Friday 8 August 1941

A Panzer.Kampfwagen III on 8 August 1941 near Kiestinki.

Eastern Front: In a little-known and sketchy incident, both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini come very close to death at the hands of one or more Soviet soldiers on 8 August 1941 - if some unverified accounts are to believed. It is possible that Hitler comes closer to an armed and unsubdued Soviet soldier today than he does at any other point while he is alive - and the incident receives no attention at all. Why and how this happens requires a little explaining.

The Germans captured Brest Fortress back near the border with Poland on 29 June. According to some accounts, the fortress held out for another month, but that is contradicted by the evidence. The Wehrmacht's 45th Infantry Division (Austrian) which subdued the fortress then moved east to join the general offensive by 2 July. Virtually all sources agree that Brest Fortress was solidly in German hands by the end of July, if not in June.

However, Brest Fortress was in ruins after multiple Luftwaffe raids and days of tank and artillery fire. There were lots of bombed-out areas that made good hiding places - collapsed rooms and the like. Apparently, one or more Soviet soldiers remained hidden in the ruins, undetected by the occupying Germans, long past the surrender in June (or July, if you like). There is an inscription on the fortress walls that is dated 7 July 1941 ("I'm dying but I won't surrender. Farewell, Motherland. 20.VII.41"), presumably made by a trapped and uncaptured Soviet soldier. So, there is proof of Soviet resistance extending into July, at least.

At this point, the story gets sketchy. Major Pyotr Gavrilov, later decorated as a Hero of the Soviet Union as if to stamp certainty on the later presence of unsubdued Soviet defenders, reportedly (everything about the details is uncertain) is captured only on 23 or 24 July (accounts vary on the exact date). That may be the end of Soviet resistance - but maybe not. Some believe that at least one Soviet soldier remains hidden even longer. And that's where Hitler and Mussolini (literally and figuratively) come in.

Adolf Hitler (center, in trench coat) and Benito Mussolini stroll through Brest Fortress, 8 August 1941.

After visiting the headquarters of Army Group Center and South on 6 and 7 August, respectively, Hitler decides to lead his fellow dictator on a tour of significant locations in the rear. It is a sort of sightseeing tour, designed to impress Mussolini with the mighty destructive power of the Wehrmacht. Today, 8 August 1941, the pair decide to visit Brest Fortress, which has received a great deal of attention in the international press during the first month of Operation Barbarossa. They come attended by the usual heavy security, walk through the fortress, and then leave.

Here is where the two stories intertwine. According to some accounts, only today are the final armed Soviet defenders rooted out of the bombed-out ruins of Brest Fortress. As noted, this coincides with Hitler's visit. Given Hitler's predilection for walking ahead of most of those accompanying him (as evidenced by photos of such walk-throughs by Hitler, including the one above), it is not beyond the realm of possibility that one of those hidden Soviet soldiers could have had a clear sight and gotten off a lucky shot at just the right moment. This would have altered history for both Germany and Italy and, really, the entire world.

But that doesn't happen. Hitler and Mussolini visit and then leave unharmed. And, the course of World War II continues on toward its inevitable conclusion.

Colonel-General Georg Lindemann (left), commander of German L Army Corps in 18th Army in Army Group North, 8 August 1941 (Gregor, Federal Archive, Bild 101I-212-0206-30).

In the Far North sector, The Finns consolidate their new holds on Kestenga and the northern shore of Lake Ladoga. Finnish Group J of 6th Division of III Corps (a reinforced regiment) Continues pursuing the retreating Soviets east past Kestenga. A good road and a railway line lead directly to the Murmansk railway a few dozen miles away, and prospects appear good for cutting that line and further isolating the Soviets from the West. The Soviets are frantically directing troops to Loukhi on the railway line, but there are few spare units to be found.

In the Army Group North sector, the Germans open an offensive against the Soviet Luga River defensive line. German 1 Panzer Division (Lieutenant General Friedrich Kirchner) and 6 Panzer Division (Major General Franz Landgraf) battle Soviet 111th and 125th Rifle Divisions. Other German troops in 41 and 38 Corps advance to attempt to cut the Narva-Leningrad railroad.

In the Army Group Center sector, German XXIV Corps (General of Panzer Troops Geyr von Schweppenburg) eliminates a Soviet pocket at Roslavl and take 38,000 prisoners. The German 3rd Panzer Division (Lieutenant General Model) complains that it has to wait too long for supplies to arrive on the overburdened railroads.

A captured Soviet General of the Soviet 6th Army (Lt. General Ivan N. Musychenko) is interrogated near Uman, 8 August 1941. (Hübner, Federal Archive, Bild 146-1975-086-05A)

In the Army Group South sector, Soviet resistance at Uman ends. About 103,000 captured Soviet troops, the commanders of the 6th and 12th armies, four corps commanders, and 11 division commanders are among those waiting to be processed and sent to POW camps. General von Kleist redirects his Panzer Group 1 north toward Kieve to support Sixth Arm and form a pincer envelopment by meeting Guderian's Panzer Group 2 advancing from the north.

It is day three of the Romanian investment of the Soviet-held port of Odesa. The Romanian 4th Army gradually extends its line to form a solid line around the city. Some sources claim that today is the real start of the Siege of Odessa and not 5 August. The surrender at Uman further isolates Odessa and makes any kind of relief increasingly unlikely.

The RAF has been having difficulty in making accurate bombing attacks. This is due to many factors, including poor weather, crew fatigue, and German air defenses. One such reason is excellent German camouflage, as illustrated in these comparison photos of Hamburg. While it looks at first glance as if the photos are taken at completely different places, in fact, they are of the same place in Hamburg altered by means of floating decoys to look completely different.

European Air Operations: Activity is minimal during the day. After dark, RAF Bomber Command mounts two main operations against Kiel and Hamburg. The results of these raids suggest that the RAF may not have an accurate picture of the actual results it is producing.

The RAF sends 50 Hampden and 4 Whitley bombers to attack the submarine base at Kiel. It loses 2 Hampdens and one Whitley. The planes encounter heavy Flak. The bombs kill 13 people, including 11 Italian "guest workers" at a farm outside Kiel. German sources indicate that bombing accuracy is poor, which also is suggested by the fact that most of the casualties occur outside of Kiel in a rural area. However, the RAF's weekly summary report describes the attack thusly:

Excellent weather over Kiel on the [8th] enabled 88 aircraft accurately to bomb the’ Deutsche Werke Shipyards. Of the 104 tons of H.E. bombs and 4,836 incendiaries released, a number fell directly in the centre of the target, starting many fires; a particularly large fire was also observed on the south side of the city.

The discrepancy between ground sources and the RAF is unexplainable. However, a hint as to what is going on may be gleaned from the fact that the RAF soon will decide (with the Butts Report) that bombing accuracy is extremely poor, with most attacks failing to come within miles of the intended target.

