Showing posts with label Lavarack. Show all posts

Saturday, September 14, 2019

February 15, 1942: Japan Takes Singapore

Sunday 15 February 1942

Surrender of Singapore 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

In Singapore, British troops surrender to the Japanese, 15 February 1942 (Daily Mail).

Battle of the Pacific: At about 19:00 local time on 15 February 1942, the British in Singapore surrender to the Japanese 25th Army. Hostilities are agreed to cease at 20:30. Local commander General Arthur Percival cites shortages of water, food, oil, and ammunition. According to contemporaneous estimates in London, approximately 55,000-60,000 British and Imperial Troops (including many Indian and Australian formations) go into captivity (later estimates are higher, at about 85,000). Many small ships are captured in port, including 296-ton Siushan, 65-ton Mersing, and a requisitioned yacht, Silvia. The Japanese also come into possession of a few larger ships, including 254-ton freighter Rhu. This begins a long and oppressive Japanese occupation of Singapore.

Putting a brave face on events in Singapore, the media notes the "desperate attempt to break the stern spirit of the defenders." The People, Sunday 15 February 1942.

Many feel (on 15 February 1942 and later) that Percival mishandled the defense and surrendered without having upheld the honor of the British Army. The British Army never forgives Percival, and he is excluded from the final Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri on 2 September 1945 (even though US General Wainwright, the loser at Bataan, the Philippines, pointedly is given a position of honor). ABDA Commander General Wavell, however, in a classified report (only released in 1992) blames poor discipline among the defending Australian troops - a view that is not widely shared after the fact but may influence future British decisions. Many observers place the true blame on poor British Army and Navy strategy that emanates from Whitehall.

General Percival (right) leads the surrender parley on 15 February 1942 (Daily Mail).

In Burma, British Brigadier Sir John Smyth's 17th Infantry Division of the British Indian Army at Bilin River holds its ground against a determined Japanese attack. This is the first combat for the 17th, but the soldiers fight well. The Japanese 55th Division, however, sends units around the British strongpoints in an attempt to cut the British line of communications. The British 46th Brigade abandons Thaton. Brigadier Smyth is winning his defensive struggle but worries that his unit may be completely destroyed if his supply route is cut off. He resolves to hang on to his fortified position for another day.

Java Sea battle, 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

"Java Sea. 15 February 1942. Bomb spray obscures the British cruiser HMS Exeter, as Exeter and the Australian cruiser, HMAS Hobart, manoeuver during a Japanese air attack. Exeter survived this attack to be later sunk in the Java Sea on 1 March 1942 by a torpedo from the Japanese destroyer, Inazuma. HMS Encounter and USS Pope were with the Exeter, and all three ships sunk off the southern coast of Borneo. (Donor J. King)" Australian War Memorial P02620.007.

Today is decisive in the defense of Sumatra. Early in the day, the ABDA naval force, composed of five cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter, HNLMS Java, HNLMS Tromp, HMS Exeter, HMAS Hobart) and ten destroyers under the command of Admiral Karel Doorman, attempt to disrupt a Japanese invasion force off Palembang. However, after Japanese land-based planes and bombers from aircraft carrier Ryujo attack his force, Doorman withdraws to the south of Sumatra. In the afternoon, the Allies begin withdrawing all air units from southern Sumatra to Java and other personnel by sea to Java and India. The Japanese invasion fleet, under fierce air attack from Palembang II airdrome, enters the mouth of the Musi River and lands its invasion force. The Japanese capture Palembang and its precious refinery, while the British and Dutch defenders withdraw to the west coast for eventual evacuation to Java.

General Yamashita at the surrender of the British garrison of Singapore on 15 February 1942.

There are many shipping losses near Singapore and Palembang. The British and Dutch scuttle Dutch patrol boats 217-ton Jerantut and 207-ton Klias before they leave Palembang. Japanese ships sink 191-ton tug Yin Ping about 20 miles off Muntok, with 50 deaths and 25 survivors, as it flees Palembang. Also off Muntok, a Japanese cruiser captures Auxiliary patrol boat Dymas, which departed Singapore on the 13th, and everyone aboard becomes a prisoner. Off Banka, Japanese gunfire sinks auxiliary anti-submarine ship Mata Hari, with the crew taken prisoner.

The Sunday Times notes the "stubbornly maintained" defense at Singapore. February 15, 1942 edition of The Sunday Times. Via NewspaperSG.

The Allies have not given up on the Netherlands East Indies. Australian Army 7th Division from the Middle East arrives aboard liner SS Orcades at Oosthaven in southern Sumatra. However, it is redirected to Batavia after urgent pleading to General Wavell by Lieutenant General John Lavarack, General Officer Commanding 1st Australian Army. A US Navy convoy sails today from Port Darwin for Koepang, Timor, Netherlands East Indies. Their mission is to defend the only military airfield on Timor, Penfoie airdrome, which serves as an important transit point to Java. Both sides are building up forces in the area, but the Japanese have the initiative and the naval and air power that is vital in this region.

In Bataan, the Philippines, Japanese troops withdraw out of a salient they have driven into the US Army I Corps lines in the western half of the Main Line of Resistance (MLR). There is a small Japanese attack on the eastern half of the Bataan Peninsula in the II Corps sector which is designed to distract the Allies and aid in this evacuation. The Allies have been extremely successful in recent days at eliminating Japanese pockets behind the MLR. This has allowed them to focus more forces on the MLR. However, the Japanese on the other side of the MLR are biding their time, building up their forces and waiting for the right moment to unleash a set-piece offensive.

The British surrender Singapore on 15 February 1942. Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival the British commander, is the tall figure just behind the white flag surrounded by Japanese soldiers.

Martin Clemens, His Majesty's Commissioner for Guadalcanal and Coastwatcher for the Royal Australian Navy's Islands Coastwatching Service, takes up his post on Guadalcanal. His role is to report anything relevant to the war over his radio. Clemens becomes the unofficial British ruler of Guadalcanal for the time being, acting as a judge for tribal disputes and maintaining the British presence in an ostentatious way.

