Friday 22 September 1939

German and Soviet soldiers conversing, 22 September 1939.

Battle of Poland: German forces under the command of General Heinz Guderian (XIX Corps) were in possession of territory on the eastern side of the Bug River. Soviet forces now arrived to assume control of that area under the secret terms of the 23 August 1939 Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. Kombrig (Commanding officer of the brigade) Semyon Moiseevich Krivoshein of the Soviet 29th Tank Brigade, who had crossed the Polish border on 17 September, reached Brest-Litovsk on the morning of 22 September. Krivoshein found the Germans looting the town, with Guderian himself ensconced there. The German apparently had been there for several days already.

A Wehrmacht soldier initiates peace talks with a Russian female soldier in Brest-Litovsk, Poland, 22 September 1939.

After some back-and-forth, Krivoshein visited Guderian at the latter's headquarters. Guderian acknowledged that he had to relinquish the town, but proposed to make the German departure a formal occasion, complete with a parade. Krivoshein was not very enthusiastic about the idea, having just completed a quick advance to reach the city and not wanting any extra hassles. However, Krivoshein agreed to supply a few token battalions to support the effort, along with a military band. The informal parade began at 16:00, complete with festive bunting. Both German and Soviet troops marched through hastily constructed "Victory Arches" before the two commanding officers.

Guderian and Krivoshein at the Brest-Litovsk parade.

Krivoshein later greatly downplayed the event in his memoirs and implied that the Soviet forces were merely present and not active participants. He recalled that he did not allow his troops to march with the German forces, who were rested and looked more presentable. However, it should be noted that subsequent events made downplaying any cooperation with the Germans a politically wise decision, and Soviet military historical works are notorious for their impeccable political hindsight.

Afterward, the German forces withdrew to the west bank of the Bug River as pre-ordained. The event has attracted much publicity in subsequent years due to the subsequent estrangement of the two forces. It is believed that the 22 September 1939 parade was the only such event that ever took place involving the two sides. Russian historians, in particular, are quick to minimize the event as being merely a "ceremonial departure" of the German forces, but the photographic record suggests that it was a bit more than that.

The Polish commander of Lwów hands it over to the Soviets.

Polish units of the 39th Infantry Division have been defending the village of Cześniki near Zamość. They have been holding off the German 27th Infantry Division and 4th Light Division. The 39th Infantry Division now is ordered to relieve Lwów and breaks through the German lines. With that city suddenly being surrendered, however, they are now on the move with nowhere to go.

"Honorary Colonel of the 12th Artillery Regiment" Generaloberst Werner Thomas Ludwig Freiherr von Fritsch is killed in Praga while "inspecting the front." He is picked off by either a sniper or a machine gun. Von Fritsch is believed to have voluntarily exposed himself to enemy fire due to his lingering disgrace over the false accusations of homosexuality used to depose him from his position as Commander in Chief of the Heer.

Western Front: The French claim to be approaching Zweibrücken in the Siegfried line. French radio also reports that the Wehrmacht has lost 150,000 men so far in the conflict. The actual figure is maybe 10% of that.

Battle of the Atlantic: The steamer Arkleside is torpedoed and sinks. A Grimsby trawler also is sunk.

Romanian Government: The government executes several members of the Iron Guard, including the assassins of the Romanian Prime Minister, in Bucharest.

Allied Supreme Command: In Hove, Sussex, the second meeting of the Allied Supreme War Council takes place between the British and French representatives. Nothing much is accomplished beyond issues of supply.

British Homefront: The Metropolitan Police Commission in London reports that road accidents have tripled so far in September. That is likely due to the blackout. The courts are clogged with blackout violations. Gasoline is rationed.

September 1939

September 1, 1939: Invasion of Poland
September 2, 1939: Danzig Annexed
September 3, 1939: France, Great Britain Declare War
September 4, 1939: First RAF Raid
September 5, 1939: The US Stays Out
September 6, 1939: Battle of Barking Creek
September 7, 1939: Polish HQ Bugs Out
September 8, 1939: War Crimes in Poland
September 9, 1939: The Empire Strikes Back
September 10, 1939: The Germans Break Out
September 11, 1939: Battle of Kałuszyn
September 12, 1939: The French Chicken Out
September 13, 1939: The Battle of Modlin
September 14, 1939: Germany Captures Gdynia
September 15, 1939: Warsaw Surrounded
September 16, 1939: Battle of Jaworów
September 17, 1939: Soviets Invade Poland
September 18, 1939: Lublin Falls
September 19, 1939: Germans, Soviets Hook Up
September 20, 1939: the Kraków Army Surrenders
September 21, 1939: Romania Convulses
September 22, 1939: Joint Soviet-German Military Parade
September 23, 1939: The Panama Conference
September 24, 1939: The Luftwaffe Bombs Warsaw
September 25, 1939: Black Monday for Warsaw
September 26, 1939: Warsaw on the Ropes
September 27, 1939: Hitler Decides to Invade France
September 28, 1939: Warsaw Capitulates
September 29, 1939: Modlin Fortress Falls
September 30, 1939: Graf Spee on the Loose

2020

Thursday 23 January 1941

Jewish stores in Bucharest, Romania during the Iron Guard pogrom that ends on 23 January 1941.

Italian/Greek Campaign: The battles around the Klisura Pass continue on 23 January 1941. Greek II Corps counterattacks against small Italian successes and recaptures the heights west of the pass.

East African Campaign: The British are not 42 miles within Eritrea. The British troops advancing from Kassala are pressuring the Italians in the vicinity to fall back. The RAF is active, bombing various points throughout the region. Continuing the long-established pattern displayed by the Italians, they quickly give ground under determined attacks.

At Keru Gorge, where they had established a fairly decent defensive position, the Italian 41st Colonial Brigade precipitously retreats during the night of 22/23 January under pressure from Indian 4th and 5th Divisions (primarily the Indian 10th Infantry Brigade). What they forget to do is tell their command, General Ugo Fongoli and his 800 headquarters troops nearby that they are leaving. The General and his troops become guests of His Majesty for the duration of the war. The Indian troops continue pressing forward toward Agordat, and the Italian retreat turns into a fleeing mass of panicked men.

"Posed portrait of three guardsmen from 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, 23 January 1941." © IWM (H 6864).

European Air Operations: The slow pace of operations continues. The Luftwaffe only drops scattered bombs along the east coast of England, and neither side puts bombers in the air after dark.
Battle of the Atlantic: One of the little-known stories of World War II is the occasional breakout attempts of merchant ships from internment or capture. Ships from both sides have attempted it, with varying success. Today, five Norwegian ships (Elizabeth Bakke, John Bakke, Tai Shan, Taurus, and Ranja) engage in Operation Rubble. Under the command of British temporary attache to Stockholm Captain R.D. Binney, they journey mostly as a convoy (one ship is faster and travels independently) from Gothenburg, Sweden through the Skagerrak north of Denmark and head for a rendezvous with the Royal Navy. It is a rare escape attempt within the Baltic by ships operating against German interests, as the Germans have complete hegemony over the western Baltic at this time.

German heavy cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau continue their journey north along the Norwegian coast as part of Operation Berlin. A British agent spots them between Denmark and the island of Zealand and reports to England. The British are preparing to send their heaviest naval units north to confront them before they can break out into the North Atlantic.