The RAF sends 44 Wellingtons to attack the railway and shipping yards at Hamburg. One plane fails to return. Visibility is poor and few planes are able to attack. The RAF reports this attack as follow:

At Hamburg, however, on the same night, weather was bad and identification of objectives was almost impossible; except for bombbursts and fires, no results were observed.

There are five deaths and 8 injured at Hamburg, with 20 people made homeless. While the RAF believes that the Kiel raid was much more accurate than the Hamburg raid, in fact, more people are killed at Hamburg than within Kiel itself.

The RAF also sends seven Hampdens without loss to lay mines in the Frisian Islands, off Kiel, and in the Norwegian fjords.

Questioning of the Russian Lieutenant-General Ivan N. Musychenko (center), captured during the fighting at Uman, by officers of the Wehrmacht, 8 August 1941. (Hübner, Federal Archive, Bild 146-1992-081-13A).

Battle of the Baltic: The RAF bombs and damages 1065-ton Swedish freighter Venersborg in the Great Belt at the entrance to the Baltic. The Venersborg is towed to a Danish port.

The RAF bombs and sinks 2546-ton Danish freighter Venus at the mouth of the Schlei River off Schleswig-Holstein.

The Luftwaffe (Ju-88 aircraft of KGR.806) bombs and sinks Soviet Izyaslav-class destroyer Karl Marx in Loksa Bay near the Estonian capital of Tallinn (Reval).

Soviet destroyers Statny and Surovy park offshore in Moon Sound and shell German coastal battery Markgraf.

Soviet patrol vessel No. 410 and auxiliary minesweeper No. 76 are lost today from unknown causes, perhaps scuttling to avoid German capture.

German minelayers lay minefields D.10 to D.30 and Finnish minelayers lay minefields F-18 to F-22 in the Gulf of Finland.

Raketen-Jagdflugzeug (rocket fighter) Messerschmitt Me 163 A-V4 "Komet" (Kennung KE+SW) at its airfield Flugfeld, ca. 8 August 1941 (Federal Archive, Bild 146-1972-058-62).

Battle of the Atlantic: The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 202-ton British fishing trawler Ocean Victor off Iceland. All 13 crew on the Ocean Victor perish. There is some dispute about this incident, as there is a possibility that U-206 (ObltzS Herbert Opitz) sinks the Ocean Victor on 9 August.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks British freighter Cordene in the North Sea. The ship is traveling with Convoy FN-503 when it is attacked. Everyone survives.

The Luftwaffe bombs Royal Navy minesweeper Selkirk and scores a near-miss. No leaks develop, so the minesweeper stays in service.

Convoy WS-8C (Winston Special) departs from the Clyde and heads to Scapa Flow as part of Operation Leapfrog. This is a scheduled operation to seize the Azores Islands. There are numerous landing ships, oilers, and freighters escorted by eight destroyers.

Royal Navy Anti-Submarine Warfare trawler Coverley (Lt. Robert R. Taylor) is commissioned and boom defense vessel Barbridge launched.

Canadian minesweepers HMCS Ganonque (Lt. Edward M. More) and Nipigon (Lt. Commander Clarence A. King) are commissioned.

U-627 is laid down.

HMS Thunderbolt.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Famagusta, the British reinforcement of Cyprus, continues when Royal Navy sloop Flamingo departs Port Saudi with 6676-ton transport Salamaua heading for Famagusta.

RAF Fulmar bombers based on Malta bomb Gerbini airfield on Malta. This raid causes fires at the airfield and apparently causes enough damage to prevent the Italian Regia Aeronautica from attacking Malta during the night.
Royal Navy submarine HMS Thunderbolt arrives in Malta carrying aviation fuel.

Battle of the Black Sea: The Russian Danube Flotilla supports the Red Army's withdrawal past the Bug River Delta from today through 12 August.

Battle of the Indian Ocean: Convoy BA-4 departs from Bombay bound for Aden.

The Walloon legion preparing to move to the East Front. In the center is Léon Degrelle. Brussels, August 8, 1941.

Partisans: Soviet Marshal Timoshenko, commanding the armies defending Moscow, issues a proclamation to all Soviet citizens behind enemy lines encouraging them to become partisans. He urges them to "wreak merciless vengeance on the enemy …. for the death of your children..." Given the style of the Wehrmacht's advance, which has been to drive east along the roads as fast as possible while bypassing Soviet troops in the forests and marshes, there is a large reservoir of potential Soviet manpower hidden to the west of the "front."

In Montenegro, General Alessandro Pirzio Biroli orders the confiscation of insurgents' property. The revolt that began on 13 July still continues with little interference from the Italian occupation authorities. The Italians are assembling strong forces for a counter-offensive which include six divisions (Messina, Puglie, Pusteria, Taro, Venezia, and Cacciatori delle Alpi), two Blackshirts Legion (Nos. 108 and 164), two combat groups (I group of Cavalry Regiment Cavalleggeri Guide and Skanderbeg) and two battalions of the border guard. While this is a formidable force, the territory is very rugged and difficult to subdue.

Anglo/US Relations: President Roosevelt continues waiting aboard a cruiser at Placentia Bay for the arrival of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill aboard a battleship.

US/Japanese Relations: Talks continue between the US State Department and Japanese Ambassador Nomura in DC. The Japanese now are proposing a summit meeting between President Roosevelt and Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoye, but US Secretary of State Cordell Hull merely agrees to take the proposal under consideration.

Anticipating a siege, Soviet authorities have camouflaged a Bronze Horseman so that it cannot be seen by Luftwaffe bombers, August 8, 1941.

Soviet Military: The Russian Black Sea Fleet (Rear Admiral G. V. Zhukov) establishes a new task group to support army operations along the coast in the Black Sea. Part of the new task group is based at the besieged port of Odesa.

A big fan of artillery (he calls it the "Queen of battle"), Joseph Stalin orders the formation of eight Guards mortar regiments to operate Katyusha rocket launchers. These units will be placed with Guards formations, which are ordinary army units that have distinguished themselves in combat.

The Soviets officially form the Stavka of the Supreme High Command [Stavka Verkhnogo Glavnokomandovaniia - SVGK]. This replaces some previous temporary command arrangements and more closely resembles the command structure of previous wars. Stalin, of course, is the Supreme High Commander and uses the other members of the Stavka (such as General Georgy Zhukov) to submit ideas and act as troubleshooters to go to special Fronts and run special operations there.
German Military: At the top-secret research center at Peenemünde, a German island in the Baltic, the Ministry of Aviation makes the first powered test flight of the rocket-powered Me-163 V1 KE+SW. Test pilot Heini Dittmar flies the revolutionary plane with its Walter RI-203b engine and achieves speeds of over 800 km/hr. Dittmar will continue testing this prototype throughout the fall, flying it roughly once a day while it is being tested, and achieve speeds over 1000 km/hr.

