Monday 4 March 1940

Äyräpää church, destroyed 4 March 1940.

Winter War: A League of Nations mission arrives in Helsinki on 4 March 1940 to investigate Finnish allegations of Soviet methods of warfare that are illegal. The deadline for Finland to appeal to the Allies for military assistance expires tomorrow.

Winter War Army Operations: The Soviets continue attacking across the Gulf of Viipuri. Their hold there is tenuous because should the ice melt before they consolidate the bridgehead with an overland advance, they would be stranded on the far shore of the Gulf with no hope of rescue. Soviet troops, meanwhile, try to scoot across the ice quickly around noon, but Finnish artillery and planes attack them relentlessly and cause heavy casualties.

Elsewhere along the front, the Finns dig in and prevent any further major advances. The Finns still hold the greater part of Viipuri despite Soviet inroads. The Soviets are focusing attacks to the east of the city, trying to bypass it on both sides.

The Vuoksi River sector flares up with fighting near Äyräpää church.

The Taipale sector is quiet.

In the far north, Soviet forces withdraw in the Petsamo sector. Under the current peace offer (which, while expired, remains the only one outstanding), Petsamo would be handed back to the Finns anyway.

Battle of the Atlantic: French 2,679-ton freighter S.N.A. sinks about 60 miles south of Milford Haven in the Irish sea after colliding with another freighter, the Thurston.

The Thurston, for its part, then falls prey to U-29 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart). The 3,072-ton ore carrier is torpedoed and sunk, with 4 survivors and 64 dead. Only 2 sailors (some sources say only 1) from the S.N.A. 1 survive both sinkings - extremely lucky men (or man). The survivors spend 11 hours on an overturned lifeboat. The Thurston carried 4500 tons of manganese ore.

U-29 continues its successful patrol by torpedoing and sinking 6,717-ton British freighter Pacific Reliance. All 53 survive. The Pacific Reliance had been dispersed from Convoy HX-19 and is carrying aircraft parts.

US freighter Exeter is released from detainment at Gibraltar after the British remove 155 sacks of mail destined for Germany, 95 sacks for Italy and 59 for Switzerland. The British do put 140 other sacks of mail previously seized from other freighter and permit the Exeter to sail on.

Convoy HG 21 departs from Gibraltar.

Soviet/Swedish Relations: The Soviet Union, which had denied bombing Pajala on 21 February, formally and belatedly apologizes for the incident. It is very rare for the USSR to ever apologize, so this indicates their interest in maintaining good relations with Sweden and thereby avoiding a larger Scandinavian war.

British Homefront: The Treasury announces that  £1,000,000 was raised in saving certificates and defense Bonds during the three days ending 1 March 1940.

The Home Office establishes that women would not be required over 60 hours a week in factories, and youth under 16 would not be required to work more than 48 hours. This is a reduction from the World War I 70 hours of work for women.

SS Thurston.

March 1940

March 1, 1940: Soviet Breakthroughs Past Viipuri
March 2, 1940: Soviets Swarm West in Finland
March 3, 1940: Soviets Across Gulf of Viipuri
March 4, 1940: USSR Apologizes to Sweden
March 5, 1940: Katyn Forest Massacre Approved
March 6, 1940: Finns Head to Moscow
March 7, 1940: The Coal Ships Affair
March 8, 1940: Peace Talks Begin in Moscow
March 9, 1940: Soviets Harden Peace Terms
March 10, 1940: Germany Draws Closer to Italy
March 11, 1940: Winter War Peace Terms Finalized
March 12, 1940: War is Over (If You Want It)
March 13, 1940: Winter War Ends
March 14, 1940: Evacuating Karelia
March 15, 1940: The Bletchley Bombe
March 16, 1940: First British Civilian Killed
March 17, 1940: Enter Dr. Todt
March 18, 1940: Mussolini To Join the War
March 19, 1940: Daladier Resigns
March 20, 1940: Soviets Occupy Hango Naval Base
March 21, 1940: Paul Reynaud Leads France
March 22, 1940: Night Fighters Arise!
March 24, 1940: French Consider Alternatives
March 25, 1940: Reynaud Proposes Action
March 26, 1940: C-46 First Flight
March 27, 1940: Himmler Authorizes Auschwitz Construction
March 28, 1940: Allies Ponder Invading Norway
March 29, 1940: Soviets Prefer Neutrality
March 30, 1940: Allied Uncertainty
March 31, 1940: The Tiger Cage

2019

Friday 23 February 1940

HMS Gurkha.