The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of 1,/KG 40) bombs and sinks 3564-ton British freighter Lurigethan in the shipping lanes about 500 km west of Ireland and south of Iceland. There are 16 deaths and 35 survivors. Not far away from where the Lurigethan sinks, the Luftwaffe also bombs and sinks 4524-ton British freighter Langleegorse (entire crew lost) and 1859 ton British freighter Mostyn (two dead). The Lurigethan, incidentally, is abandoned by her surviving crew and left as a derelict and will be sunk on 26 January by U-105.

Royal Navy 255 ton minesweeping trawler HMT Coutier hits a mine and is damaged, but makes it to Milford Haven. Royal Navy 248 ton minesweeping trawler HMT Ronso also hits a mine but also makes port.

The Kriegsmarine sends four minelayers to lay mines off the south coast of England during the night in Operation SW-b.

Convoy FN 390 departs from Southend, Convoys FS 394 and FS 395 depart from Methil.

In the Royal Canadian Navy, minesweeper HMCS Reo II and corvettes HMCS Agassiz and Bittersweet are commissioned. Minesweeper HMCS Wasaga is launched.

U-204 and U-561 are launched.

Rosalind Russell in a promotional shot taken on 23 January 1941, perhaps for her upcoming starring role in "They Met in Bombay" with Clark Gable.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Emergency repairs are completed on HMS Illustrious, and, at 1846, it departs from Grand Harbour, Malta for Alexandria (and thence Norfolk, Virginia for permanent repairs). The departure is timed to minimize the chances of Axis reconnaissance observing the escape attempt, and other more subtle precautions also are taken, such as keeping escorting destroyers in the harbour as long as possible. This is a major operation (Operation MBD 2) covered by the Mediterranean Fleet, including battleships HMS Barham and Valiant. The Luftwaffe quickly notices the operation and prepares an attack on the carrier and its escorts before they get out of range.

This is important not only for the prospects of getting the aircraft carrier back in service (eventually), but it also removes the major catalyst behind Luftwaffe Fliegerkorps X's recent onslaught of air raids against Malta. Thus, while the Illustrious Blitz may or may not continue, the Illustrious itself is no longer in harm's way within range of the Stukas. The departure of Illustrious, while good news for the British tactically, also leaves a strategic gap in the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet which will take time to fill.

Winston Churchill is unhappy about the recent Luftwaffe successes in the Mediterranean. As is his habit, he meddles in Royal Navy decisions, suggesting that the navy replace its obsolete Fairey Fulmars with monoplanes such as the American-made Brewsters and Martlets. The Fulmars, however, are quite effective when used properly.

General O'Connor of XIII Corps, fresh off another victory over the Italians at Tobruk (where all remaining resistance has ended), quickly sends his British and Australian units northwest and north, respectively, to continue Operation Compass. The next stop along the coast is Derna, a town of 10,000 people, while Mechili also is coming within view of the 7th Armoured Division. The Italians are sending Special Armoured Brigade (Brigata Corazzato Speciale) under the command of General Valentino Babini (also known as the "Babini Group") to block the coast road. Italian 10th Army commander General Giuseppe Tellera orders a counterattack against the advancing British Seventh Armoured Division for the 24th. The RAF bombs Derna.

The British rush to get Tobruk Harbor back in operation as a depository of British supplies. They begin Operation Parallax, which aims to sweep the harbor of mines and restore the port facilities. Minesweeping trawlers HMT Arthur Cavanagh and Milford Counties begin sweeping the harbor today, while boom vessel HMS Magnet arrives to restore order in the port.

In London, the Admiralty reports to the War Cabinet that recent RAF attacks on Fliegerkorps X bases at Catania, Sicily and elsewhere have been successful. However, the Luftwaffe is still in business and shortly will make its continued vitality known.

Battle of the Pacific: While the war, by and large, has not yet extended to the Pacific Ocean aside from scattered attacks by German raiders, the British in Hong Kong decide to make some preparations. They send minelayer HMS Man Yeung and destroyer HMS Thracian to seed some mines in the approaches to Hong Kong.

US/Yugoslavian Relations: "Wild Bill" Donovan continues his fact-finding mission in the European and Mediterranean region. Today, he stops off at Belgrade, no doubt drawn by the issues in Romania that are attracting worldwide attention.

US Military: Although a pre-World War I warship, the battleship USS Arizona is made the flagship of Battleship Division 1 by Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, replacing Rear Admiral Russell Wilson, who himself had relieved Rear Admiral Chester Nimitz.

Charles Lindbergh testifies before Congress, 23 January 1941.

US Government: Aviation legend Charles Lindbergh is invited to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Lindbergh is a well-known Isolationist who is supported by, and supports, the America First Committee organized by a Yale student. Lindbergh knows many of the German leaders personally and has deep knowledge of the European aviation situation. Escorted into the chamber by police, he faces a largely hostile committee (most being Democrats behind President Roosevelt's support of Great Britain). He testifies that he is "in sympathy with the people on both sides" and prefers a negotiated peace. His theory appears to be that a complete victory over Germany would cause huge long-term problems in Europe, both economically and militarily.

It is easy from a vantage point many decades later to criticize Lindbergh's testimony. In hindsight, though, while Lindbergh's fears may have been exaggerated, they do find echoes in the Cold War. Even given that his position of isolationism is completely destroyed by subsequent events, it is hard to argue with his prediction on 23 January 1941 that total victory over Germany would mean "prostration in Europe," both militarily and economically. One must remember that the Holocaust at this point is not a matter of common knowledge and has not geared up yet into factory-like exterminations (some will never forgive Lindbergh for arguing for a policy that would have permitted the continuation of the Holocaust). The committee chairman, New York Democrat Sol Bloom, tells Lindbergh at the conclusion of his 4 1/2 hours of testimony that:

You have made one of the best witnesses that this committee could possibly ever hear. You answered all the questions only as a Colonel Lindbergh could answer them....

A destroyed doctor's office in Bucharest, Romania, 23 January 1941.

Romania: Prime Minister Ion Antonescu calls in the troops, and the put down the Iron Guard rebellion that began on 21 January. His loyal army commanders assemble 100 tanks and other units from outlying areas and regain control of the Bucharest streets. General Ilie Şteflea's troops incur 30 deaths and 100 wounded while sending about 200-800 Legionnaires to their eternal rewards. Contrary to international press reports, the Wehrmacht troops in Romania for other purposes never lift a rifle to quell or support the rebellion, but at Antonescu's request, they afterward stage a mock victory parade that ends in front of the Prime Minister's building. That gives Antonescu an air of legitimacy and support, but also creates an appearance of German control of the situation which is absolutely false.

The politics of the situation now become extremely muddied. Antonescu is now cast in the role of a Romanian moderate, while the Iron Guard is shown to be perhaps the most extreme fascistic organization outside of Germany. Iron Guard leader Horia Sima, who disappeared during the rebellion, flees to Germany, while 9000 Legionnaires left behind are sentenced to prison. The facts of what happened in Romania never really filtered out to the western press during the war and this episode contributes to the western belief that Hitler has "taken over" Romania. In fact, Wehrmacht units remain guests of the Romanian government who try as much as possible to stay out of the internal politics of the country. However, they are present, and the world just assumes they committed crimes.

All that said, the true victims of the rebellion are the country's Jews. The Legionnaires burn down synagogues, destroy 1274 businesses of one form or another, and collect 200 trucks-worth of stolen items (along with vast sums of money, much of which likely gets buried in backyards and hidden in attics across the country). And even all that pales beside the torture, humiliation by the Iron Guard of at least 125 Bucharest Jews and undoubtedly others from other parts of the country as well. This, too, never really filters out to the international press, and the memory of all such depredations eventually gets dumped in a single bin marked "Hitler."