The swept-wing plane is extremely dangerous to fly for several reasons, including the fact that its rocket engine only works for about seven minutes to get to altitude, and then the pilot must glide from extreme heights to make an unpowered landing - with only one opportunity to "stick the landing." In addition, the fuel is composed of two separate liquids that must be keep separated until ignition - and if for some reason they come into contact with each other, a massive explosion occurs.

Luftwaffe General Alexander Löhr was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht daily radio report for the third time. This is a high honor, akin to receiving a medal in terms of prestige gained. It is especially significant because Löhr is not German, but Austrian.

Léon Degrelle in Brussels making a farewell speech before embarking with his fellow troops for the Eastern Front, 8 August 1941.

Belgian Military: Rexist leader Léon Degrelle, a deeply committed fascist and now a member of the Walloon legion of the Wehrmacht, accompanies the 800+ troops east toward the front. As Degrelle will be otherwise engaged for some time to come, he turns over the leadership of the Rexists to Victory Matthys. While some sources claim that Degrelle "leads" the Walloon legion into combat, in fact, he has no military experience and has joined as a private.

Japanese Military: The Imperial Japanese Navy commissions 30,000-ton liner Shokaku (Captain Jojima Takatsugu) as a special-purpose ship (it will be converted into an aircraft carrier). The IJN also begins the conversion of 9975-ton tanker Nippon Maru into a naval auxiliary tanker in Kobe and requisitions 6615-ton oiler Manju Maru.

US Government: Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr. addresses the Senate Finance Committee on the subject of taxation. He portrays as "taxation as an essential part of national defense." To do this, Morgenthau argues, taxation must be extended "to lower incomes." Morgenthau proposes that certain "discriminations" in the tax code be eliminated to make this "extension downward" more palatable, including removing deductions for oil depletion and eliminating certain provisions that are favorable to married couples.

Yugoslavia: The country officially is dissolved, and is taken over largely by Italy.

China: The Japanese continue their intensified air assault on the Nationalist capital at Chungking.

Following a recent order of the occupation authorities to turn in all radios, a Jewish woman is seen taking her radio into a police station on 8 August 1941 (Bibliotheque Historique de la Ville de Paris).

Holocaust: In the Netherlands, the "Liro" bank (Lippmann, Rosenthal, and Co.) issues a decree requiring Jews to register all assets and property. Jews also must turn over all foreign currency and paper assets. They are allowed to retain a thousand guilders in cash.

Hungary also enacts anti-Jewish laws.

Germans and Lithuanians murder an unknown number of Jews in the town of Zeimel. A plaque is later erected in the Chamber of the Holocaust at Mount Zion which reads:

For an everlasting remembrance. For the martyrs of the Zeimel Community (Lithuania) who were annihilated by the Germans and their Lithuanian collaborators (may their names be erased) on the 8th day of August 1941. Remembrance Day 15 Av 5701. May their souls be bound up in the bond of life. [Signed]The Emigrants of Zeimel in Israel and the Diaspora.

Thousands of Jews from Dvinsk, Latvia, are transported to the Pogulanka Forest and murdered.

American Homefront: Paramount Pictures releases "Wide Open Town," a Hopalong Cassidy film starring William Boyd and Russell Hayden. Evelyn Brent appears as a villainous saloon owner who develops feelings for Hopalong Cassidy, which ultimately dooms her corrupt regime in the town. A "wide-open town" is Wild West parlance meaning there is no sheriff.

MGM releases "Whistling in the Dark," a comedy directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Red Skelton, Conrad Veidt, and Ann Rutherford. This becomes a very successful film about an actor in radio murder mysteries (Skelton) who gets involved in solving crimes. This film leads to two sequels, "Whistling in Dixie" (1942) and "Whistling in Brooklyn" (1943). Eve Arden also appears.

Bandleader Les Brown and his orchestra take advantage of the publicity engendered for New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio during his record 56-game hitting streak (which ended in July) and record "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio." Written by New York disk jockey Alan Courtney and songwriter turned Jehovah’s Witness Minister Ben Homer, singer Betty Bonney gives life to lyrics that recount DiMaggio's path to the record:

He tied the mark at forty-four
July the 1st you know
Since then he's hit a good twelve more
Joltin' Joe DiMaggio.

This is not the last time that DiMaggio will make an impact on the popular music scene, as in 1967 Simon & Garfunkel also make a famous reference to him in "Mrs. Robinson." "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio" is not released until 10 November, the U.S. Marine Corps' birthday.

August 8, 1941 - A woman in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is trained by local police in the use of Thompson sub-machine guns.

August 1941
August 1, 1941: More Executions on Crete
August 2, 1941: Uman Encirclement Closes
August 3, 1941: Bishop von Galen Denounces Euthanasia
August 4, 1941: Hitler at the Front
August 5, 1941: Soviets Surrender at Smolensk 
August 6, 1941: U-Boats in the Arctic
August 7, 1941: Soviets Bomb Berlin
August 8, 1941: Uman Pocket Captured
August 9, 1941: Atlantic Conference at Placentia Bay
August 10, 1941: Soviet Bombers Mauled Over Berlin
August 11, 1941: Rita Hayworth in Life
August 12, 1941: Atlantic Charter Announced
August 13, 1941: The Soybean Car
August 14, 1941: The Anders Army Formed
August 15, 1941: Himmler at Minsk
August 16, 1941: Stalin's Order No. 270
August 17, 1941: Germans in Novgorod
August 18, 1941: Lili Marleen
August 19, 1941: Convoy OG-71 Destruction
August 20, 1941: Siege of Leningrad Begins
August 21, 1941: Stalin Enraged
August 22, 1941: Germans Take Cherkassy
August 23, 1941: Go to Kiev
August 24, 1941: Finns Surround Viipuri
August 25, 1941: Iran Invaded
August 26, 1941: The Bridge Over the Desna
August 27, 1941: Soviets Evacuate Tallinn
August 28, 1941: Evacuating Soviets Savaged
August 29, 1941: Finns take Viipuri
August 30, 1941: Operation Acid
August 31, 1941: Mannerheim Says No

2020

Tuesday 5 August 1941

A Finnish soldier advances past a burning Soviet tank, apparently a BT-7. 5 August 1941 (SA-Kuva).