Japanese submarine HIJMS I-65 torpedoes and sinks 4681-ton Dutch freighter Johanne Justesen off southwest India. There are one death and 58 survivors.

Captured Soviet T-50 tank used by Finns, 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

A captured Soviet T-50 tank, very rare, in Finnish service, 15 February 1942 (SA-Kuva).

Eastern Front: The Red Army continues its push south of Lake Ilmen when II Guards Rifle Corps makes contact with elements of Third Shock Army northeast of Kholm. The Soviet forces have slid between the large German garrisons at Staraya Russa and Demyansk and between Demyansk and Kholm to meet between Demyansk and Kholm. These are all considered major strong points by the Wehrmacht and anchors of the line, but the Germans don't particularly care about surrounding forests and fields. These Red Army advances have resulted in two German pockets forming, one at Demyansk and the other at Kholm slightly to the southwest. This meeting is of little significance because both German pockets already are surrounded and the Germans are not interested in defending the ground in between them. German II Corps under Generalleutnant Graf Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt at Demyansk has almost 100,000 with him and thus can hold out for some time as long as he is adequately supplied. A Luftwaffe airlift which began on 12 February is bringing the forces in the Demyansk Pocket just enough to keep from starving and being overrun, but not much more.

British Royal Navy ship HMS Mata Hari, sunk on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

British Royal Navy anti-submarine vessel HMS Mata Hari, sunk at Bangka, Netherlands East Indies on 15 February 1942.

European Air Operations: The British Air Ministry clarifies its Area Bombing Directive of 14 February 1942 after being requested to do so by Chief of the Air Staff Charles Portal. Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Norman Bottomley who had drafted the Area Bombing Directive, states:

ref the new bombing directive: I suppose it is clear the aiming points will be the built-up areas, and not, for instance, the dockyards or aircraft factories where these are mentioned in Appendix A. This must be made quite clear if it is not already understood.

This clarification makes clear that bombing efforts henceforth are, in the absence of specified targets, to be directed at the hearts of civilian population centers.
The Luftwaffe continues its raids against British shipping, bombing and damaging 489-ton British coaster Empire Head about 11 nautical miles (20 km) east of Hartlepool. It proceeds to Middlesbrough for repairs.

RAF Bomber Command sends 20 Whitley and 6 Halifax bombers against the U-boat base of St. Nazaire. The conditions are cloudy, and only 9 of the bomber crews even attempt to bomb the target. There are no losses until the bombers return to England to land and three are lost due to the poor weather.

Greek freighter Meropi, sunk on 15 February 1942.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-432 (Kptlt. Heinz-Otto Schultze), on its fourth patrol out of La Pallice, torpedoes and sinks 5152-ton Brazilian freighter Buarque about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Cape Henry, Virginia. There are 84 survivors and one death when a Portuguese passenger dies of a heart attack. The survivors are picked up quickly by USCGC Calypso (WPC 104) and are in Norfolk by the 17th.
U-98 (Kptlt. Robert Gysae), on its sixth patrol out of St. Nazaire, torpedoes and sinks 5298-ton freighter Biela southwest of Newfoundland. The freighter is part of Convoy ON-62. All 50 men on board perish.

U-566 (Kptlt. Dietrich Borchert), on its fourth patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 4181-ton Greek freighter Meropi south of Nova Scotia. Meropi is part of Convoy ON-62 but is a straggler. There are 24 dead and 15 survivors.

HMS Thrasher, returning to port on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

HMS Thrasher on its return to port after sustaining bomb damage in the Mediterranean. The letters indicate damage. 15 or 16 February 1942. © IWM (A 8711).

Battle of the Mediterranean: With both sides building up their forces in Libya, all of the action is at sea. U-81 reports attacking a Royal Navy light cruiser but missing. Royal Navy motor launch ML-169 catches fire and blows up at Gibraltar when the starts it, with four deaths.

Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, KIA 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, who perished at Singapore on 15 February 1942.

War Crimes: At Bukit Chandu ("Opium Hill") in Pasir Panjang, Second Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, commander of C Company of the Malay Regiment of the 1st Malay Brigade, mounts a ferocious defense in the British last stand in front of Singapore City. He orders his troops to fight to the last man. During the fighting, he sees through a Japanese trick of disguising Japanese soldiers in British Indian uniforms in an attempt to infiltrate his positions. The reason he spots this is the Japanese march in the wrong style. Adnan has his men open fire at close range, killing many disguised Japanese soldiers. Finally, Adnan, wounded, is forced to surrender. The Japanese beat Adnan, tie him to a tree, and bayonet him to death. Adnan Saidi is considered a war hero in Singapore and Malaysia.

US/Canadian Relations: US President Franklin Roosevelt makes a radio broadcast directed specifically to Canadians. In he, he praises the country, saying:

Yours are the achievements of a great nation. They require no praise from me-but they get that praise from me nevertheless. I understate the case when I say that we, in this country, contemplating what you have done, and the spirit in which you have done it, are proud to be your neighbors.

This is part of a very calculated United States wartime effort to establish and maintain the best possible relations with its neighbors in North and South America. It is an extension of FDR's "Good Neighbor" policy that he began upon his assumption of office in 1933.

General Percival, captured on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, the British commander in Singapore (Daily Mail).

British Homefront: Prime Minister Winston Churchill broadcasts to Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the British Commonwealth about the state of the war and the alliance with the United States and the Soviet Union. Speaking at night, he breaks the news of the fall of Singapore, which comes as a great shock to many people who have become accustomed to hearing good news out of "Fortress Singapore." Churchill notes that "Three-quarters of the human race are now moving with us," adding, "The whole future of mankind may depend upon our actions and upon our conduct."

American Homefront: The United States Department of Justice technically begins enforcing "Category A" areas. These are locations in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington which now are prohibited to enemy aliens. Entire cities in Oregon and Washington are included, but only certain counties in California (including Los Angeles County). However, there remains great disagreement within the higher reaches of the United States government as to how to implement these bans, including who is covered by the bans and what personnel will enforce them. For the time being, the bans are not enforced. Everyone, however, expects a final decision shortly.