Indochina: The Japanese are getting tired of the rather pointless frontier war going on in French Indochina between Thailand and the Vichy French. While the two sides have expressed some interest in Japanese mediation, the war continues. The Japanese decide to hurry things along, so, in a classic example of gunboat diplomacy, they dispatch four cruisers from Kure for Saigon as an expression of their deep interest in a peaceful resolution. This is the "S" Operation.

Actress Rosalind Russell in another promotional shot taken on 23 January 1941.

January 1941

January 1, 1941: Muselier Arrested
January 2, 1941: Camp Categories
January 3, 1941: Liberty Ships
January 4, 1941: Aussies Take Bardia
January 5, 1941: Amy Johnson Perishes
January 6, 1941: Four Freedoms
January 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor Plans
January 8, 1941: Billions For Defense
January 9, 1941: Lancasters
January 10, 1941: Malta Convoy Devastation
January 11, 1941: Murzuk Raid
January 12, 1941: Operation Rhubarb
January 13, 1941: Plymouth Blitzed
January 14, 1941: V for Victory
January 15, 1941: Haile Selassie Returns
January 16, 1941: Illustrious Blitz
January 17, 1941: Koh Chang Battle
January 18, 1941: Luftwaffe Pounds Malta
January 19, 1941: East African Campaign Begins
January 20, 1941: Roosevelt 3rd Term
January 21, 1941: Attack on Tobruk
January 22, 1941: Tobruk Falls
January 23, 1941: Pogrom in Bucharest
January 24, 1941: Tank Battle in Libya
January 25, 1941: Panjiayu Tragedy
January 26, 1941: Churchill Working Hard
January 27, 1941: Grew's Warning
January 28, 1941: Ho Chi Minh Returns
January 29, 1941: US Military Parley With Great Britain
January 30, 1941: Derna Taken
January 31, 1941: LRDG Battered

2020

Wednesday 22 January 1941

Italian troops surrendering in Tobruk, on or about 22 January 1941.

Italian/Greek Campaign: The Italians make no headway on 22 January 1941 with their initial attempt to retake the key Klisura Pass. Greek II Corps advances and takes villages of Kiafe-louzit and Spi-kamarate on a plateau, nabbing about 500 Italian prisoners. The fighting in this sector is brutal, and while the Greeks have made progress, it is turning into a see-saw battle. The RAF bombs Valona and Berat, while the Italians raid Salonika.

East African Campaign: The Italian forces in Eritrea are falling back toward Akordat in the face of the British attacks from Sudan. The 4th Indian Division destroys the Italian defensive line at Keru, Eritrea, accepting the surrender of 1200 men and their commander, General Fongoli. The British also are advancing from Kenya into Italian Somaliland, though so far these are secondary attacks.

European Air Operations: RAF Fighter Command launches a Rhubarb sortie over Belgium and Holland. As intended, this draws up Luftwaffe fighter opposition. Feldwebel Mickel of 1./JG shoots down a British Beaufort fighter-bomber to the northwest of Terschelling, West Frisians around 13:00. Another member of I,/JG 1, Uffz. Krause shoots down a Blenheim bomber at Den Helder a couple of hours later for his first victory.

RAF Bomber Command attacks Dusseldorf during the night with 20 bombers.

The Luftwaffe remains quiet. It sends a few raiders across that hit various points in the eastern part of England, but no major attacks.

Australian troops (note the kangaroo pictures) with captured Italian tanks watching the burning of Tobruk, January 1941.

Battle of the Atlantic: German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau - "Salmon & Gluckstein" to the British, so named after a popular tobacconist - depart Kiel on Operation Berlin under the command of Admiral Lütjens. To this point, Kriegsmarine sorties into the Atlantic have been quite successful, if you leave aside the destruction of the Admiral Graf Spee, at sea at the war's start, they have at the very least held their own against the Royal Navy and proved an irritant to the Admiralty. The ships are spotted in the Skagerrak by Swedish naval spies who are happy to tell the British about them (just as the Spanish often supply intelligence to the Germans). The Admiralty quickly plans to shift its heaviest assets to patrol the "Faroes Gap," the area between Iceland and the Faroes where German ships are furthest from aerial reconnaissance and where they invariably transit to the Atlantic. This response shows the utility of surface ships, as they completely distract the Royal Navy and engender massive countermeasures out of all proportion to the actual threat.

The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of I,/KG 40) bombs and sinks 3574-ton Greek freighter Kapetan Stratis in the shipping lanes just northwest of Ireland. Everybody aboard perishes in the frigid winter water.

Royal Navy 234 ton minesweeping trawler Luda Lady hits a mine and sinks in the Humber. Everybody survives. Also sunk nearby is 810-ton tug HMS St. Cyrus. Some reports say everyone survives, others that most or all of the crew perish.

Norwegian 18673-ton liner Oslofjord has been beached near Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland since hitting a mine on 1 December 1940. Today after dark, the winter weather does her in and she is destroyed. The wreck is still sitting near the shoreline at 15 meters. The ship has a somewhat unusual design, with the lifeboats slung very high to give passengers more viewing space.

British 4098-ton freighter Jamaica Planter hits a mine in the Bristol Channel near Nell's Point, Barry Island. The crew manages to beach the ship before it can sink, and it later is refloated and repaired. There have been numerous ships lost or damaged to mines in this area over the past month.

Kriegsmarine torpedo boat T-1 runs aground off Kristiansand and requires extensive repairs, though the ship can still make way. The repairs take until July.

Convoy OB 277 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FS 392 departs from Methil, Convoy FS 393 is canceled, Convoy SC 20 departs from Halifax.

U-67 (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Bleichrodt) is commissioned.

The New York Times, 22 January 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Compass proceeds with the conquest of Tobruk. At dawn, Italian Major General Della Mura surrenders the 61st Infantry Division "Sirte," opening the road to the actual port of Tobruk. While having a reputation as impregnable, the port falls quicker even than Bardia had earlier in the month. The Italians continue firing on the advancing Australian 6th Infantry Division with their beached coastal defense ship San Giorgio until the port is captured, at which point the crew blows it up to prevent its capture. The RAF participates, sinking 15,354-ton Italian troops ship Liguria in the harbor (previously damaged and immobilized, it is later salvaged). The fighting is all over by 15:45 when Italian Admiral Vietina and the naval garrison surrender.

Overall, the Australians capture 20,000 soldiers, 87 tanks and 208 guns for the loss of 355 men (and 45 British troops). The Italian dead number 18 officers and 750 soldiers, with 30 officers and 2250 men wounded. The British are surprised to see how well supplied the Italian garrison is, with enough canned food to last two months, 10,000 gallons of water, and refrigeration/distillation equipment.

The British report that the desert sandstorms have been more of a hindrance than Italian resistance. This is a highpoint of Australian military success during World War II in the European Theater of Operations. At the end of the day, an Australian soldier's hat is flown from the highest flagpole over Tobruk (no Union Jack being found). Everyone is having a bit of well-deserved fun, but the rest of Libya remains to be captured.

General O'Connor of XIII Corps wastes no time in re-deploying his forces after the victory. He immediately orders the British 7th Armoured Division northwest toward the Jebel Akhdar Mountains in order to threaten Mechili and the Australian 6th Infantry Division north along the coast road to Derna. The Italians send forward the newly created Italian Special Armoured Brigade (Brigata Corazzato Speciale), General Valentino Babini commanding, to block the Allied advance. Unlike the static garrison forces that the Allies have overcome recently, this is a powerful mobile force with heavy infantry support.