Eastern Front: While the Wehrmacht retains the initiative throughout the Soviet Union as of 5 August 1941, casualties are mounting. Virtually every active division has thousands of casualties, some topping 4,000 men (out of a strength of 17,000). The OKH requires 24 trains a day just to maintain daily supplies to the troops, but only 18 make the trip on average. Of course, Soviet losses are high as well. Aside from the many divisions captured in the large encirclements, Soviet divisions still in the field have been whittled down in some cases to fewer than 2000 men. The Soviets, however, have large reserves, while the Germans keep a much higher proportion of their total strength at the front.

In the Far North sector, Finnish troops continue advancing east toward Kestenga and the Murmansk railroad. At Petsamo, Finnish authorities take control of the very valuable Petsamo Nickel Company, a major source of nickel that the Germans badly need.

In the Army Group North sector, German 18th Army (Colonel General Georg von Kuchler) approaches the Narva River and is besieging Tallinn. The Army Group has a line running from Kingisepp running south just east of Staraya Russa and Kholm and then linking up with Army Group Center's 9th Army at Velikiye Luki.

Soviet troops captured during 1941.

In the Army Group Center sector, Soviet 16th and 20th armies in the "Smolensk pocket" (which isn't actually in Smolensk) surrender. About 310,000 Soviets go into captivity along with their 3200 tanks and 3100 guns. Marshal Timoshenko assembles a sketchy new defensive line about 20 miles east of Smolensk.

The German infantry released by the end of Soviet resistance at Smolensk immediately moves forward to replace the 10th Panzer Division and Das Reich Motorized Division at Yelnya. The two German armored divisions are exhausted after having defended this "lightning rod" salient. The Soviets know that Yelnya is a key location because it controls a crossing over the Desna River and an east-west rail station.

General Guderian's Panzer Group 2 continues to battle Soviet 28th Army near Roslavl, which the Germans capture. The Soviets have about 35,000 troops trapped there with little hope of escape.

In the Army Group South sector, Romanian 4th Army (Lieutenant-general Nicolae Ciupercă) and German 11th Army approach the port of Odesa on the Black Sea. Today generally is accepted as the first day of the defense of Odessa. Romanian leader Ion Antonescu has been promised control over the entire region between the Dniester and the Bug rivers, but he has to occupy it first. The Soviets in Odessa have orders to make a last stand there - which means there will be no evacuation by sea. At Kyiv, the Soviet 5th Army counterattacks the German 6th Army with little effect.

On 5 August 1941, Sergeant Toivo Manninen leads an attack on the "hill of death" west of Kiesting on the southern shore of Lake Saarijärvi  He takes command of his platoon after the leader is killed. Despite suffering an injury from a landmine that seriously damages his foot, Manninen struggles forward on one foot to lead his men to capture the objective. For his pains today, Manninen earns the Knight of the Mannerheim Cross No.100, awarded September 17, 1942, by Lieutenant-General Hjalmar Siilasvuo .

European Air Operations: During the day, the RAF sends 20 Blenheim bombers on Rhubarb sweeps across Cherbourg, the River Scheldt, and the Frisian Islands. A Circus Operation over St. Omer is recalled. No planes are lost today.

After dark, RAF Bomber Command makes a major effort against multiple targets. Results are good, and bomber losses are acceptable to maintain a sustainable bombing offensive.

The RAF sends 65 Wellingtons and 33 Hampden bombers against Mannheim and nearby Ludwigshafen, losing two Wellingtons and one Hampden. The raid is a big success, destroying five businesses and damaging three more (including a celluloid factory hit when a bomber crashes into it). The celluloid factory production is reduced by 75% for 8 days. In addition, 10 houses are destroyed with 572 damaged. In total, 27 people perish and 55 are injured.

The second target of the night is at Karlsruhe. The RAF sends 97 bombers (50 Hampdens, 28 Wellingtons, 11 Halifaxes, and 8 Stirlings) against railway targets. At a cost of one Halifax, one Wellington, and one Hampden, the RAF causes moderate damage in the western Weststadt, Muhlberg, and Rhine Harbor areas. There are 34 people killed.

The third target of the night is at Frankfurt. The RAF sends 68 aircraft (46 Whitleys and 22 Wellingtons), losing 2 Whitleys and one Wellington. While the bomber pilots claim to have hit the target, some bombs fall on Mainz 20 miles away.

In addition, in diversionary raids, RAF Bomber Command sends 13 Wellingtons to Aachen, 8 Wellingtons to Boulogne, and 5 Hampdens on mine-laying off the eastern coast of Denmark. The RAF loses two Wellingtons over Aachen, all of the other raiders return safely.

For the night, RAF Bomber Command flies 289 sorties and loses 11 aircraft. The loss rate of 3.8% is under the 5% threshold usually considered sustainable.

A Lockheed Hudson V9055 crashes at Kaldaðarnes, Iceland when sheep run across the runway during takeoff, collapsing the left landing gear. The ensuing fire causes the depth charges in the Hudson to explode. The crew survives, but a bystander has his left arm cut off by a piece of a propeller blade that flies across the runway.

New Zealand Sergeant J.A. Ward is awarded the Victoria Cross. Ward earned it on the night of 7 July 1941 while serving as a co-pilot in an RAF No. 75 Squadron Vickers Wellington.

SS Swiftpool, sunk by U-372 on 5 August 1941 while in Convoy SL-81.

Battle of the Atlantic: The Germans have known about the location of North Atlantic Convoy SL-81 long enough from reconnaissance to set up a picket line of U-boats in front of it. Today, they attack.

U-372 (Kptlt. Heinz-Joachim Neumann), on its first patrol out of Kiel, torpedoes is in position west of Ireland to attack Convoy SL-81shortly after midnight. At 01:50, Neumann attacks and sinks two British freighters:

• 3136-ton Belgravian (2-3 deaths, 47 survivors)
• 5205-ton Swiftpool (42 deaths, 7 survivors)

Neumann claims to hit another ship, but that is unconfirmed.

U-75 (Kptlt. Helmuth Ringelmann), on its third patrol out of St. Nazaire, then takes his turn to attack Convoy SL-81 at 05:20. Ringelmann fires a spread that sinks two British freighters:

• 4512-ton Cape Rodney (all 35 survive)
• 5415-ton Harlingen (2-3 deaths, 39 survivors)

Cape Rodney is taken in tow by tug HMS Zwarte Zee, but sinks on 9 August west of Ushant.
U-74 (Kptlt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat), on its third patrol out of Lorient, also attacks Convoy SL-81 at 05:40. Captain Kentrat torpedoes and sinks British 4922-ton British freighter Kumasian. There is one death and 59 people (including 9 passengers) survive and are picked up by escort corvette HMS La Malouine. Kentrat reports hitting and damaging three other ships, but that is not confirmed.

So, in the span of a few hours, Convoy SL-81 effectively loses five ships totaling about 23,000 tons. U-204 also claims to make a hit on a large ship, but there is no confirmation.