Lobby card from "To Be Or Not To Be," premiering in Los Angeles on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Lobby card for "To Be Or Not To Be" (1942).

Carole Lombard's final film, "To Be or Not to Be," premieres in Los Angeles (it goes into general release in Los Angeles on 19 February and wide release on 6 March 1942). A United Artist film directed by Ernst Lubitsch and also starring Jack Benny, "To Be or Not to Be" revolves around actors in Occupied Europe who deceive the German occupiers. The film generally is considered to be a comedy classic and led to a popular remake by Mel Brooks. The film is somewhat controversial because it is a light-hearted look at people in Poland under German oppression, somewhat similar to the situation portrayed twenty years later in "Hogan's Heroes."

Future History: Sherry D. Jackson is born in Wendell, Gooding County, Idaho. She becomes an actress who appears as one of the children in the 1950s "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies. In 1953, she is cast as the oldest daughter in "The Danny Thomas Show" (aka "Make Room For Daddy"), which runs for five years. She becomes a guest star in numerous classic 1960s and 1970s television series, including "My Three Sons," "Star Trek," and "Batman." Sherry Jackson is retired as of 2019.

Glyn Thomas Johns is born in Epsom, Surrey, England. He becomes one of the great sound engineers of the rock era. After learning his craft at IBC Studios in Portland Place, London, Johns becomes famous for his work on The Beatles' "Get Back" sessions in early 1969. Johns records the songs that become the "Let It Be" album in 1970 before they are turned over to Phil Spector for refinement. He then goes on to work with The Who, Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and many, many other famous acts as an engineer and sometimes producer. Johns develops what becomes known as the "Glyn Johns Method" for recording drums. On 14 April 2012, Johns is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. As of 2021, Glyn Johns still works with top acts such as Eric Clapton.

Black Mask magazine, February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Black Mask Vol XXIV, No 10, February 1942 [Volume 24, Number X].

February 1942

February 1, 1942: The US Navy Strikes Back
February 2, 1942: Germans Recovering in Russia
February 3, 1942: Japanese Shell and Bomb Singapore
February 4, 1942: Battle of Makassar Strait
February 5, 1942: Empress of Asia Sunk
February 6, 1942: The Christmas Island Body
February 7, 1942: The Double-V Campaign
February 8, 1942: Japan Invades Singapore
February 9, 1942: French Liner Normandie Capsizes
February 10, 1942: US Car Production Ends
February 11, 1942: Tomforce Fails on Singapore
February 12, 1942: The Channel Dash
February 13, 1942: Japanese Paratroopers In Action
February 14, 1942: RAF Orders Terror Raids
February 15, 1942: Japan Takes Singapore
February 16, 1942: Operation Neuland Begins
February 17, 1942: Indian Troops Defect to Japanese
February 18, 1942: Battle of Badung Strait
February 19, 1942: FDR Authorizes Internment Camps
February 20, 1942: O'Hare the Hero
February 21, 1942: Crisis in Burma
February 22, 1942: Bomber Harris Takes Over
February 23, 1942: Bombardment of Ellwood, California
February 24, 1942: US Raid on Wake Island
February 25, 1942: Battle of Los Angeles
February 26, 1942: Gneisenau Eliminated
February 27, 1942: Battle of Java Sea
February 28, 1942: Battle of Sunda Strait

2020

Monday, September 9, 2019

February 13, 1942: Japanese Paratroopers In Action

Friday 13 February 1942

Japanese paratroopers landing near Palembang, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Imperial Japanese Army paratrooper landing to start the battle of Palembang, February 13, 1942.

Battle of the Pacific: The situation at Singapore becomes critical on 13 February 1942. The British have pulled back into a 28-mile perimeter around Singapore City in the eastern portion of Singapore Island, but to date, the Allies have not been able to do more than slow the Japanese down. At around 14:00, the Japanese 18th Division attacks the part of this line held by the Malay Regiment. This attack begins the Battle of Pasir Panjang. The Japanese have tank and artillery support and immediately push part of the regiment, B Company, back. This develops into hand-to-hand combat.

Japanese paratroopers landing in Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, 13 Feb 1942 (Japanese Navy photo).

The Malay unit is destroyed, the Japanese capture or kill most of the men, and nearby sections of the line held by the 44th Indian Brigade and the 1st Malay Brigade also are forced to retreat after dark. The new line is anchored at Mount Echo and Depot Road (Buona Vista). Meanwhile, the Japanese re-establish the road over the causeway, dramatically improving their supply situation.

Santa Cruz Sentinel-News, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The Santa Cruz (California) Sentinel-News, 13 February 1942, puts "Singapore Holds" as its main headline.

While it is no longer safe for large vessels to enter or exit Singapore Harbor, many people are fleeing the island on small watercraft. Japanese ships move into position north of Bangka Island in an effort to block their exit. Among these is a launch carrying Rear-Admiral Spooner, Rear Admiral, Malaya, and Air Vice-Marshal Pulford, Air Officer Commanding, Far East. The Japanese ships force their launch to go ashore on a tiny island north of Bangka Island. The crew eventually surrender, but the two flag officers disappear and are never seen again.

Malay Regiment practicing in October 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The Malay Regiment at bayonet practice, October 1941. They are a key part of British defenses around the city of Singapore on 13 February 1942. © IWM (FE 414).

Allied planes spot Japanese ships approaching Sumatra, which is the site of major Allied bases, and send planes to attack them. HMS Li Wo, a riverboat commandeered by the British Royal Navy that has been ferrying personnel between Singapore and the East Indies, blunders into the Japanese fleet. In a desperate action that concludes with the Li Wo trying to ram the nearest transport, the crew of the Li Wo damages several of the Japanese transports before the Japanese destroy their ship. Royal Navy Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson, commander of the Li Wo, posthumously receives the only Victoria Cross awarded in the East Indies campaign.

HMS Tempest as it sinks on 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

HMS Tempest broaches the surface while being sunk by Italian gunboat Circe on 13 February 1942 (Difesa Online).