The Italians are increasingly concerned about their grip on North Africa. They send a convoy three passenger liners (Esperia, Conte Rosso, Marco Polo) and a freighter (Victoria) from Naples bound for Tripoli to reinforce the Libyan garrison.

Having ably supported the conquest of Tobruk, Royal Navy monitor HMS Terror and gunboat Gnat return to Alexandria, along with destroyer HMS Voyager.

At Malta, the garrison is apprised by the War Office of scuttlebutt emanating from Rome that suggests the Germans are massing troops in Sicily for the conquest of Malta. However, air reconnaissance shows nothing unusual going on there in that regard. Governor Dobbie sends a reply that he believes the rumors are a "bluff."

US troops of the 501st Parachute Battalion practicing at Fort Benning, Georgia. New York Times, 22 January 1941. The paper reports that parachutists avoid "ripcord paralysis" due to light lines attached to the planes which open the parachutes automatically. Thus, the parachutist doesn't have to do anything.

Anglo/US Relations: US heavy cruiser USS Louisville (CA-28) arrives in New York from Simonstown, South Africa. It is carrying a load of British gold bars valued at US$148,342,212.55, transferred to the United States for the duration of the war pursuant to Operation Fish. This is believed to be the final tranche of British reserves with which they can buy weapons and supplies, making passage of the Lend-Lease Bill pending in US Congress imperative if the British government is not to face either financial or military ruin.

Wendell Wilkie departs from New York bound for England by plane. He carries a personal letter to be hand-delivered to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. This is another of Roosevelt's personal "fact-finding missions" to Europe by his personal chums, the most recent having been by Harry Hopkins.

A British soldier looks over captured Italian 149-35 and 120-25 guns at Tobruk, on or about 22 January 1941.

Romania: The Iron Guard uprising continues unabated today. Prime Minister Ion Antonescu remains holed up in the palace while the Legionnaires run wild throughout the country, but primarily in the big cities. The main targets are Jews in Bucharest, against whom virtually every indignity is inflicted. Rather than sanctuaries for those being persecuted, police stations are the center of the pogrom, with the Legionnaires comprising much of the police force.

The Iron Guard, as is often the case in Europe throughout the war, view this period of time as an opportunity to even up what they view as "old scores" against people they perceive as foreign elements within the local culture. However, while there is pure and unmistakeable ethnic animus involved, the Legionnaires also are interested in simply stealing from their victims anything that isn't nailed down, so it isn't just about racism and "payback." Antonescu retains the support of Adolf Hitler (who just wants a stable Romania he can use to take over the world), and German troops are sympathetic to Antonescu's government (on Hitler's orders). This helps Antonescu to begin planning countermeasures using the many loyal elements of the army in the hinterlands. Today is probably the height of the pogrom, and Antonescu orders the army to move in and restore order on the 23rd.

Ten thousand civilians participate in the first test of the new US Air Defense Command. Over four days, fourteen Douglas bombers fly over the Northeast staging mock attacks on cities, with fighter interceptions made based on the spotters' results. NY Times,  22 January 1941.

American Homefront: George Gallup of the American Institute of Public Policy (The Gallup organization) reports the results of a poll showing that the majority of the US public supports the idea behind the Lend-Lease Bill (which currently is popularly referred to as the "lease-lend" bill) currently being considered by Congress. Democrats are slightly more enthusiastic than Republicans. The results of the poll are:

• Republicans Approve: 62%
• Republicans Disapprove: 32%
• Republicans Undecided: 6%
• Democrats Approve: 74%
• Democrats Disapprove: 20%
• Democrats Undecided: 6%

George Gallup cautions that these findings do not necessarily mean that the public suddenly wants war. Instead, he states:

The chief reason why the majority of voters favor this lease-lend plan is that anything which helps England will serve to 'keep the war in Europe' and away from our shores. 'England is fighting our battle' is a typical comment.

Thus, far from suggesting that the public would favor a US declaration of war and involvement in the fighting, the findings hint that people are happiest to do anything that keeps the United States out of the war. This issue illustrates how tricky polling can be.

Meanwhile, politicians of all conceivable stripes are taking sides on the Lend-Lease issue. The New York State League of Women Voters endorses the bill, for instance, while former Ambassador to the Court of St. James Joseph Kennedy opposes the bill because he feels that it gives President Roosevelt and the Executive Branch too much power, authority, and discretion.

January 1941

January 1, 1941: Muselier Arrested
January 2, 1941: Camp Categories
January 3, 1941: Liberty Ships
January 4, 1941: Aussies Take Bardia
January 5, 1941: Amy Johnson Perishes
January 6, 1941: Four Freedoms
January 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor Plans
January 8, 1941: Billions For Defense
January 9, 1941: Lancasters
January 10, 1941: Malta Convoy Devastation
January 11, 1941: Murzuk Raid
January 12, 1941: Operation Rhubarb
January 13, 1941: Plymouth Blitzed
January 14, 1941: V for Victory
January 15, 1941: Haile Selassie Returns
January 16, 1941: Illustrious Blitz
January 17, 1941: Koh Chang Battle
January 18, 1941: Luftwaffe Pounds Malta
January 19, 1941: East African Campaign Begins
January 20, 1941: Roosevelt 3rd Term
January 21, 1941: Attack on Tobruk
January 22, 1941: Tobruk Falls
January 23, 1941: Pogrom in Bucharest
January 24, 1941: Tank Battle in Libya
January 25, 1941: Panjiayu Tragedy
January 26, 1941: Churchill Working Hard
January 27, 1941: Grew's Warning
January 28, 1941: Ho Chi Minh Returns
January 29, 1941: US Military Parley With Great Britain
January 30, 1941: Derna Taken
January 31, 1941: LRDG Battered

2020

Tuesday 21 January 1941

Troops of the 6th Australian Division going through the barricades at Tobruk on 21 January 1941.

Italian/Greek Campaign: While not yet attacking in full force on 21 January 1941, the Italians make some small advances near the Klisura Pass in the central sector of the front. This is the critical area right now, as further advances by Greek II Corps would threaten the Italian hold on their main supply port, Savona. A battle also develops near Berat, with the Greek 51st Infantry Regiment attacking the Italian 22nd Infantry Division ""Cacciatori delle Alpi," or "Hunters of the Alps." The RAF has been raiding key Italian bases in Albania, such as Valona and Elbasan, but activity is light today.

East African Campaign: The British advance from Kenya and Sudan continues. The 5th Indian Infantry Division (General Lewis Heath) advances 50 miles from Kassala on the border into Eritrea. It captures Aicota, which the Italians have abandoned. The Italians are forming a defensive line beyond the town at Keru Gorge, where the 4th Indian Division ("Gazelle Force") is being held up, so Heath attempts to outflank them to the north.

Brigadier William Slim is injured in the fighting and sent behind the lines. The RAF is active throughout the region, raiding Assab and Massawa, while the South African Air Force chips in with raids on Neghelli and Javello.

European Air Operations: Operations are light due to the weather. The Luftwaffe sends some bombers across, but they only reach the outskirts of London. RAF Bomber Command stays in its hangers after dark. Uffz. Gerhard Blum of 1./NJG 2 shoots down a Blenheim bomber before dawn for his first victory.