In the far North, German Dornier reconnaissance aircraft shadow Force A off the coast of Norway. Following the disastrous raids on Kirkenes and Petsamo and the desultory results at Spitzbergen, the Admiralty decides that further actions in the region are a bad idea and recalls the force.

Convoy SL-83 departs from Freetown, Sierra Leone bound for Liverpool, Convoy HX-143 departs from Halifax bound for Liverpool.

Royal Navy destroyers HMS Partridge and Lauderdale are launched, and escort carrier Campania is laid down.

Canadian corvette HMCS Amherst and minesweeper Ungava (Lt. Frank K. Ellis) are commissioned.

Greek destroyer Miaoulis (formerly HMS Modbury) is laid down.

Adolf Hitler during his visit to the Eastern Front, Aug. 5,1941 (Associated Press).

Battle of the Mediterranean: The siege of Tobruk drags on, with nightly bombing and Australian soldiers getting sick from bad food and water. The Germans bomb every night, but the days are generally quiet... and hot. And full of flies.

Operation Guillotine, the British reinforcement of Cyprus, continues. Australian light cruiser Hobart and three destroyers leave Port Said bound for Famagusta. In separate sailings, Australian sloop Parramatta also departs from Port Said escorting freighter Gujarat to Famagusta, while destroyer Kipling proceeds from Port Said to Famagusta as well. Greek destroyer Kondouriotis departs from Alexandria bound for Famagusta carrying torpedoes for the Fleet Air Arm Squadron No. 815.

Destroyers HMS Decoy and Hero make the nightly supply run to Tobruk without incident.

An Axis convoy departs from Naples bound for Tripoli with five freighters.

Axis bombers attack Malta from about 21:38 to about an hour after midnight. The Italians lose at least two Italian BR-20 bombers and possibly a third.

Battle of the Pacific: Troop convoy WS 9AX arrives at Singapore after a long journey from the UK with reinforcements

Special Operations: Secret Intelligence Service (SIS aka MI6) agent Bradley Davis parachutes into France to join the Alliance Réseau (network) partisan organization as a radio operator. He later turns into a double agent working on behalf of the Germans.

Partisans: General Alessandro Pirzio Biroli, under orders from Mussolini to suppress the ongoing uprising in Montenegro "at whatever cost," issues an order to the local population to surrender all firearms. Biroli makes plans to launch an Italian counter-offensive, the first by Axis troops against partisans in Yugoslavia or apparently anywhere else. He has six divisions with a total of 70,000 troops.

The U.S. heavy cruiser USS Northampton (CA-26) entering the river at Brisbane, Australia, on 5 August 1941. Note her false bow wave Camouflage Measure 5 on Camouflage Measure 1. She carries one of the early CXAM radars on her mainmast (Naval History and Heritage Command NH 94596).

US/Vichy French Relations: US Ambassador Leahy sends a long telegram to Washington which contains a memorandum from Vice-Premier Admiral Darlan. Darlan's memo attempts to explain such matters as its acquiescence to Imperial Japan's virtual occupation of French Indochina. Darlan explains that France had no choice because the Japanese would have seized the country anyway. He also calls the recent conflict in Syria and Lebanon the result of "deliberate aggression" which France had the "obligation" to resist. Darlan concludes by asking for US "comprehension" of its "problems so grave that it is difficult for third parties to appreciate their extent."

Anglo/Vichy French Relations: The British imprison Vichy French General Dentz, former commander of French forces in the Levant. They refuse to release him until all Allied troops captured in the Levant and then spirited away to metropolitan France are returned and released.

US/Australian Relations: US heavy cruisers USS Northampton and Salt Lake City arrive at Brisbane, Australia on the first stop of a goodwill tour.

This photo with the lady in the car is from August 5th, 1941. You are facing north with Buick parts and service #84 in the background (Buick City News).

Vichy French/Japanese Relations: Japanese Ambassador Kato tries to see Admiral Darlan regarding French recognition of the puppet Ching-wei government in China but is rebuffed because Darlan is "away." Kato is shunted off to Acting Vice Minister Ernest Lagarde, who advises the Japanese to be patient for another two or three months.

Anglo/US/Japanese Relations: Japanese merchants make purchases of gasoline from the stores of three foreign oil companies on Tainan. This is in technical violation of the US oil embargo on Japan. The Japanese take the chance that this will anger the Americans and permit the purchases under strict supervision. Oil supplies already are running tight in some areas of the Japanese sphere of influence.

At Tsingtao, China, Japanese authorities clamp down on American and British companies. The Japanese impose various sanctions, and in effect place receivers in control of the businesses who have the final say on all decisions. No ownership interest may be transferred without Japanese approval, and the Japanese decide on the distribution of profits.

The Japanese learn that the US, British, and Chinese are planning to build a military road through Darjeeling, Tibet, and Seita in order to supply the Nationalist government in Chungking, with engineering material already being assembled and prepared in the United States.

A German death card for a soldier killed during the fighting of 5 August 1941.

US Military: The Vultee SNV Valiant makes its first flight. Deliveries soon begin to Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas. The plane quickly takes on the nickname "Vultee Vibrator" because it tends to vibrate in situations including high airspeed and approaching stalling speed.

Japanese Military: The Imperial Japanese Army considers attacking northward and seizing the trans-Siberian railroad in order to stop US lend-lease shipments. The issue apparently arises from a suggestion by the Japanese Ambassador in Rome, who thinks it best to help eliminate the Soviet Union before it can combine with the Americans in a general war. However, the Japanese high command decides that it would be wiser to not provoke the Soviets and Americans and let the matter drop without approval.

No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School trainees from Sydney, Australia, MacDonald, Manitoba July 6 - August 5, 1941.

Australian Military: Lieutenant General Sir Iven Giffard Mackay, commander of the Australian 6th Division, is appointed to the command of Australian Home Forces. Mackay must fly back to Australia in order to take up the position, which will take until 1 September.

US Government: Presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-35) pulls alongside heavy cruiser Augusta (CA-31) at Menemsha Bight, Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts at 05:30. President Roosevelt and his advisers on board the cruiser, which embarks at 06:17 to cross north through the Cape Cod Canal. Press dispatches pretend that Roosevelt remains on board the Potomac (an elaborate ruse is implemented with a Roosevelt double remaining on the yacht) while the Augusta and accompanying cruiser Tuscaloosa (CA-37) continues north toward Canada.

Vice-Premier adds control over France's North Africa colonies in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco to his resume. General Weygand is his deputy. The Germans are not fond of Weygand, who is opposed to German use of Vichy French ports and bases in North Africa.

Westmount, Quebec train station, 5 August 1941 (Old Time Trains, Bud Laws Collection).

