the area around Kyiv pursuant to the Zhukov Plan of 15 May.

Winston Churchill, in his message today to Jan Smuts, notes that "It looks as if Hitler is massing against Russia." He continues regarding Operation Barbarossa, still a full month away:

A ceaseless movement of troops, armoured forces and aircraft northwards from the Balkans and eastward from France and Germany is in progress. I should myself suppose his [Hitler's] best chance was to attack the Ukraine and Caucasus thus making sure of corn and oil.

Whatever his sources, most likely Ultra decrypts, Churchill is deadly accurate in this summary to Smuts. His strategic analysis also jibes closely with Hitler's own views, which are opposed by many generals and the OKW, who favor focusing on Moscow.

Churchill authorizes the movement of Rudolf Hess, still in a Glasgow military hospital, to the Tower of London "by tonight pending his place of confinement being prepared at Aldershot." Once again, Churchill emphasizes that "he must be kept in the strictest seclusion."

US Military: First delivers are made to the US Army Air Corps of the P-43 Lancer fighter. Separately, General Walter Krueger takes command of the US Third Army.

British Government: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sends a memo to Sir Kingsley Wood, Chancellor of the Exchequer, arguing that the survivors of soldiers killed while on leave should receive the same compensation as those actually killed in action. Heretofore, survivors have been given much smaller amounts. He writes that soldiers:

have a right to be considered when on leave as enjoying the same privileges in regard to pensions for their widows etc. as when they are with their Units.

Wood has resisted making the change because of cost, so Churchill asks for the figures.

German Government: The Gestapo arrests Karl Haushofer, a friend (former employer) of Rudolf Hess. Haushofer is one of many German philosophers who have argued that Germany should expand. As a former major general from World War I, he enjoys some status within the Reich and respect by Hitler. Haushofer's wife is Jewish, or rather a "half-Jew" according to Reich racial laws, and to date, Hess has protected her - but that protection now is gone. While paternity of the word "Lebensraum" and its significance within the Third Reich generally is assigned to Hitler in "Mein Kampf," some attribute the concept as used by the Reich as belonging to Haushofer.

Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 aircraft of the 178 IAP-PVO based south of Moscow, 16 May 1941 (TASS). This is a still taken from a Soviet propaganda film entitled "The Soviet Red Army Air Force Guards the Frontiers of the Motherland." These are show planes - normal military planes are not this shiny.

Soviet Government: Vsevolod Merkulov, Deputy People's Commissar of the NKVD and head of the NKGB (a unit of the NKVD), updates Joseph Stalin on plans to deport influential natives (politicians, military leaders) from the Baltic States. Merkulov urges that the people be rounded up be given 8-year sentences in labor camps, with exile for their families to Siberia.

Martinique: Churchill inquires to General Ismay about the status of Martinique and says that "I have it in mind that the United States might take over Martinique to safeguard it from being used as a base for U-boats in view of Vichy collaboration." Great Britain, of course, has no control over either Vichy France or the United States, so Churchill cannot compel anything to happen regarding the government of the island, but, of course, Churchill has an opinion on everything and a lot of influence with President Roosevelt.

Iceland: The Althing (Icelandic Parliament) adopts four constitutional amendments intended to complete de facto independence from Denmark, which is effectively occupied by the Reich even if its government has been allowed to remain in place and theoretically retains freedom of decision. However, the Icelandic-Danish Act of Union remains in place for the time being (until February 1944). The Danish ambassador in Washington, D.C., who is not encumbered by coercion by the Reich, has been making decisions and representations on behalf of Iceland favorable to the Allies whose legality is questionable, and this action by the Althing does nothing to resolve that. Iceland itself is occupied by British troops, which the Icelandic government has protested against without result.

It is fair to say that the status of Iceland remains a giant unfinished puzzle, though its territory without question is greatly aiding the Allies. In any event, Iceland is going its own way regardless of legalities.

Malaya: General Percival, who has recently arrived by plane from Great Britain, assumes his post as General Officer Commanding, Malaya.

China: Japanese bombers raid Nationalist capital Chungking.

The 1st Armored Division M2A4 light tanks and medium tank parade for a Congressional Committee visiting Ft. Knox, KY, 16 May 1941.

May 1941

May 1, 1941: British Hold Tobruk
May 2, 1941: Anglo-Iraq War
May 3, 1941: Liverpool Hammered
May 4, 1941: Hitler Victory Speech
May 5, 1941: Patriots Day
May 6, 1941: Stalin In Command
May 7, 1941: May Blitz
May 8, 1941: Pinguin Sunk
May 9, 1941: U-110 Captured
May 10, 1941: Hess Flies Into History
May 11, 1941: The Hess Peace Plan
May 12, 1941: Tiger Arrives Safely
May 13, 1941: Keitel's Illegal Order
May 14, 1941: Holocaust in Paris
May 15, 1941: Operation Brevity
May 16, 1941: Blitz Ends
May 17, 1941: Habbaniya Relieved
May 18, 1941: Croatia Partitioned
May 19, 1941: Bismarck at Sea
May 20, 1941: Invasion of Crete
May 21, 1941: Robin Moore Sinking
May 22, 1941: Royal Navy Destruction Off Crete
May 23, 1941: Crete Must Be Won
May 24, 1941: Bismarck Sinks Hood
May 25, 1941: Lütjens' Brilliant Maneuver
May 26, 1941: Bismarck Stopped
May 27, 1941: Bismarck Sunk
May 28, 1941: Crete Lost
May 29, 1941: Royal Navy Mauled Off Crete
May 30, 1941: Sorge Warns, Stalin Ignores
May 31, 1941: British Take Baghdad

2020