While these actions are taking place offshore, the Japanese use Kawasaki Ki-56 transport planes of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Chutai, Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF) to drop Teishin Shudan (Raiding Group) paratroopers over Pangkalan Benteng airfield. Along with them come Mitsubishi Ki-21 bombers from the 98th Sentai to drop supplies for the paratroopers. The Japanese quickly seize the Pladjoe oil refinery complex undamaged. Seizing oil resources is a major Japanese war objective. Dutch troops quickly counterattack and retake the oil complex while suffering heavy losses. They manage to destroy part of the complex before being forced to withdraw with the arrival of 60 more Japanese paratroopers. This is considered the beginning of the Battle of Palembang.

British crewmen being rescued by men of Italian gunboat Circe, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Italian sailors on board the Circe rescue a British sailor from HMS Tempest on 13 February 1942. Note the Davis breathing apparatus that the man is wearing.

Unlike elsewhere in both the European and Pacific Theater of Operations, it is a very good day for the Allies in the Philippines. The Allies eliminate the Japanese "Big Pocket" in the 1 Corps sector in the western half of the Bataan Peninsula. The remaining Japanese melt away into the jungle through a gap in the northern portion of the line. The Allies now are free to turn their full attention to the "Upper Pocket," which is a Japanese salient into the Main Line of Resistance (MLR) across the Pilar River. In addition, further south in the South Sector, the Allies eliminate another pocket of Japanese troops in the Silaiim area. These are the first major successes by the United States and allied forces in the Philippines and, at least on the ground in the Pacific Theater, in the war.

SS President Taylor after running aground, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

SS President Taylor, shown after her loss on 13 February 1942.

In the Phoenix Islands, cargo liner 21,000-ton SS President Taylor, requisitioned for war service in December 1941, is carrying about 1100 soldiers and their artillery to the Canton (Kanton) Island garrison when it runs aground. The ship is landing its passengers when it drifts onto a well-known coral reef. This apparently happens because the ship either loses its anchor or it fails to hold. The ship is unloaded and tugs are sent to pull the Taylor off the reef. Great effort is expended to save the ship over the course of several months. These efforts ultimately are unsuccessful and the ship eventually is declared a total loss on 2 May 1942.

The USAAF Fifth Air Force sends 11 B-17 Flying Fortresses based on Java against Japanese shipping in the Makassar Strait. Ten bombers complete the mission, but the weather is cloudy and they claim a hit on only one ship.

SS President Taylor is visible in the background after her grounding on 13 February 1942.

The Allied high command in the Pacific is beginning to realize the dangers in the region, which is leading to an abundance of caution. Australian Lieutenant General John Lavarack, General Officer Commanding 1st Australian Army, informs General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander in Chief ABDA Command, that it would be unwise to land the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in the Netherlands East Indies due to the danger to the Allies' position there. Wavell basically agrees and recommends to his superiors, the Combined Chiefs of Staff and the British and Australian War Offices, that there are "advantages in diverting one or both divisions of the AIF to Burma or Australia."

SS Subador, sunk by the Japanese on 13 February 194 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The 5424-ton British freighter SS Subadar, sunk by Japanese bombers off the Southern entrance to the Banka Strait on 13 February 1942. There are 65 survivors and 13 deaths.

Eastern Front: A renewed Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen makes little progress. However, to some extent, this tightens the Red Army grip on the Demyansk Pocket. The Luftwaffe airlift to the pocket by Luftflotte 1 is hampered by poor weather, but that is beginning to improve. Luftflotte 1 is able to supply about half of the Demyansk Pocket's daily needs by using all of its transport capability and some bomber units. German troops in the pocket are fighting desperately to hold their perimeter and also hold open the "Ramushevo corridor," a hazardous route north to Staraya Russa.

On the Crimea, both sides are building up their forces for attempts to evict the other side. Joseph Stalin and Stavka representative Lev Mekhlis wished to launch an attack today from the Red Army line at the Parpach Narrows, but the buildup of troops and supplies has been inadequate. The offensive is postponed to later in February.

Future Australian PM John Gorton being rescues at sea, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

"Flying Officer John G. Gorton (indicated by the arrow), later Prime Minister of Australia, among survivors from the torpedoed Merchant Ship SS Derrymore (4,799 tons) who are being taken aboard HMAS Ballarat. The survivors, numbering 215, included 189 British Airmen." Derrymore was a 4799-ton ammunition ship which was torpedoed by HIJMS I-55 on 13 February 1942 (some sources say 12 February). Australian War Memorial 126196.

European Air Operations: The RAF sends 85 bombers on missions after dark, but they achieve little. RAF Bomber Command sends 39 bombers to attack Cologne, 18 to bomb Aachen, and 28 to bomb Le Havre. Cloudy weather and icing force most of the force to return without bombing the targets. There are no losses.

Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Young Cliff, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Minesweeper HMS Young Cliff "About to drop the gate part of the sweeping gears," Granton, Scotland, 13 February 1942 (© IWM (A 7392)).

Battle of the Atlantic: At 07:00, German heavy cruisers Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen reach Wilhelmshaven, followed at 10:00 by heavy cruiser Scharnhorst. This successfully completes Operation Cerberus, the famous Channel Dash. Gneisenau has been damaged by one magnetic mine which caused relatively minor damage, but Scharnhorst has been seriously damaged by two mines and barely makes it to port on one engine. A triumphant Admiral Otto Ciliax, in charge of the operation, sends a victory signal to Admiral Saalwächter in Paris:

It is my duty to inform you that Operation Cerberus has been successfully completed.

There are many ways to view the Channel Dash, and it is possible to say that the British "won" because the large ships no longer threatened Allied shipping in the Atlantic.

The Springfield Union, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The Channel Dash is front-page news around the world. Here it is the main topic in The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union, 13 February 1942.

However, just as Hitler has hoped, the Channel Dash operation is a major propaganda victory for the Reich. It also accomplishes his objective of getting the ships through the English Channel and back to Germany, though which side that may benefit in the long run is a little less clear. The British myth of invincibility in the Channel has been shattered for the time being. The fate of the ships themselves, which now no longer pose a serious threat to the outcome of the war at sea, is secondary to the Reich's proven ability to accomplish a difficult objective literally under the gaze of the British Royal Navy. The Luftwaffe, too, shares in the honors, having proven that it still can control disputed airspace over the Channel (the RAF loses 35 aircraft, including 16 fighters, and the Luftwaffe loses 22 fighters). The Channel Dash is a welcome tonic to German public opinion during a difficult winter.