Lithuania: The Provisional Government of Lithuania, a temporary government formed by members of the Lithuanian Activist Front (LAF) in Kaunas and Vilnius and seeking the goal of an independent Lithuania, is disbanded by the Germans. The Germans have no interest in independent states within their area of control, and the provisional government also is opposed to the Holocaust.

Holocaust: The Germans begin liquidations of Jews in Pinsk, which they occupied on 4 July. About 8000 Jewish men, including 20 members of the Judenrat, are ordered to repair a railroad track. However, they are marched to pits outside of town and executed. Over the next few days, the death total climbs to about 10-11,000.

French Homefront: Vichy limits wine consumption to two liters per person per week.

John F. Kennedy ca. 1939.

American Homefront: In Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day" column, she describes how "we" traveled through upstate New York over the weekend. She never mentions who is with her, leaving the clear implication that it is her husband. However, President Roosevelt at this time is at sea sailing up the east coast to Canada on a top-secret mission.

New York Times, 5 August 1941. "Full U.S. Aid Pledged Russia."

August 1941
August 1, 1941: More Executions on Crete
August 2, 1941: Uman Encirclement Closes
August 3, 1941: Bishop von Galen Denounces Euthanasia
August 4, 1941: Hitler at the Front
August 5, 1941: Soviets Surrender at Smolensk 
August 6, 1941: U-Boats in the Arctic
August 7, 1941: Soviets Bomb Berlin
August 8, 1941: Uman Pocket Captured
August 9, 1941: Atlantic Conference at Placentia Bay
August 10, 1941: Soviet Bombers Mauled Over Berlin
August 11, 1941: Rita Hayworth in Life
August 12, 1941: Atlantic Charter Announced
August 13, 1941: The Soybean Car
August 14, 1941: The Anders Army Formed
August 15, 1941: Himmler at Minsk
August 16, 1941: Stalin's Order No. 270
August 17, 1941: Germans in Novgorod
August 18, 1941: Lili Marleen
August 19, 1941: Convoy OG-71 Destruction
August 20, 1941: Siege of Leningrad Begins
August 21, 1941: Stalin Enraged
August 22, 1941: Germans Take Cherkassy
August 23, 1941: Go to Kiev
August 24, 1941: Finns Surround Viipuri
August 25, 1941: Iran Invaded
August 26, 1941: The Bridge Over the Desna
August 27, 1941: Soviets Evacuate Tallinn
August 28, 1941: Evacuating Soviets Savaged
August 29, 1941: Finns take Viipuri
August 30, 1941: Operation Acid
August 31, 1941: Mannerheim Says No

2020

Friday 25 July 1941

HMS Avon Vale coming alongside cruiser Manchester at sea to transfer an injured man, 25 July 1941 (© IWM (A 4941).

Eastern Front: After the massive Wehrmacht gains of the first month of Operation Barbarossa, the front has quieted down on 25 July 1941. The Germans need time to consolidate their rear by eliminating bypassed pockets of Soviet troops, while the Soviet need to rebuild their shattered armies.

In the Far North sector, Finnish forces alone continue to move forward. Finnish 7th Division of VII Corps takes the village of Ruskeala, a key road junction north of Sortavala and Lake Ladoga. The Soviets at Sortavala (northernmost part of Lake Ladoga) have brought in the 168th Rifle Division and 198th Motorized Division and are preparing to launch a counterattack northeast toward the Jänisjoki River. The Finns, however, come into possession of a copy of the Soviet plans and adjust their forces accordingly.

Meanwhile, Finnish Fifth Division (Colonel Lagus) of VI Corps is digging in along the tiny Tuulemaa River (Reka Tuloksa) on the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga. Finnish Commander-in-Chief Marshal Mannerheim has decided against carrying the offensive farther into the traditionally Russian territory. Some Finnish troops are refusing to go further because a continued advance is certain to provoke the Soviets and Finland's war aims are simply to recover traditionally Finnish territory - which now has been accomplished in this region.

Finnish sergeant with Suomi M31 submachine gun. Häsälä, July 25, 1941.

The Finns recently occupied the island of Bengtskär, which is west of the Soviet-occupied port of Hanko in southern Finland. Today, the Soviets send the 60th Border Guards (Lt. P. Kurilov and Commissar A.I. Rumjantsev) on small boats to occupy it. The Finns have only about 30 men and one artillery piece on the small island, which provides a handy observation point at the mouth of the Gulf of Finland.

In the Army Group North sector, the German 18th Army (Colonel General Georg von Kuchler) attacks the Soviet 8th Army in the Pärnu Bay region of Estonia. The Soviets give ground.

In the Army Group Center sector, the Soviet attacks on the exposed Panzer Group 2 bridgehead at Yelnya continue.

In the Army Group South sector, Panzer Group 1 (General Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist) engages in a tank battle with forces under Soviet General Mikhail Kirponos. The battle continues throughout the day without any clear winner. Elsewhere, Soviet Southwestern Front is in full retreat toward Uman and the Dneipr River.

The Luftwaffe does some minelaying off of Saaremaa (Osel) Island near the Gulf of Riga. Other Heinkel He 111 bombers of I,/KG 55 raid Dorogobush, Smolensk Oblast, Russia, losing one plane

Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 5 Oblt. Theodor Weissenberger shoots down two Russian lend-lease Airacobras and three Pe-2 bombers. Thus, he becomes an "ace in a day" - though he already is an ace.

Valentine tanks of 6th Armoured Division passing through a village during exercises in Bedfordshire, 25 July 1941. The leading vehicle is named 'Sneezy' (© IWM (H 12016)).

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command raids Hannover (30 Hampdens, 25 Whitleys, 4 Hampdens, and 1 Hampden lost) and Hamburg (43 Wellingtons, 2 lost). The Hamburg raid causes four large fires in the city and shipyards, with one death and six injured. There is a diversionary raid by 7 Stirlings (2 lost) and 2 Halifaxes (one lost) on Berlin. Two Wellingtons bomb Emden. The losses during the night are heavy, with 10 of 109 bombers (9.2%) failing to return. Such a high loss ratio is unsustainable in the long run.

Luftwaffe ace Werner Mölders visits Wolf's Lair in East Prussia for a meeting with Adolf Hitler. The Luftwaffe has banned Mölders from flying due to his propaganda value to the war effort. After this, he will fly a desk in Berlin in the Air Ministry. During Mölders' visit, Hitler awards him the Diamonds that he earned on 15 July 1941.

The final reconnaissance photographs that will be used in the 18 August 1941 Butt Report (Butt is a member of the War Cabinet) are taken today. The Butt Report will show that RAF bombing accuracy is very poor, noting "[o]f those aircraft recorded as attacking their target, only one in three got within five miles" of the intended targets.