Winter War: Finland, feeling the strain of the unceasing Soviet attacks on 23 February 1940, once again asks Sweden and Norway to grant transit rights to Allied troops. The Swedes already have denied the request, the Norwegians have not really addressed it, but both must agree. The weather has brought operations all along the line to a halt.

The Soviets appear to have an inkling about the Allied plans to intervene in Finland. They slow the tempo of operations and submit peace terms, suggesting that the Finns may have just a tiny bit of negotiating room.

Winter War Naval Operations: The Finns operating out of Viipurinlahti Bay attempt to re-take Lasisaari Island, but withdraw after dark.

Winter War Peace Talks: The Soviet ambassador in Stockholm, Madame Kollontai, delivers a list of Soviet demands for peace to the Finnish Foreign Minister Väinö Tanner. The Finns are displeased at the terms. The Finnish Foreign Affairs Committee meets to consider them. Among other things, they require the entire Karelian Isthmus, including Finland's second-largest city Viipuri. The Soviets also require territory completely surrounding Lake Ladoga, islands in the Gulf of Finland and a 30-year lease on the naval base at Hanko. In exchange for these concessions, the Soviets would agree to return Petsamo. The terms expire on 1 March 1940.

Looked at from the cold gaze of 75 years later, the terms are not too onerous. There are no reparations demanded, Finland would retain its heartland along the Gulf of Finland and its independence, and it would still have an outlet to the sea in the north. All things considered given an unwinnable war...

Battle of the Atlantic: U-53 (Korvettenkapitän Harald Grosse) is sunk in the North Sea in the mid-Orkneys by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Gurkha. All 42 aboard perish.

HMS Ajax and Exeter, two of the ships from the Battle of the Platte, return to England and march through London's Guildhall. Cheering crowds salute the 700 officers and men. HMNZS Achilles returns to New Zealand to a similar reception.

British freighter Benvolio hits a mine and sinks.

The RAF bombs German warships in the Heligoland Bight during the night, with one aircraft failing to return.

The Luftwaffe returns the favor, attacking British shipping by moonlight. The freighter Gothic is strafed.

The British at Gibraltar detain the US freighter Lehigh for several hours, then let it proceed.

Convoy OA 97 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 97 departs from Liverpool, and Convoy OG 19 forms at Gibraltar.

European Air Operations: The RAF conducts a leaflet raid on Prague, which has been the center of numerous student protests in recent months. It also performed reconnaissance over Austria and Bohemia-Moravia.

Moscow denies bombing the Finnish town of Pajala along the Swedish border on 21 February.

German/Norwegian Relations: The two nations sign a trade agreement.

Turkey: The Turkish government declares a state of emergency following a (false) report of a Soviet unit crossing the frontier.

Future History: Actor Peter Fonda, son of Henry and sister of Jayne Seymour Fonda (currently 2 years old), is born in New York City. He becomes famous as an actor in the 1960s for films such as "Easy Rider." He passes away on 16 August 2019.

Väinö Tanner, Finnish Foreign Minister.

February 1940

February 3, 1940: Soviets Capture a Bunker
February 4, 1940: Peace Talks in Stockholm
February 5, 1940: Allies to Invade Norway
February 6, 1940: Careless Talk Costs Lives
February 7, 1940: IRA Terrorists Executed
February 8, 1940: Spies!
February 9, 1940: The Welles Mission
February 10, 1940: Confiscation of Jewish Goods
February 11, 1940: Soviets Attack Mannerheim Line
February 12, 1940: Breaches In Mannerheim Line
February 13, 1940: Soviets Inching Forward in Finland
February 14, 1940: Soviets Batter Mannerheim Line
February 15, 1940: Finns Retreat
February 16, 1940: Altmark Incident
February 17, 1940: Manstein and Hitler Discuss Fall Gelb
February 18, 1940: Operation Nordmark
February 19, 1940: King Gustav Says No
February 20, 1940: Falkenhorst Commands Weserubung
February 21, 1940: Radar Advances
February 22, 1940: Friendly Fire
February 23, 1940: Soviets Present Their Demands
February 24, 1940: Fall Gelb Revised
February 25, 1940: Mr. Welles Comes to Visit
February 26, 1940: Battle of Honkaniemi
February 27, 1940: Finns Retreat Again
February 28, 1940: Overseas Volunteers Help Finland
February 29, 1940: Finns Accept Soviet Terms In Principle

2020

Wednesday 21 February 1940

Professors John T. Randall and Henry A.H. Boot, shown here after the war. Professor Boot is holding a six-cavity anodic block.