Dummy tanks being taken to the front by the British in North Africa, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Dummy tanks, mounted on trucks, being taken by the British to the front in North Africa, 13 February 1942 (© IWM (E 8361)).

Battle of the Mediterranean: Italian torpedo boat Circe attacks and sinks British submarine HMS Tempest in the Gulf of Taranto after sighting it on the surface. The Italian attack begins with depth charges, which force the submarine to surface. The Circe then uses its 4-inch guns to finish the attack. There are 24 survivors (one later dies of wounds) picked up by the Circe, and 38 men perish.

US/Canadian Relations: The United States and Canada agree to the construction of a U.S. military highway through Canada to Alaska. This is to be completed as soon as possible and will become known as the ALCAN Highway. The road idea has been kicking around within the United States government since the 1920s, but the Canadian government has refused to agree to any joint funding. The war situation, however, has produced a positive change in attitude in Ottawa. Both countries have proposed routes, but the route chosen is a third option, "Route C," aka the Prairie option, that has been developed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Construction is scheduled to begin on 8 March 1942 and be completed before winter.

Sailors aboard HMS Young Cliff, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Aboard minesweeper HMS Young Cliff, "Gunner Jim Crow keeping a sharp look-out for enemy aircraft." 13 February 1942. © IWM (A 7382).

Chinese/British Relations: Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek visits the Khyber Pass.

Norwegian/German Relations: Norwegian puppet leader Vidkun Quisling visits his patron, Adolf Hitler, in Berlin, along with Reich Commissioner in Norway Terboven.

Australian Military: The 39th Battalion completes the laying of about 40 km of telephone lines around Port Moresby because the high command believes that it will soon be attacked by the Japanese.

A British informational poster, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

British Picture Sheet No. 29. Issued by Information Officer P.O. Box 384, Salisbury, 13 February 1942 (© IWM (Art.IWM PST 15679)).

US Military: Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey Jr.'s naval task force, centered around aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, is ordered to sortie out of Pearl Harbor today for an attack on remote Wake Island. This is not a particularly dangerous mission and is more important for pilot training than anything else. However, Halsey has a problem with this order, refuses to follow it as written, and demands that it be changed. The legend, which appears to be true, states that Halsey demands this change because of Triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13. First, Halsey does not like that his task force is now Task Force 13. Second, Halsey refuses to leave port today, a Friday the 13th, especially in Task Force No. 13. Halsey demands that the task force be renumbered to Task Force No. 16 and that its departure for Wake Island be delayed. Halsey is perhaps the only United States hero of the war so far, and his slogan, "Hit hard, hit fast, hit often" has spread throughout the entire US Navy. So, Halsey's concerns are not to be trifled with. The change in the task force number is immediately approved by Soc McMorris, Admiral Nimitz's war plans officer, and the task force's departure is delayed until Saturday the 14th.

The 5th Air Force continues reorganizing its forces to meet the new realities in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The air echelon of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th BG (Heavy), flies its B-17 Flying Fortresses into Nandi Airport on Fiji from Hawaii.

Port construction at Loch Ryan, Scotland, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Port construction at Loch Ryan, Scotland, 13 February 1942 (© IWM (H 17198)).

German Military: Using the brilliant success of the Channel Dash as cover, the Germans formally cancel Operation Sealion, the projected invasion of Great Britain. Planning for this operation has been dormant since September 1940. All units allocated for deployment in the projected invasion are officially detached from the project and made available for other operations. Hitler's thoughts quickly turn toward a defensive posture in the West, as evidenced by his 23 March 1942 Fuhrer Directive setting in motions plans for a "West Wall" on the Atlantic Coast.

Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, whose "peripheral strategy" in the Mediterranean has produced positive results, meets with Adolf Hitler to discuss new proposals in the region. Raeder seeks to mount a major offensive in North Africa. This would entail eliminating the British position in Egypt and continuing on to the east. This, Raeder argues, would secure major oil supplies for the Reich and eventually lead to a junction of German and Japanese forces in India. As a preliminary to this massive operation, Hitler agrees to order Luftflotte 2 in the Mediterranean to subdue Malta. When informed of this proposed operation, Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel agrees that it is feasible.

A Dr. Seuss cartoon, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Dr. Seuss cartoon, "Waiting for the signal from home," 13 February 1942 (Mandeville Special Collections Library, UC San Diego).

US Government: The Pacific Coast Congressional subcommittee on aliens and sabotage adopts the following recommendations:

We recommend the immediate evacuation of all persons of Japanese lineage and all others, aliens and citizens alike, whose presence shall be deemed dangerous or inimical to the defense of the United States from all strategic areas.

In defining said strategic areas we recommend that such areas include all military installations, war industries, water and power installations, oil fields, and refineries, transportation, and other essential facilities as well as adequate protective areas adjacent thereto.

We further recommend that such areas be enlarged as expeditiously possible until they shall encompass the entire strategic area of the states of California, Oregon and Washington, and Territory of Alaska.

This is a key step in the internment of Japanese-Americans. The treatment of "all persons of Japanese lineage" is a hot topic throughout the United States government and in the public, too.

Camp Strickland document, 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Camp Strickland, a California State Guard Camp, receives its name on 27 July 1942 from California State Guard Sergeant Hugh Boyton Strickland, KIA on 13 February 1942.

American Homefront: General John DeWitt, commander of the Fourth Army as well as the Western Defense Command of the United States Army, completes a memorandum for the Secretary of War, which he promptly forwards with a covering memorandum via airmail. He recommends the enforced evacuation by the federal authority of the American-born Japanese. This begins a very contentious review of how to treat American-born Japanese.