Battle of the Baltic: A naval battle develops in the Irben Strait when Russian torpedo boats attack the German 2nd R-Boat Flotilla. During the confusion, German minesweepers R.53 and R.63 strike mines which damage the ships, but they both make port.

SC123952 - Sergeant John Hill riding on Jumping Dan Ware, the finest jumping horse in the Infantry Stables. Ft. Benning, Georgia (July 25, 1941) Photo #161-SC-41-1323 by the 161st Sig. Photo. Co.

Battle of the Atlantic: The Royal Navy ships of Operation EF, an ambitious projected raid on Kirkenes and Petsamo, reaches Seidis Fjord in Iceland to refuel. Destroyer HMS Achates hits a mine off Iceland and is towed back to Scapa Flow by destroyer Anthony. There are 65 deaths in the explosion. Achates is under repair in the Tyne until 13 March 1942.

Italian submarine Barbarigo surfaces and uses its deck gun to sink 5141-ton British freighter Macon several hundred miles south of the Azores. There are 28 deaths and 21 survivors.

Royal Navy destroyers HMS Cattistock, Mendip, and Quorn depart from Portsmouth late in the day for Operation Gideon. This is a bombardment of Dieppe. The weather is foul, and the ships can only let loose a few rounds before being forced to return to port.

Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Newcastle intercepts 6101-ton German freighter Erlangen southeast of the River Platte. The German crew scuttles the ship rather than allow it to be captured.

US Navy Task Group TG.2.7 returns to Bermuda after a patrol, while battleship USS New Mexico departs from Hampton Roads on a patrol.

Canadian corvette HMCS Dundas is launched in Victoria, British Columbia.

Barbed wire, erected against the threat of invasion on a beach somewhere in England, July 25, 1941, forms a frame for this seaside scene as British swimming enthusiasts take advantage of the warm summer weather to indulge in their favorite sport. (AP Photo).

Battle of the Mediterranean:  Italian reconnaissance has discovered that Convoy GM1 - part of British Operation Substance - has arrived in Malta's Grand Harbour. It is not difficult to see, because Grand Harbour now is packed with shipping busily unloading. While previous attacks on the British ships have had some results, Operation Substance is an undeniable British success.

The Italians, however, still feel that they can wrest a victory for themselves out of the jaws of defeat. So, today after dark a special force departs from Augusta, Sicily to begin a daring operation by sloop Diana and motorboats MAS 451 and 452. The force brings with it one large motorboat as a leader for 9 explosive motorboats.

The British signal station on Gozo spots the little fleet approaching, and the military believes that it may be the long-expected invasion of Gozo. However, the Italian ships never get within range of coastal batteries and disappear into the night.

The Italian sailors are determined to cruise right into Grand Harbour and blow the British convoy ships up. The plan is for frogmen to blow up a net suspended from a bridge. On the morning of the 26th, the frogmen led by Major Tesei, in fact, do blow up the net - but they also blow up the bridge holding up the net, blocking the harbor and trapping the motorboats. The British pick the motorboats off at their leisure, and 18 adventurous young Italian sailors are captured or perish.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Tetrarch torpedoes and sinks Italian Regia Marina patrol boat B-247 (formerly trawler Maria Immacolata) off Gaidero Island.

Two Fulmars of RAF No. 807 Squadron are shot down southwest of Sardinia, with only one crew rescued and the other crew perishing. A Swordfish of 815 Squadron crashes due to mechanical issues 45 miles west of Cape Komakiti, Cyprus, with its crew perishing.

Nihoa Class Yard Ferryboat Nihoa (YFB-17) being "launched" at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, 25 July 1941. Ships in the background include USS MCCALL (DD-400) (L), USS HOLLAND (AS-1), and USS REED BIRD (AMc-30).

Battle of the Pacific: Soviet 1035-ton freighter Kazak Poyarkov sinks between Vladivostok and the Perouse Strait. While the cause is officially unknown, several Soviet ships have been lost there recently due to friendly minefields.

German raider Komet parts ways from supply ship Anneliese Essberger and heads toward the Galapagos Islands

Nihoa Class Yard Ferryboat Nihoa (YFB-17) is launched at Pearl Harbor.

Partisans: Benito Mussolini appoints General Alessandro Pirzio Biroli, former governor of Asmara, with complete civil and military powers in Montenegro in order to suppress the uprising there. Birzoli believes that extreme force must be used to suppress the 13 July Uprising, which is still growing.

Land Excavating Trenching, otherwise known as White Rabbit No. 6, Cultivator No. 6 or Nellie. This machine was an underground tank developed in 1939-1940 and designed to travel across the no-man's land in a trench of its own making. This photo in Clumber Park shows Nellie above ground front three-quarters view. This was a pet project of Winston Churchill that was based more on the needs of World War I than World War II. It never saw action. 25 July 1941.

German/Spanish Relations: The Wehrmacht officially designates the Spanish Volunteer Division that is to serve on the Eastern Front as the 250th Infantry Division. It is known colloquially as the "Blue Division" (Azul) because the only difference between its uniforms and German uniforms is the dark blue Falangist shirt that its troops wear. The Blue Division is composed largely of recent graduates of the Spanish military academies and has extremely high morale. The Germans intend to put it into the line in the Army Group North sector.

US/Japanese Relations: Upon learning of the decision by the US to impose sanctions on Japan, the Japanese decide that these will be only the first step in a determined US campaign against them. The Embassy at Manila, which is the center of Japanese spying operations throughout the Pacific, warns that the US next will impose a total export embargo on all war-related materials, including oil, from the United States to Japan.

President Roosevelt, in fact, signs the Executive Order 8832 freezing Japanese assets in the United States today, rather than on the 26th as the administration indicated elsewhere. It provides in part for:

freezing Japanese assets in the United States in the same manner in which assets of various European countries were frozen on June 14, 1941. This measure, in effect, brings all financial and import and export trade transactions in which Japanese interests are involved under the control of the government, and imposes criminal penalties for violation of the order.

The order provides that it is intended to "prevent the use of the financial facilities of the United States and trade" in any way that is "harmful to national defense and American interests."

Two US battleships in the distance in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The one on the right appears to be USS Arizona. The photo was taken on 25 July 1941.

US/Chinese Relations: The Executive Order concerning the freezing of Japanese assets also provides for "freezing control" over Chinese assets in the United States. This is done "At the specific request of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek" and "with a view to strengthening the foreign trade and exchange position of the Chinese Government."

German/Soviet Relations: According to some sources, the Soviets attempt peace negotiations with the Reich using Bulgaria as an intermediary. Very little is known about this incident if it happens at all.