Greeks advancing near Tepelenë in Albania, winter 1940/41.

Battle of the Atlantic: There are heavy winter storms that cause the activity to be fairly light. One Royal Navy destroyer in the Orkneys, HMS Legion, slips its anchorage in the heavy seas and winds up on the Hoy Boom. It is saved by tugs that take it to a safe anchorage on the leeward side of the island of Cava. Another ship, minesweeper HMS Tedworth, is damaged by the weather in the Clyde, while 291-ton British trawler Merisia is driven onto the rocks in Bulgham Bay, Isle of Man and lost along with a dozen men.

Norwegian 7934-ton freighter Korsfjord also likely is a victim of the weather. It collides with freighter Banda Shahpour about 370 km north of Butt of Lewis and sinks. There are 19 survivors and 2 deaths.

The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of KG 40) braves the weather and bombs and sinks 4427-ton British freighter Temple Mead in the shipping lanes west of Ireland. There are 14 deaths. with seven perishing in a lifeboat from exposure, and 27 survivors.

The Luftwaffe also attacks and sinks 487-ton British tug Englishman forty miles west of Tory Island, off the north coast of Ireland. All 17 onboard perish.

The Luftwaffe scores another victory by sinking 4427-on British freighter Temple Mead at Southampton. There are 14 deaths.

German 688 ton freighter Brechsee hits a mine and sinks off Malmö, Sweden.

Convoy FN 389 departs from Southend, Convoy HX 104 departs from Halifax, Convoy BHX 104 departs from Bermuda.

U-763 is laid down.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Compass resumes with a fierce attack by General O'Connor's Australian and British troops against Tobruk. The 2/3rd Australian Battalion leads things off at 05:40. They make good progress, and in an hour they clear a path a mile deep and a mile wide through the barbed wire, tank ditch, and other obstacles. The 16th and 19th Australian Brigades follow through, the first heading north, the other south. British 7th Armoured Division helps with the attack. Italian artillery is strong, but the British artillery responds in kind with suppressing fire.

The Italian 10th Army is a little more active in the defense than they were at Bardia earlier in the month. They have dug-in tanks and machine-gun posts at the key Bardia-El Adem crossroads right behind the line. The Australian troops try to bypass them on right and left, but are met by a counterattack on the left which includes seven tanks supported by infantry and artillery. The men on the right have little difficulty, and those on the left eventually break out after they bring up their own tanks. By the end of the day, the Australians have captured Solero and Mannella and are engaged in a fierce firefight at Pilastrino, all well behind the original line. Between a third and half of the supposedly impregnable base is in Allied hands when operations end for the day, though the port of Tobruk itself remains in Italian hands. Italian General Petassi Manella is captured late in the day but refuses to order his troops to surrender.

The RAF helps out throughout the day. The RAF sends Blenheim bombers to attack ground targets while Hurricanes and Gladiators provide cover. Royal Navy gunboats HMS Gnat, Ladybird and Terror along with three destroyers sit offshore and bombard the Italians throughout the day. Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire sinks 63-ton Italian schooner Diego west of Tobruk. The ten on board, undoubtedly fleeing the Australian attack, are taken as prisoners.

The Italians have warships in the harbor, including the beached armored cruiser San Giorgio, which provides effective covering fire until air attacks set it on fire. However, the Italians are hopelessly outmatched on the ground. While they continue fighting into the night, the Italians' situation looks hopeless.

The Chiefs of the General Staff send Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell an outline of his new priorities. Due to the Greek refusal to accept British ground troops, Wavell is to proceed to capture Benghazi, as he has wished to do all along. In addition, the Staff wants him to capture the Dodecanese and also create a strategic reserve that can be sent to assist Greece and/or Turkey if Germany invades one or both.

While General Wavell succeeds in another wildly successful attack, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once again appears to give him short shrift. He chooses today to broadcast a message to the people of Malta:

I send you on behalf of the War Cabinet heartfelt congratulations upon the magnificent and ever memorable defence which your heroic garrison and citizens, assisted by the Navy and above all by the Royal Air Force, are making against the Italian and German attacks. The eyes of all Britain and indeed of the whole British Empire are watching Malta in her struggle day by day, and we are sure that success, as well as glory, will reward your efforts.

Governor Dobbie also broadcasts a somewhat less ostentatious message to the people, noting that "We are living in stirring times." After several furious raids in recent days by Fliegerkorps X, there are no attacks today.

Italian freighter Burma is wrecked, apparently by a storm, at Puerto Santa Maria on the Guadalete River in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. The ship is later salvaged for scrap.

The 37th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment has time for a spot of tea as it bombards Tobruk, 21 January 1941.

Prisoners of War: Many Luftwaffe and other prisoners are sent to Canada by the British for permanent housing (many never leave even after the war). Oberleutnant Franz Xaver Baron von Werra, an ace and propaganda hero (known for his pet tiger cub), captured on 5 September 1940, is one of them. Today, at 05:30, he is on a prison train heading from Montreal to the west when he jumps out of a window not far from Smith's Falls, Ontario. He is about 30 miles from the St. Lawrence River, across which is the neutral United States. His plan is to make it across the seaway, continue heading south, and then find a passage back to Occupied France from South America.
US/Soviet Relations: The US lifts its trade embargo on the Soviet Union that it had imposed during the Winter War. The "moral embargo" has run its course.

German Military: Following his now-concluded discussions with Mussolini, during which he prevailed on his fellow director to induce Spain to enter the war, Hitler once again is feeling optimistic about the prospects of bringing Spain into the war on the Axis side. He has the Wehrmacht issue an order stating:

Possible impending changes in political prerequisites render it necessary to amend earlier instructions and to maintain readiness for "[Operation] Felix" in so far as still possible."

As the tone of this order suggests, however, nothing is certain. Everything regarding Operation Felix, the planned attack on the British fortress and naval base at Gibraltar, hinges on Francisco Franco - but he hasn't indicated any change in his opposition to such a decision.

US Military: The US Navy and Marine Corps order 108 Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo fighters to add to the Navy's 11 F2A-1s and 43 F2A-2s. This version is modified for a longer range and to carry two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs. These are the last Brewster Buffaloes ordered by the US military, as Brewster has difficulty keeping to a schedule. However, as happens several times during this period, the military puts in a token order to keep the factories humming while newer and better aircraft are developed. Brewster Buffaloes remain popular overseas, though as yet they have not seen combat anywhere.

A Brewster Buffalo F2A-3. The Buffalo is one of the more controversial fighters of World War II, with many liking it and finding it useful, while others - including the US Navy - quickly viewing it as a death trap.

British Government: Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food Robert Boothby submits his resignation to Winston Churchill (who accepts it immediately). The reason is a minor infraction of not declaring a personal interest in a matter relating to his official duties. He will join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and serve with RAF Bomber Command. Boothby is a fascinating character who much later becomes famous for various sexual escapades.

Home Secretary Herbert Morrison bans Communist paper Daily Worker under Defence Regulation 2D for hindering the British war effort.