"Ride 'Em Cowboy" is released by Universal Pictures. It stars Bud Abbott and Lou Costello as peanut vendors who head West after getting into some trouble and get jobs as cowboys on a dude ranch. The film is notable for being filmed on two actual dude ranches, the B-Bar A and the Rancho Chihuahua. It also marks the film debut of Ella Fitzgerald. The film, directed by Arthur Lubin, is a smash hit at the box office. "Ride 'Em Cowboy" was actually shot in 1941, but Universal delayed its release because Abbott and Costello's other film "Keep 'Em Flying" was still doing well at the box office.

Future History: Peter Halsten Thorkelson is born in Washington, D.C. After growing up in Connecticut, Peter develops an interest in music and spends time playing the guitar and other stringed instruments in Greenwich Village. At some point, he changes his professional name to Peter Tork. While in New York, Tork meets Stephen Stills, a fellow fledgling musician. Stills auditions for a new television series about four young musicians, but fails to pass the audition. He recommends his friend Peter, and Tork gets the job. The new show is called "The Monkees" and is a smash hit, succeeding in both the television and pop music realms. Tork goes on to his own musical career in later years, though The Monkees reform several times over the years and even record new material in the 1980s. Peter Tork passes away on 21 February 2019 in Mansfield, Connecticut.

Carole Ann Jones is born in Manhattan, New York. She becomes a successful actress under the name Carol Lynley, appearing in numerous television series and making a big splash in "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972) as Nonnie Parry. Carol Lynley passes away on 3 September 2019 in Pacific Palisades, California.

A British minesweeper lost on 13 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

British Royal Navy minesweeper MMS-180, sunk after a collision at the mouth of the River Tyne on 13 February 1942. Everyone survives.

February 16, 1942: Operation Neuland Begins

February 17, 1942: Indian Troops Defect to Japanese
February 18, 1942: Battle of Badung Strait
February 19, 1942: FDR Authorizes Internment Camps
February 20, 1942: O'Hare the Hero
February 21, 1942: Crisis in Burma
February 22, 1942: Bomber Harris Takes Over
February 23, 1942: Bombardment of Ellwood, California
February 24, 1942: US Raid on Wake Island
February 25, 1942: Battle of Los Angeles
February 26, 1942: Gneisenau Eliminated
February 27, 1942: Battle of Java Sea
February 28, 1942: Battle of Sunda Strait

2020

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

June 19, 1941: Cheerios Introduced

Thursday 19 June 1941

Heinrich Himmler Gudrun Marga 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler, wife Marga, and daughter Gudrun gather daisies together in Valepp Valley, 19 June 1941 (Realworks Ltd./Die Welt).

Syrian/Lebanon Campaign: The Britsh approach toward Damascus during Operation Exporter has gained ground on 19 June 1941, but suddenly shows signs of stalling due to fierce Vichy French counterattacks. This has resulted in overall control of the advance being taken away from General Henry Maitland Wilson on the 18th, and today results in Major-General John Evetts, commander of the British 6th Infantry Division, replacing Brigadier Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd as commander of Gentforce east of Merdjayoun.

The 5th Indian Brigade has taken Mezzeh, a key junction on the Damascus/Beirut road, during the night. However, they spend the 19th trying to keep it against furious French counterattacks. Evetts quickly requests reinforcements and receives the British 16th Infantry Brigade from the 7th Australian Division and three Australian battalions: the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion and the 2/3rd and 2/5th Infantry Battalions.

The British and Australian reinforcements, however, require time to get to Mezzeh, and it is time that the embattled Indian troops may not have. By evening, they are isolated and taking tremendous casualties from the French and their Renault R35 tanks. Expecting the advance to continue straight to Damascus, the Indian troops have not carried with them mundane things like food and water for an extended siege. So, there is no food or water, and there are dead men everywhere. After dark, the Indian troops send three men who manage to get past the encircling French forces and report the dire situation to Evetts. The French claim to have taken 400 prisoners.

Beaverettes in Ireland 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The British still fear an invasion and practice to prevent one. Here, the 53rd Battalion The Reconnaissance Corps ride in Beaverettes (RAF light armored cars) during maneuvers at Ballykinlar in Northern Ireland. They are armed with .303 light machine guns or Boys .55 inch anti-tank rifles. Unfortunately, despite the heavy armor, they are powered by a 46-hp engine and the top speed is only 24 mph (38 km/h). 19 June 1941.

Near Merdjayoun, meanwhile, the situation if anything is even worse for the British. Easily taken a week ago by the Australian 25th Brigade, the majority of those troops were sent east to help with the advance along the coast. The 25th had left behind only a small force to defend Merdjayoun, but this was considered acceptable because the Vichy French were giving ground.

This turns out to have been a bad idea, as the French already have retaken part of Merdjayoun and have placed the embattled Australians in a precarious position. On the 19th, the Vichy French there continue the attack against the outnumbered Australians and claim to take 80 prisoners. Australian Lieutenant Roden Cuttler, a forward artillery observer, takes over a Bren gun and anti-tank rifle after others at his outpost are killed and helps to hold an outpost in the town against the French. After being surrounded, he escapes in the dark. For this and subsequent valor, Cuttler earns the Victoria Cross, the only Australian artilleryman to earn it during World War II.

Lieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack, who now has operational control in Syria and Lebanon, confers with Wilson in Jerusalem. Lavarack gets permission from Wilson to let the forces around Damascus and around Merdjayoun work things out as best they can while the main effort remains on the coast road to Beirut.

The Vichy government, meanwhile, already is asking the British via the American consulate for peace terms. However, there is no indication that this will end the conflict anytime soon, at this point it is just casual talk.

Bridlington bombing 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

A report in the 19 June 1941 Yorkshire Post about a Luftwaffe bombing the previous day. Note that they do not identify the actual town bombed for security reasons - it was Bridlington. There were seven deaths.

European Air Operations: During the day, RAF Bomber Command conducts Operation Blot III, a Circus mission. This is an attack by 24 Bristol Blenheims of No. 2 Group and then 12 more Blenheims on the Le Havre dockyards. There is a thick haze that confuses many of the RAF navigators, and only 24 of the bombers make the rendezvous over Tangmere. An additional 15 bombers failed to find the target, and only nine bombers actually make it to Le Havre. They bomb No. 1 Dry-Dock successfully. RAF No. 616, flying escort, tangles with the Luftwaffe near Le Havre and claims one fighter.