Winter War: There is a blizzard on 21 February 1940 across Finland which overall benefits the Finns, as they could use a rest after the events of the past week or two. Still, Soviet forces continue grinding toward Viipuri.

Winter War Air Operations: The Soviets continue their strategic bombing campaign against Finland, attacking Pajala in the Tornedal Valley next to Sweden. The Finns announce that they have shot down 17 more Soviet bombers.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-50 (Kapitänleutnant Max-Hermann Bauer) torpedoes and sinks 4,760-ton Dutch freighter Tara west of Cape Finisterre, Spain. The entire crew survives.

U-23 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer) gets another victory on its highly successful patrol, torpedoing and sinking the 4,996-ton British freighter Loch Maddy south-southwest of Rockall. Of the crew, 35 survive and 4 perish. The ship is a straggler from Convoy HX-19. The crew abandons ship, but it doesn't actually sink. It becomes a floating derelict.

Royal Navy cruiser Manchester captures German freighter Wahehe south of Iceland.

The British at Gibraltar detain US freighter Sahale, and they release US freighter Exhibitor.

Convoy OA 96 departs from Southend, OB 95 and OB 96 depart from Liverpool.

European Air Operations: The RAF conducts reconnaissance over the Heligoland Bight.

Applied Science: Birmingham University conducts the first successful test of the cavity magnetron. This is the basis for short-wave radar. Britain is in the lead in developing effective, practical rada. Professors John T. Randall and Henry A.H. Boot are researchers in the group of Australian physicist Marcus Oliphant. The seal their experimental device in wax and permanently connect it to a vacuum pump. It oscillates at a wavelength of 9.8 cm, producing the power of 400 W, which is two orders of magnitude above anything previously achieved.

British Government: The Treasury publicly announces nominal budgets of £100 each for the British army, navy, and RAF for the calendar year 1940 and also for the war. The true amounts are classified.

British Homefront: There is a coal shortage and the severe winter is straining stocks on hand. Passenger rail service is curtailed.

Holocaust: The Inspectorate of Concentration Camps reports to Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler that Auschwitz, located in the newly "incorporated territories" that formerly were Poland, would be of best use as a "quarantine center."

China: Chiang Kai-shek holds a military conference assessing the Chinese Winter Offense.

The Japanese Shangtung Operation continues, as the Imperial Army occupies it.

Future History: Peter Gethin is born in Ewell, England. He becomes a top race car driver in the 1970s, participating in 31 World Championship Formula One Grand Prix.

Finnish soldiers inspect a Soviet bomber.

February 1940

February 3, 1940: Soviets Capture a Bunker
February 4, 1940: Peace Talks in Stockholm
February 5, 1940: Allies to Invade Norway
February 6, 1940: Careless Talk Costs Lives
February 7, 1940: IRA Terrorists Executed
February 8, 1940: Spies!
February 9, 1940: The Welles Mission
February 10, 1940: Confiscation of Jewish Goods
February 11, 1940: Soviets Attack Mannerheim Line
February 12, 1940: Breaches In Mannerheim Line
February 13, 1940: Soviets Inching Forward in Finland
February 14, 1940: Soviets Batter Mannerheim Line
February 15, 1940: Finns Retreat
February 16, 1940: Altmark Incident
February 17, 1940: Manstein and Hitler Discuss Fall Gelb
February 18, 1940: Operation Nordmark
February 19, 1940: King Gustav Says No
February 20, 1940: Falkenhorst Commands Weserubung
February 21, 1940: Radar Advances
February 22, 1940: Friendly Fire
February 23, 1940: Soviets Present Their Demands
February 24, 1940: Fall Gelb Revised
February 25, 1940: Mr. Welles Comes to Visit
February 26, 1940: Battle of Honkaniemi
February 27, 1940: Finns Retreat Again
February 28, 1940: Overseas Volunteers Help Finland
February 29, 1940: Finns Accept Soviet Terms In Principle

2019