German Military: Admiral Raeder confers with Hitler and informs him that the Kriegsmarine will send a flotilla of S-boats to the Mediterranean as soon as the Baltic is cleared of Soviet shipping. Hitler is pleased because General Rommel has been agitating for more naval support. The S-boats can transit south using the Rhine-Rhone Canal, but the size of the locks on the canal means that only the smaller S-boats (under 35 meters) can be used. Raeder hopes that this preemptive offer will prevent Hitler from later asking for the transfer of U-boats to the Mediterranean, which would be a very risky proposition because they would have to transit the Strait of Gibraltar that is heavily guarded by the Royal Navy.

Close-up of the USS Arizona, 25 July 1941.

US Military: The War and Navy Departments send a message to CINCPAC and other Pacific commands concerning relations with Japan. In relevant part, the message states:

You are advised that at 1400 July 26 United States will impose economic sanctions against Japan... It is expected these sanctions will embargo all trade between Japan the United States subject to modification for certain material... Japanese assets and fund (sic) in the United States will be frozen... Do not anticipate immediate hostile reaction by Japan through the use of military means but you are furnished this information in order that you may take appropriate precautionary measures...

The message also notes that the Panama Canal will be closed to Japanese shipping, something that the Japanese already anticipate. The order freezing Japanese assets, in fact, is signed today, the 25th, and not the 26th as indicated in the war message. The White House issues a press release at Poughkeepsie, NY (near the President's home at Hyde Park) announcing that the sanctions will be imposed (via Executive Order No. 8832).

Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson recommends to President Roosevelt that the military forces of the Philippines be incorporated into the US military. Given heightened tensions, Stimson says, "All practical steps should be taken to increase the defensive strength of the Philippine Islands."

The Bureau of Ordnance issues the first Navy "E" industry certificates (for excellence).

Joseph Stilwell takes command of III Corps at the Presidio at Monterey, California.

Japanese Military: The Japanese Imperial Navy reforms the Fifth Fleet, which was disbanded in 1939. Its new commander is Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro. Its area of responsibility is the North Pacific.

Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington. View from the south on 25 July 1941 (Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # NH 84927, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.).

German Government: The occupied Baltic States become Der Reichskommissar für das Ostland. The first administrator is Hinrich Lohse, previously Gauleiter of Schleswig-Holstein. The region is subdivided into the "National Director" (Reichskomissar) in Estonia, a "General Director" in Latvia and a "General Adviser" in Lithuania. Overall command of the administration of the East officially rests with Alfred Rosenberg, but in practice, the SS, the Wehrmacht, the labor service, and even the Post Office control almost everything that matters.

Yard Net Tender Boxwood (YN-3) underway near Houghton, Washington, 25 July 1941, the day of her commissioning. Note the tiny diesel smokestack just aft of the bridge (US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-24682 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archive).

Einsatzcommando 3 executes 103 Jews in Marjampole (Jäger Report).

Kirov Avenue, Baku, with the Drama Theatre on the right. This fine Russian city is the headquarters of the Soviet military defense of the oil center (Evening Post, 25 July 1941).

French Homefront: The Germans announce over the radio that the Vichy government will deport all expatriate British citizens from France. There is a large group of British, pensioners and the like, especially in the south along the Cote d'Azur. Admiral Darlan is a well-known anglophobe, particularly since the British attacks on Dakar and Levant, which Paris radio characterizes as "the numberless British aggression." Paris radio further announces that the Vichy government will "regulate the position of Britons in France" because, "After getting rid of the Free French parasites and the enemies of France as well as of the communists and the Jews, it is now the turn of the British."

British Homefront: British documentary "Target for Tonight," a low-key account of the crew of a Wellington bomber going on a mission over Germany. Directed by Harry Watt, "Target for Tonight" is shot by the Royal Air Force Film Unit at RAF Mildenhall. All names and facts about RAF operations that could be of use to the Germans are altered. The film wins the Academy Award for "Best Documentary" in 1942.

American Homefront: Red Sox pitcher Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove wins his 300th victory during a 10-5 victory against the Cleveland Indians. Previously a star with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in the nineteen‐twenties and thirties, Grove compiled a phenomenal .682 winning percentage, registering an incredible 31 victories against only 4 losses in 1931. It took Grove numerous attempts to get this victory, and it is his last, as he is waived out of the league on 9 December 1941. Many consider Grove the greatest left-handed pitcher in American League history. Grove is voted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1947 for his 300-141 record and passes away in 1975.

Future History: Emmett Till is born near Chicago. His murder (lynching) in August 1955 in Money, Mississippi will become extremely controversial and a symbol of the Civil Rights movement. Two men,  Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam are tried for the murder but found not guilty. They both later admit to murdering Till but cannot be prosecuted due to the Double Jeopardy Clause. In part due to publicity about the Till case, Congress passes the first Civil Rights Act since Reconstruction in 1957.

Manuel "Manny" Charlton is born in La Línea, Andalusia, Spain. He goes on to become a founding member of the Scottish hard rock band Nazareth and their lead guitarist from 1968 to 1990. He also produces some early versions of Guns N' Roses songs such as "Paradise City" and "November Rain" recorded on 4 June 1986.

Nathaniel Thurmond is born in Akron, Ohio. He goes on to become a professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors for 14 years. Thurmond has his No. 42 jersey retired by the Warriors after his retirement in 1977 and enters the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Nate Thurmond passes away on 16 July 2016.

Lefty Grove on 25 July 1941 after winning his 300th - and last - game.

July 1941

July 1, 1941: US TV Broadcasting Starts
July 2, 1941: MAUD Report
July 3, 1941: Stalin Speaks
July 4, 1941: Pogroms in Eastern Europe
July 5, 1941: Germans on Schedule
July 6, 1941: Australians Attack Damour
July 7, 1941: US Marines in Iceland
July 8, 1941: Flying Fortresses In Action
July 9, 1941: British Take Damour
July 10, 1941: Sword and Scabbard Order
July 11, 1941: Cease-fire in Syria and Lebanon
July 12, 1941: Anglo/Russian Assistance Pact
July 13, 1941: Uprising in Montenegro
July 14, 1941: Katyusha Rocket Launchers in Action
July 15, 1941: Smolensk Falls
July 16, 1941: Stalin's Son Captured
July 17, 1941: Heydrich Orders Mass Executions
July 18, 1941: Twin Pimples Raid
July 19, 1941: V for Victory
July 20, 1941: The Man Who Wouldn't Shoot
July 21, 1941: Moscow in Flames
July 22, 1941: Soviet Generals Executed
July 23, 1941: Secret Plan JB 355
July 24, 1941: Operation Sunrise
July 25, 1941: US Naval Alert
July 26, 1941: Italian E-Boat Attack on Malta
July 27, 1941: MacArthur Returns
July 28, 1941: Auschwitz Exterminations
July 29, 1941: Rescue From Crete
July 30, 1941: Raid on Petsamo and Kirkenes
July 31, 1941: Final Solution Order

2020