During the night, RAF Bomber Command sends 28 aircraft against Cologne and 20 against Dusseldorf.

HMAS Parramatta at Mersa Matruh, Egypt 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Grimsby class sloop HMAS Parramatta at Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 19 June 1941. The Parramatta sank just over five months later, on 27 November (Photo: RAN Historical, it appears in Paul and Frances Margaret McGuire's 'The Price of Admiralty' [Oxford University Press, Melbourne 1944] opp. p243).

Battle of the Atlantic: The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft of I Staffeln, Kampfgeschwader 40) bombs and sinks 1306-ton British freighter Empire Warrior a few miles off Guardians Bar, Gulf of Cadiz. All 25 aboard survive, picked up by a Portuguese destroyer.

The Luftwaffe in the same attack also bombs and badly damages 1770-ton Swedish freighter Gunda in the same area as the Empire Warrior. British freighter Peterel takes the Gunda in tow, but it eventually sinks. The entire crew survives.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages Royal Navy destroyer HMS Vanessa in the North Sea. During the encounter, the Vanessa collides with 430-ton ASW trawler Turquoise. Vanessa has to be towed to Yarmouth by destroyer Vesper and is out of action until 15 April 1942.

Dutch patrol boat Sirius seizes Vichy French vessel Compiegne. However, in light of the confused state of relations between the UK and Vichy France (note that the British and Vichy French right now are battling each other in Syria and Lebanon while the British still wish to curry favor with France), the Admiralty ultimately orders the French ship released.

Royal Navy minelayer HMS Plover lays minefield BS.59 in the North Sea.

Canadian corvette HMCS Moose Jaw (Lt. Frederick E. Grubb) is commissioned.

United States destroyers USS Redoubt and Roebuck are laid down.

U-619 and U-620 are laid down.

Matilda tanks 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

'Matilda', or `I', tanks in the Western Desert, Egypt in June 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The German News Bureau in Berlin crows about General Erwin Rommel's recent defeat of the British during Operation Battleaxe. It notes:

The most recent reports indicate that the British have lost more tanks than was earlier estimated: When we cleared up the battlefield, we found 200 British tanks destroyed or immobilized by German and Italian guns, which the British were forced to abandon when they retreated.

The German figures are exaggerated - British tank losses were far fewer than 100, let alone 200 - but the complete British defeat gives the Germans a welcome opportunity to pat their staggering Italian allies on the back in the shared victory.

An Axis convoy departs from Naples with five freighters/transports bound for Tripoli. It is escorted by four Italian destroyers.

The Royal Navy headquarters at Alexandria institutes a major resupply of the embattled British forces in the Western Desert. It begins the "Tobruk Ferry," which entails sending destroyers to Mersa Matruh and Tobruk at night. The Luftwaffe dominates the skies over North Africa at this time and such naval missions are extremely hazardous.

Following a review of Malta's defenses, the War Office promises large reinforcements. Whitehall promises thousands of additional troops to prevent a German takeover as in Crete - but there remains the small matter of actually getting them there. Governor Dobbie replies that the most urgent needs are additional RAF forces and an infantry battalion.

Spy Stuff: Soviet agents in Germany and Finland continue issuing warnings to the Kremlin of a coming German attack on the Soviet Union. The spy reports now routinely identify the date of the attack as 22 June.

Wellington bomber 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Wellington W5665, shot down by a German night fighter during the night of 18-19 June 1941 over Frisian Isle Ameland. Of the six-man Polish crew, four were killed and buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Nes there, and two captured. The interred men were later reburied in Nijmegen pursuant to a 1960s centralization scheme for war dead (RAF via Traces of War).

German/US Relations: Following the US State Department's 16 June order to the Germans to close their consulates, Germany and Italy respond by ordering the Americans to do the same in their countries no later than 15 July. This appears to be another reverberation from the 21 May 1941 sinking by a U-boat of US freighter Robin Moore off the African coast. This is a blow for Allied intelligence, as the US consulates have served as valuable "listening posts" within Occupied Europe.

German/Hungarian Relations: General Halder, Chief of the OKH (Army High Command), visits Hungary for a conference.

Anglo/US Relations: Lord Halifax, the British Ambassador to the United States, gives a speech at the Harvard Alumni luncheon. He notes:

The President has declared in terms that no man can mistake on which side in this grim contest stands the United States. And there is no need for me to dwell upon the encouragement that his words have brought to my people, to the whole British Commonwealth, or to lovers of freedom everywhere.

He calls England "the last home of freedom in Europe."

Apparently given as a response to the University of Rochester, New York conferring an honorary degree on Winston Churchill, Oxford University confers the degree of Doctor of Civil Law on President Franklin Roosevelt. Neither man, of course, attends the ceremony.

Eastern Front border 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

A map of military units along the German/Soviet border around 19 June 1941. Shown are three German Army Groups, North, South, and Center in Poland, with additional allied Romanian troops to the south.

German Military: The Kriegsmarine is mining the Baltic, while the Luftwaffe continues reconnaissance flights over the Soviet Union.

Luftwaffe night-fighter ace Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld is mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht bulletin of the headquarters of the German Wehrmacht. This is considered one of the highest honors a German officer can receive and is coveted even by generals. Prince Lippe-Weißenfeld (he is an heir to the throne of the Principality of Lippe, which was abolished under the Weimar Republic) now has about 10 victories over the bombers, which are considered the most prestigious enemy aircraft to destroy.

The Wehrmacht cancels all soldier leaves. Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler, however, who technically is not in the Wehrmacht, flies home to his private house on Lake Tegerness to visit with his family. They go to a nearby field in the Valepp Valley and pick daisies by the roadside for the propaganda cameras.

Soviet Military: The Soviet Navy issues a Grade 2 Alert to its units. The Red Air Force orders camouflaging of airfields, and the government orders blackout in cities along the western border. Some of these orders, such as the camouflaging of airfields, take days to begin implementing and are barely started when Operation Barbarossa begins.