Japanese Government: Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka delivers a lengthy speech to the Japanese Diet in which he gives a review of the Pacific situation. He emphasizes that, under the terms of the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy (and now other European nations), Japan will lead the establish a "new order in greater East Asia." He gives a preview of Japanese war aims by stating that "It is our avowed purpose to bring all the peoples in greater East Asia to revert to their innate and proper aspect...." He also makes clear that Japan views China, or at least Manchukuo (Mongolia) as "inseparable" with Japan. After reviewing relations with all of the other nations of the Pacific Rim, he finally turns to the United States, complaining that:

The United States has evinced no adequate understanding of the fact that the establishment of a sphere of common prosperity throughout greater East Asia is truly a matter of vital concern to Japan. She apparently entertains an idea that her own first line of national defense lies along the mid-Atlantic to the East, but westward not only along the eastern Pacific-but even as far as China and the South Seas. If the United States assumes such an attitude, it would be, to say the least, a very one-sided contention on her part, to cast reflections on our superiority in the Western Pacific, by suggesting that it betokens ambitious designs. I, for one, believe that such a position assumed on the part of the United States would not be calculated to contribute toward the promotion of world peace.

He concludes by noting that there is "confusion" throughout the world which could result in the "downfall of modern civilization," and notes that it is the "responsibility" of the United States to maintain the peace.

What is particularly notable about this speech is how it attempts to absolve the Japanese military in an advancer for what might come next. Just as Hitler had opined that his own hands were clean once the British rejected his half-hearted attempts at negotiation in July 1940, Matsuoka goes to great pains to pin not only world peace but the survival of world civilization itself on the United States. This anticipatory blame-shifting is a clear harbinger of the coming war - for anyone who notices.

At the secret session, Prime Minister Konoye makes up his mind about something very important: he announces that Germany will win the war.

Jackson Daily News, 21 January 1941.

Romania: The Iron Guard rebellion continues into a second day. The Legionnaires remain in control of the media and many important public facilities such as police stations. Dictator Ion Antonescu remains holed up in his Bucharest palace, trying to coordinate a rescue with army troops based in other parts of the country.

The defining characteristic of the rebellion at this point is a vicious pogrom carried out against the country's Jews, particularly those in two Jewish Bucharest boroughs (Dudeşti and Văcăreşti). One of the several causes of the rebellion was Antonescu's preference to manage relations with Jewish citizens legally; the Iron Guard would have none of that. Instead, they loot and kill whoever they don't like.

While the Legionnaires, by and large, have the run of the capital throughout the day, there are some soldiers and police who refuse to participate. They are put under arrest. Mircea Petrovicescu, son of the former minister of the interior deposed by Antonescu, is particularly vicious, not just killing Jews but also mutilating and torturing them. There are acts of unspeakable cruelty that appear directly tied to the resentment of Jewish life in general, with a heavy focus on looting Jewish property. It is an orgy of bloodletting that lasts throughout the day and into the 22nd.

Hitler begins to take notice of what is going on. He has many troops in the country preparing for the invasion of Greece (Operation Marita). He has the Wehrmacht instruct them to support the Antonescu government, though without actively engaging in combat.

Bulgaria: No doubt coincidentally considering what is going on in Romania, Bulgaria passes anti-Semitic laws based on Germany's Nuremberg laws. Bulgaria is under intense German pressure to ally itself with the Axis, and this may be a way of ingratiating itself with Hitler. Among many other things, Jews are prohibited from intermarrying with ethnic Bulgarians, and various organizations such as B'nai B'rith are outlawed.

British Homefront: Churchill inquiries into the status of coal deliveries to London, to see if there is any way to increase them during the worst of the winter. He learns that deliveries are down to 250,000 tons per week versus demand of 410,000 tons. He also asks the Ministry of Health to look into what can be done about people made homeless in London. While people are grinning and bearing it, deep resentments are building up beneath the surface that someday will rise to the surface when people vote.

American Homefront: Homelessness is an issue on both sides of the Atlantic. PM Daily reports today that there are several shelters in New York City, including two city shelters, one for men and one for women. Altogether, the shelters can accommodate 7000 people (with many laying on top of each other or sleeping seated on benches). The men at the Municipal Lodging House on East 25th Street are turned out at 5 a.m., rain or shine, and then make their way to their "homes" in the Bowery. The Great Depression lingers, with few jobs to be had.

RKO Studios announces today that Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" will be released as scheduled despite attempts to blacklist everyone involved in the film by William Randolph Hearst. RKO Pictures studio head George J. Schaefer has had his lawyers review the rough cut of the film, and they have asked Welles to cut three minutes of the film to avoid legal consequences. Despite his contract, which gives him complete control over the picture, Welles has agreed to make the cuts.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller becomes the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, signing for $30,000.

"High Sierra," starring Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino, is released.

Future History: José Plácido Domingo Embil is born in the Retiro district of Madrid, Spain. He develops an early interest in music, particularly opera, and by 1961 is performing in a leading role. Later in the decade, he makes his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and by the 1980s is a household name all across the world. He continues to perform and take on various other roles in the world of opera.

Józef Bednarski is born in Kraków, General Government. He emigrates to the United States shortly after the war. Under the name Ivan Putski, he becomes one of the most famous wrestlers in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the 1970s through the 1980s. He remains a fixture in the sport.

A synagogue destroyed by the Iron Guard during the riots of 21-23 January 1941.

January 1941

January 1, 1941: Muselier Arrested
January 2, 1941: Camp Categories
January 3, 1941: Liberty Ships
January 4, 1941: Aussies Take Bardia
January 5, 1941: Amy Johnson Perishes
January 6, 1941: Four Freedoms
January 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor Plans
January 8, 1941: Billions For Defense
January 9, 1941: Lancasters
January 10, 1941: Malta Convoy Devastation
January 11, 1941: Murzuk Raid
January 12, 1941: Operation Rhubarb
January 13, 1941: Plymouth Blitzed
January 14, 1941: V for Victory
January 15, 1941: Haile Selassie Returns
January 16, 1941: Illustrious Blitz
January 17, 1941: Koh Chang Battle
January 18, 1941: Luftwaffe Pounds Malta
January 19, 1941: East African Campaign Begins
January 20, 1941: Roosevelt 3rd Term
January 21, 1941: Attack on Tobruk
January 22, 1941: Tobruk Falls
January 23, 1941: Pogrom in Bucharest
January 24, 1941: Tank Battle in Libya
January 25, 1941: Panjiayu Tragedy
January 26, 1941: Churchill Working Hard
January 27, 1941: Grew's Warning
January 28, 1941: Ho Chi Minh Returns
January 29, 1941: US Military Parley With Great Britain
January 30, 1941: Derna Taken
January 31, 1941: LRDG Battered

2020

Monday 20 January 1941

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt as they return to the White House after FDR was inaugurated for a third term on January 20, 1941. Note how casual security is, with an open car and people milling about (likely Secret Service nearest the car). This is the first Inauguration held on January 20 pursuant to a law passed in 1933, previously they were held in March. (Roosevelt Library).

Italian/Greek Campaign: The lines have stabilized on 20 January 1941 since the Greek capture of the Klisura Pass earlier in the month. The weather inhibits operations by either side in the mountains, but the Italians are planning a riposte to retake the critical pass. The Greeks now have access to the key Italian supply port of Valona, but the Italians are building up their troop strength in the region. There is some movement in the central section of the front, where the Greek II Corps takes possession of the Kala Heights.

The RAF bombers based near Athens attack Valona today. Italian bombers reciprocate with attacks on Athens and Pireaus, losing one bomber but sinking British 2878 ton freighter Vasco at Piraeus. There are one death and eight other casualties.
The question of British involvement in the land defense of Greece remains a matter of great concern, and not just to the parties directly involved. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill tells the War Cabinet that the Yugoslav regent, Prince Paul, has been in communication with the Greek government about this. According to the War Cabinet Minutes of this date, Prince Paul has warned Greece privately:

that if they allowed any British land forces to enter Greece, the Yugoslav Government would allow the Germans to attack Greece through Yugoslavia.