General Pavel Batov assumes command of the 9th Rifle Corps.

British field manual 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Field Manual No. 30-55, Basic Field Manual, Military Intelligence, Identification Of German Naval Ships, 19 June 1941.

British Military: Rear Admiral E.N. Syfret CB becomes commander of 18th Cruiser Squadron.

German Government: After some meetings during the day, Adolf Hitler spends the evening drafting his "Proclamation" for Operation Barbarossa. This will be issued to the troops shortly before the opening of Operation Barbarossa. It is a curiously dour document that pins the entire future of European civilization itself on the outcome of the invasion.

Around 18:00, Foreign Minister Ribbentrop telephones to say that Soviet Ambassador Dekanozov has stopped by the Ministry, transacted some normal business, made some small talk and jokes, and then left without incident. This ends 24 hours of uncertainty after Dekanozov on the 18th had indicated he needed to visit the German Ministry for unspecified reasons.

British Government: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visit factories and war ruins in Billingham and other areas in the northeast.

Crail Airfield 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

An RAF Second World War vertical aerial photograph of Crail airfield, 19 June 1941. © Courtesy of Historic Environment Scotland (RAF Air Photographs Collection via Airfields of Britain).

Holocaust: Hitler talks to Hans Frank, the Governor-General of the occupied Polish territories (Generalgouverneur für die besetzten polnischen Gebiete). Frank controls all of the territories, known as the General Government, that encompass pre-war Poland aside from those directly incorporated into the Reich - roughly half of the original 187,000 square miles occupied by the Wehrmacht (which of course does not include the far larger portion allocated to the Soviet Union).

Frank long has objected to having Jews from throughout Occupied Europe shipped to the General Government for internment. This is partly because he resents having them under his administration, but more importantly, because controlling them has expanded the influence in the General Government of Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler - at Frank's expense. Frank sees himself as a sort of overlord and chafes at having other authority in "his" territory.

Hitler tells Frank that the territories soon to be wrested from the Soviet Union will become the new "home" of the Jews. These new destinations in "the East" are to replace the nebulous destination of Madagascar that has been bruited about within the government as the eventual home of European Jewry. Frank is delighted and quickly tells his staff that there will be no need for more Ghettos such as the ones in Warsaw and Lodz because all the Jews from now on - including the ones already in the Ghettos - will be heading "east.'

Hitler, however, is unclear about what he really intends for the Jews. The only thing that Frank cares about is that the Jews are heading "east" of his own domain, so he does not press for further details. Where in the "east" Hitler means is left undefined, and what would happen to the Jews once they got there is deemed an unimportant detail at this stage. This will be resolved at the Wannsee Conference in January 1942.

In Romania, the government orders Jews to move to city Ghettos.

Michigan dial phone service 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The big news in northern Michigan is the introduction of dial service. Mayor Hinkley makes the first dial call to his mother. Northern Michigan Review, 19 June 1941.

American Homefront: New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio gets a home run and two singles in New York against the Chicago White Sox. DiMaggio now has hit in a club-record 32 games in a row.

General Mills introduces Cheerioats on store shelves. Designed by food science expert Lester Borchardt, they arise from his experiments in "puffing" oats into tiny ovals (each 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) diameter, .0025 ounce (71 mg)). The name is changed to Cheerios® in 1945 and remains a staple on breakfast tables into the 21st Century.

Future History: Václav Klaus is born in Prague, which at this time is within the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. He grows up in the middle-class neighborhood of Vinohrady. He later says that, at age 3, he helps to build barricades in Prague during the uprising of May 1945. Klaus grows up to become a top politician within the Czech Republic and, ultimately, the 2nd President of his country for two terms from 2003-2013. He survives a weird assassination attempt with an airsoft gun by a communist in 2012 and remains as of this writing an elder statesman of the Czech Republic.

Roden Cuttler, as described above a recipient of the VC for his actions in Medjayoun on 19 June 1941 and subsequent days, goes on to earn a Knighthood and become Governor of New South Wales, Australia.

Irina Petrescu is born in Bucharest, Romania. She grows up to become a top Romanian film actress in the 1960s and wins the Best Actress award at the 6th Moscow International Film Festival for her role in "A Woman for a Season" (1969). Petrescu passes away on 19 March 2013.

Joseph Jossie Goldman 19 June 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Gravestone of Joseph Jossie Goldman, a 22-year-old South African Sergeant-Pilot in the RAF who perished on 19 June 1941. He perished near Baynards Green when his training flight in a Hampden crashed near the airport. This is located at Upper Heyford Cemetery.

June 1941

June 1, 1941: Farhud Pogrom
June 2, 1941: Massacres on Crete
June 3, 1941: Kandanos Massacre
June 4, 1941: Kaiser Wilhelm Passes Away
June 5, 1941: Death in Chungking
June 6, 1941: Hitler's Commissar Order
June 7, 1941: Commandos Strike at Pessac
June 8, 1941: British Invade Syria and Lebanon
June 9, 1941: Litani River Battle
June 10, 1941: British Take Assab
June 11, 1941: Hitler Thinking Beyond Russia
June 12, 1941: St. James Agreement
June 13, 1941: Lützow Damaged
June 14, 1941: Latvian June Deportations
June 15, 1941: Operation Battleaxe
June 16, 1941: The Old Lion
June 17, 1941: British Spanked in North Africa
June 18, 1941: Turkey Turns Its Back
June 19, 1941: Cheerios Introduced
June 20, 1941 : Birth of US Army Air Force
June 21, 1941: Damascus Falls
June 22, 1941: Germany Invades Russia
June 23, 1941: A Soviet KV Tank Causes Havoc
June 24, 1941: Kaunas and Vilnius Fall
June 25, 1941: Finland Declares War
June 26, 1941: Bombing of Kassa
June 27, 1941: Encirclement At Minsk
June 28, 1941: Minsk Falls
June 29, 1941: Brest Fortress Falls
June 30, 1941: Mölders Becomes Top Ace

2020

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