This helps to explain Greek Prime Minister Metaxas' recent refusal to accept token British forces on the Greek mainland. This would give the Germans an open road through Yugoslavia to invade his country. The only hope that Greece has in the event of an invasion is to seal off the relatively short Bulgarian border. The long border with Yugoslavia would be virtually impossible to defend against a massive German invasion without the massive British troop presence that Metaxas has demanded, but not received.

East African Campaign: The RAF - including its Rhodesian and South African units - stage raids to support the ongoing offensive. One of the raids is on a power plant at Massawa, Eritrea, and there are other targets as well, such as Neghelli. Massawa is one of General William Platt's ultimate objectives on the coast.

The advance elements of Indian 4th and 5th Infantry Divisions continue advancing into Eritrea. Gideon Force, under the command of Orde Wingate, continues to escort deposed Abyssinian Emperor Haile Selassie into the country - when exactly he crosses the border appears to be uncertain, some sources say today, others around the time when the British began their offensive. There also is progress on the Kenyan front by the British, where they capture prisoners and supplies.

Baltimore News-Post, 20 January 1941 - "Roosevelt Takes Oath of Office."

European Air Operations: Operations by both sides are light in northwestern Europe. The Luftwaffe drops a few bombs along the southern shore during the day, but nothing happens after dark.

Battle of the Atlantic: While German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer has been on the loose in the South Atlantic since October 1940, it has not accomplished much. Today, it captures 5597-ton Dutch freighter Barneveld in the Atlantic 1200 miles off Freetown. There are no casualties. The Barneveld is carrying 5 American light bombers, 86 military vehicles and 1000 tons of ammunition. Admiral Scheer transfers the 100-man crew (which includes 51-52 Royal Navy personnel heading for assignments in the Middle East) to captured Norwegian tanker Sandefjord, then sinks the freighter with demolition charges.

Also today (some sources say the 21st),  Admiral Scheer shells and sinks 5103-ton British transport Stanpark in the same vicinity off Freetown. Everybody aboard becomes a prisoner of war.

U-94 (Kptlt. Herbert Kuppisch), on her second patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 3174-ton British freighter Florian about 140 southwest of the Faeroe Islands. The ship goes down by the stern in only 42 seconds at about 00:42. There are no survivors, all 44 onboard perish because it is extremely difficult to get out when a ship goes down that fast, especially at night when most are below in their bunks. Florian is an independent, and Kuppisch has chased it for 8 hours before getting into firing position.

Italian submarine Marcello, damaged in an earlier incident and on its way back to France, uses its deck gun to sink 1550-ton Belgian freighter Portugal far south of Iceland in the Southwest Approaches.

The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of KG 400 bombs 6516-ton Dutch freighter Heemskerk in the shipping lanes west of Ireland. The ship remains afloat through the night, but sinks on the 21st. There are eight deaths, the rest of the crew is picked up.

The Luftwaffe also bombs 5201-ton British freighter Tregarthen in the shipping lanes north of Londonderry, Ireland. The ship manages to make port at Oban.

Royal Navy minesweeping trawler HMT Relonzo hits a mine and sinks near Liverpool (Crosby Channel). There are 19 deaths, including the skipper, A.E. Slater RNR.

British 470 ton freighter Cornish Rose is caught in a severe gale off Swansea and loses its anchorage. Dragged toward shore, the crew abandons ship and is picked up by the Mumbles Lifeboat. It is a hazardous rescue, so two of the crew of the rescuer are awarded the Bronze Medal of the RNLI.

Convoy OB 276 departs from Liverpool, Convoy AS 12 departs from Alexandria, Convoy SL 63 departs from Freetown.

The Kriegsmarine orders 75 new U-boats, with numbers ranging from U-235 through U-852 (with gaps in the numbering).

Royal Navy anti-Submarine trawler HMS Sword Dance (Lt. Robert Dwyer) is commissioned.

Roosevelt Inauguration Day pin, 20 January 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The Luftwaffe makes scattered raids on Malta again, destroying four houses and severely wounding a civilian. Mass evacuations proceed in the Three Cities area - it is described as an "endless stream of refugees" which number roughly 9000 people. They are sent on buses to shelter in schools, churches, and basically any structure with a roof.

General O'Connor's Australian and British troops make their final preparations for the assault on Tobruk. The tactics will echo those of the assault on Bardia earlier in the month, with initial penetrations followed by engineer work that will provide a lane through which I tanks can penetrate and subdue the garrison. The RAF stages heavy air raids against Tobruk to soften it up for the attack, scoring hits on military barracks and other important areas of the camp. Monitor HMS Terror, gunboats HMS Gnat and Ladybird, and several destroyers bombard the Italian base during the night.

The Royal Navy creates a major operation to remove stricken aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious from Malta, where it is facing unceasing Luftwaffe attacks. Three separate forces are created, Forces A, B, and C. Force C is the most powerful and includes battleships HMS Barham and Warspite. The overall effort is Operation Inspection.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Gallant, badly damaged by a mine recently (its bow was blown off) and under repair at Malta, is hit again by the Fliegerkorps X. The ship remains under repair, but the damage is extensive and the Admiralty no longer counts on its return. Gallant's guns are removed and placed on store ship Breconshire.

German/Italian Relations: Hitler and Mussolini conclude their two-day conference at Berchtesgaden. Mussolini apparently agrees to the stationing of limited numbers of German troops in Italy, which is a formality because Mussolini has been urgently requesting German assistance since November or December.

Hitler also asks Mussolini to lean on Spanish leader Francisco Franco to enter the war and cooperate in the subjugation of Gibraltar, Operation Felix. While the closing of the Mediterranean at the Atlantic end is important, Hitler's real goal extends far beyond just capturing the British naval base and fortress. He wants to obtain U-boat bases on the Spanish Atlantic coast, which would be closer to the shipping lanes than those in France and also less vulnerable to RAF bombing attacks. Hitler indicates that the Wehrmacht would only need 20 days to prepare to take Gibraltar. This, however, is not something that the Wehrmacht feels is possible, at least during the winter months.

German/Arab Relations: The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem sends Hitler a letter requesting German assistance in driving the British out so they can retake the entire area of Palestine.

The New York Times, 20 January 1941. The letter to Churchill takes precedence over the mundane issue of a third Roosevelt inauguration.

Anglo/US Relations: President Roosevelt drafts a letter by hand to be given to Winston Churchill by hand by Wendell Wilkie. It quotes from the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem "The Building of the Ship":

Sail on, Oh Ship of State!
Sail on, Oh Union strong and great.
Humanity with all its fears
With all the hope of future years
Is hanging breathless on thy fate.

Churchill, upon the letter's receipt, proclaims it "an inspiration." The letter is not famous in and of itself, but for the response that it provokes in Churchill in February which many believe has far-reaching implications.

Japanese Military: The Japanese ramp up their intelligence operations against the United States, increasing its budget to $500,000.

Henry A. Wallace, sworn in today as the 33rd US Vice President. Wallace came within less than three months of becoming President during wartime. He missed immortality by that much.

Romania: A Greek citizen in Bucharest kills a German officer. Why, along with the circumstances, is unclear. What is clear is that this sets off a major rebellion by the Iron Guard, who have been on edge recently following several days of "classes" about the Legionnaire Movement. Armed Legionnaires capture several key spots in Bucharest, including the Ministry of the Interior and various police stations. The Iron Guard also controls the media. When Antonescu tries to give a speech, the Legionnaires refuse to broadcast it.

The rebellion is fierce but short-lived. Iron Guard leader Horia Sima instructs his people in the Security Police and Bucharest Police to follow him instead of Antonescu, but he himself disappears. The Legionnaires induce/coerce peasants to go to Bucharest and mill about, but they are not trained soldiers and largely are unarmed. Antonescu is holed up in his palace, with only 15 loyal army officers. He does, however, maintain control over army units outside the vicinity and calls them to his rescue.

One of the telling features of this rebellion is that, while the media is under Iron Guard control, it engages in wildly anti-Semitic slurs and accusations. It broadly hints that Antonescu is just a puppet of Jewish interests (and Freemasons), and casts the blame on a supposed Jewish revolt (when the reverse is the case). Articles published during this period ended with the chilling line:

You know whom to shoot.

At day's end, the revolt remains in full swing.

Bulgaria: The Council of Ministers spends eight hours debating the current situation in the Balkans and trying to decide what to do about Hitler's pressure on them to join the Tripartite Agreement. The Soviet Union also has been interested in having them join the same agreement, though exactly who is joining what this point is in a state of absolute uncertainty. The ministers reluctantly conclude that Germany is just too strong to resist, and they basically reach a consensus to join the Tripartite Pact and become Germany's ally/satellite. However, they have no desire to commit troops in conjunction with any military adventures by the Wehrmacht.

Indochina: The Japanese offer to mediate in the ongoing frontier war between Thailand and the Vichy French government of Indochina.

China: While the Chinese Nationalists and Communists have been fighting each other recently, the Japanese have been fairly quiet. That changes today, with attacks by the Japanese 11th Army against the Chinese 5th War Area along the Huai River near Hsinyang. This is the start of the Battle of Southern Honan.

Holocaust: Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler visits Dachau concentration camp. Accompanying him is Anton Adriaan Mussert, one of the founders of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (NSB) and its formal leader. Himmler likes what he sees and is planning to expand the camp system due to the anticipated inflow of new inmates from the territories to be invaded pursuant to Operation Barbarossa.

Life Magazine, "U.S. Ski Trooper," 20 January 1941. Pictured is Sergeant Reese McKindley of the 15th Infantry; he is standing on Mount Rainier. This is the first of a series of covers showing US ski soldiers over the next few years. At this time, there are no US mountain troops - in fact, no permanent US ski troops - only experimental units at Mount Rainier. The founder of the National Ski Patrol, Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole, is advocating ski troops because of their proven utility in Europe. The National Park Service also is promoting the idea to provide a continuing justification for its funding and development of its mountain assets. Thus, this cover is the beginning of US ski troops. The initial US mountain division is formed in late 1941.

British Homefront: Following a radio broadcast yesterday by Home Secretary Herbert Morrison, New Defence Regulations of the Ministry of Home Security come into effect approximately this date which mandate registration of all men and women between the ages of 16 and 60. Men are made responsible for fire-watching their own buildings Such service is not compulsory for women, "but let them volunteer and we shall applaud and welcome them."

This new fire-watching requirement is due to the successful Luftwaffe raid on London in late December which caused a firestorm due to incendiaries landing on roofs and being permitted by inaction to start fires. Morrison asked for volunteers, but an insufficient number stepped forward. Thus, a requirement was imposed on everyone. Everyone is required to perform 48 hours of fire-watching during blackout hours per month. Local Home Guard authorities are required to ascertain that all buildings, including abandoned or vacant ones, are watched.

Everyone depends upon each other because for mutual protection, because when buildings near each other burn, the fires can merge to create firestorms that rage out of control and devastate entire neighborhoods. This happened following the Luftwaffe raid of 29 December 1940. Incendiaries are seen as relatively easy to extinguish when they first drop, but once the fire catches hold, it often cannot be contained. Unofficial fire-watchers saved St. Paul's during the late-December Blitz attack, and the government views that example as a sign that entire cities can be protected through similar, mandatory measures.

Separately, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, makes a radio broadcast appeal for volunteers to the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS, the volunteers invariably being referred to as Wrens). Princess Marina is the honorary Commandant of the WRNS. Heretofore, Wrens have served as secretaries, drivers, clerks, ciphers, drivers and telephone operators. As a result of this broadcast, the Wrens are given additional jobs, including radio and air mechanics, maintenance, torpedo and boats' crews, radar detection finders, cinema operators, gunnery dome operators, submarine attack teacher operators, meteorologists, bomb range markers, vision testers, cine gun assessors, and anti-aircraft target operators.

American Homefront: President Roosevelt is sworn in for an unprecedented third term. Roosevelt is the only US President who has had or can have a third term due to a subsequent constitutional amendment barring more than two terms. During his inaugural address, Roosevelt states:

Democracy alone, of all forms of government, enlists the full force of men's enlightened will.... It is the most humane, the most advanced, and, in the end, the most unconquerable of all forms of human society. The democratic aspiration is no  mere recent phase of human history.... We... would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.

Separately, syndicated columnist Walter Winchell posts a column in which he writes:

The Story Tellers: The DAC News reports that a Harlemite watching Father Devine whisk by in a long limousine, niftied: “There, but for the grace of God—goes God.

As indicated, this quote was made by a "Harlemite" (presumably but not certainly African American) toward a certain obscure neighborhood religious figure, Father Divine (the column misspells his name, showing how obscure he is). The quote apparently (this is uncertain, it may be the other way around) is appropriated by others to refer to Orson Welles, who is at this time engaged in a vicious fight to get his film "Citizen Kane" finished and released. Many in Hollywood deeply resent Welles for any number of reasons, but primarily because he has been able to gain a contract from RKO which gives him exclusive control over the two films therein. This is an unprecedented degree of power by the "Boy Genius." In general, the quote "There but for the grace of God, goes God" is believed to have originated as a jibe at Welles, but this column is its first known appearance in any media and may be the true source of the phrase.

Crowds viewing the unprecedented third inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., 20 January 1941.

January 1941

January 1, 1941: Muselier Arrested
January 2, 1941: Camp Categories
January 3, 1941: Liberty Ships
January 4, 1941: Aussies Take Bardia
January 5, 1941: Amy Johnson Perishes
January 6, 1941: Four Freedoms
January 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor Plans
January 8, 1941: Billions For Defense
January 9, 1941: Lancasters
January 10, 1941: Malta Convoy Devastation
January 11, 1941: Murzuk Raid
January 12, 1941: Operation Rhubarb
January 13, 1941: Plymouth Blitzed
January 14, 1941: V for Victory
January 15, 1941: Haile Selassie Returns
January 16, 1941: Illustrious Blitz
January 17, 1941: Koh Chang Battle
January 18, 1941: Luftwaffe Pounds Malta
January 19, 1941: East African Campaign Begins
January 20, 1941: Roosevelt 3rd Term
January 21, 1941: Attack on Tobruk
January 22, 1941: Tobruk Falls
January 23, 1941: Pogrom in Bucharest
January 24, 1941: Tank Battle in Libya
January 25, 1941: Panjiayu Tragedy
January 26, 1941: Churchill Working Hard
January 27, 1941: Grew's Warning
January 28, 1941: Ho Chi Minh Returns
January 29, 1941: US Military Parley With Great Britain
January 30, 1941: Derna Taken
January 31, 1941: LRDG Battered

2020