Tuesday 17 June 1941

Soldiers of German 6th Army at a religious ceremony shortly before Operation Barbarossa in the Polish Gouvernement-General, June 1941. Note the severe military haircuts. At this moment, the men in this picture do not know what their next assignment is - but they can sure give a good guess. In fact, within days they are headed east toward Kyiv... and Stalingrad (Source: the book "The Onslaught; The German Drive to Stalingrad Documented in 150 Unpublished Colour Photographs" by Max Hastings).

Syrian/Lebanon Campaign: The Battle of Kissoué has resolved on 17 June 1941 after fierce fighting in the hills south of Damascus. The British win, but it is only a stepping-stone to more important objectives.

British Gentforce under Major-General Paul Legentilhomme (now wounded and replaced by the commander of the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade, Brigadier Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd) now plans to advance further. It will use the two main roads from the south - passing through Quneitra and Kissoué - to attack Damascus. However, there is a slight problem - the Vichy French have retaken Quneitra (Kuneitra) on one of the two roads. However, the British 16th Infantry Division can bypass the town without too much trouble.

The British, despite the setback at Quneitra, decide that offense is the best defense and decide to attack north to Damascus anyway. So, the British plan to send the 5th Indian Brigade north from Aartouz along the Quneeitra road early on the 18th.

The battle in front of Damascus saps British strength elsewhere. Lieutenant-General Lavarack sends part of the Australian 21st Brigade from Sidon on the coast to reinforce Jezzine. They managed to blunt a Vichy French attack there along with the Australian 25th Brigade. In the east, Free French Senegalese troops take Ezraa after a hard battle, with the Vichy French losing 160 prisoners and the Senegalese losing 70 prisoners. At Merdjayoun, an Australian attack is stopped by the determined Vichy French resistance.

RAF bombers attack a French destroyer carrying ammunition which has evaded the blockade and made it to Beirut. The ship is further damaged.

The British still feel in control of the campaign, but a sense of wonder infuses General Henry Maitland Wilson's headquarters in Jerusalem. The Vichy French were not supposed to resist, and defectors consistently reported that morale in Syria and Lebanon were terrible. However, the troops on the ground have been fighting fiercely over villages and towns that have no meaning. Why all this resistance from an army that was an ally only one year before?

Some answers come from the prisoner of war camps. Interrogations show that the Vichy French actually have excellent morale. However, it comes from a curious source: sheer pride. The French POWs claim that they are tired of being disparaged by both sides for their supposed lack of military prowess. In particular, they resent being lumped in with the Italians as ineffective (the French handily stopped the bulk of the Italian army along the Riviera coast in 1940). By resisting the British, they are proving something to the world - and to themselves.

The British order Habforce from Baghdad back into Syria, creating a long round-trip for the weary soldiers.

RAF Ops board for No. 75 Squadron, the night of 16/17 June 1941. The first column is labeled Serial No and shows the MSI three alpha followed by the three-digit number for each aircraft. Also shown is the 4 numeric of the aircraft serial under Aircraft No. The Ops board does not show the target - that is communicated verbally in the pre-flight briefing. They would announce the name - "Schweinfurt" - and then there often would be a chorus of boos and groans.

European Air Operations: During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends Circus missions over Boulogne and Cherbourg. During the action over Cap Gris Nez, Lieutenant Josef "Pips" Priller of 1./JG 26 claims a Hawker Hurricane for his 23rd claim.

After dark, RAF Bomber Command continues its raids on western German targets, attacking Cologne (75 bombers), Duisburg (26) and Dusseldorf (57).

RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Joubert, the new commander of Coastal Command, for the first time reveals that the RAF is using radio-location (RDF, or radar) to guide its planes. He reveals that Robert Watson-Watt developed the system.

"These men, who have finished their training course at HMS GORDON, signed on for service with the Royal Navy but were asked to volunteer for the Merchant Navy instead." June 1941, taken by Lt. Col. LC Priest © IWM (A 4464).

Battle of the Atlantic: German surface raider Atlantis, disguised as the Dutch motor-ship Brastagi, is operating a few hundred miles west of Ascension Island when it spots a target. Atlantis sinks 4760-ton British freighter Tottenham with gunfire after taking off the crew. Tottenham goes down with much-needed supplies for the Western Desert forces, including aircraft, ammunition, trucks, and cars. The Atlantis takes 26 crew prisoners of war, while 17 others take to the boats and eventually make it to Trinidad on 2 July.

U-43 (Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth), on its seventh patrol out of Lorient and shadowing Convoy SL-76, at 03:17 torpedoes 2727-ton British freighter Cathrine. The Cathrine carries 3700 tons of manganese ore and goes down quickly about 250 nautical miles (460 km, 290 miles) southwest of Cape Clear, Ireland. There are 24 deaths and three survivors. The three survivors are in a lifeboat, but spend 33 days before being rescued by a passing British trawler.

Royal Navy AMC HMS Pretoria Castle spots 9645-ton Vichy French freighter Desirade east of the Antilles. The Pretoria Castle seizes the Desirade.

The Canadian ferry Charlottetown runs aground off Port Mouton, Novia Scotia. It is written off and sinks off Little Hope Island on the 18th. Fortunately, the Charlottetown has no passengers on board, and nobody is hurt.

The Luftwaffe bomb and damage 833-ton British freighter Jim near Tyne. The ship makes it back to Tyne.

Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Clair collides with oiler Clam and has to return to St. John's. The destroyer is badly damaged and is not returned to service until 2 December.

Minelayer HMS Plover lays minefield BS.58 in the North Sea.

The Canadians recall their destroyers serving in Europe in order to beef up the Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF).

Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Blyth (Commander Grenville M. Temple) and ASW trawler Polka (Lt. Kenneth C. Donaldson) are commissioned.

Canadian corvette HMCS Rosthern (Lt. Walter Russell) is commissioned and minesweeper Lockeport is laid down in North Vancouver.

Free Polish destroyer ORP Kujawiak is commissioned (originally built as HMS Oakley).

Vichy French corvette FS Alysse (Jacques P. Lehalleur) is commissioned.

ORP Kujawiak. Commissioned on 17 June 1941, lost to a mine on 16 June 1942 near Malta during Operation Harpoon.

Battle of the Mediterranean: On the Libyan frontier, the British offensive, Operation Battleaxe, has turned against them. Following initial reverses, General Erwin, helped by intercepts of Australian radio communications, now has the upper hand after masterful handling of his forces. As the day begins, the British still cling to their only gain of the offensive, Fort Capuzzo, but elsewhere they have been sent reeling.

At 04:30,  the 5th Light Brigade resumes its counterattack against the British 7th Armoured Brigade. By 06:00, the Germans grind into the British positions and start pushing them back again.

At Fort Capuzzo, the British have planned a resumption of their offensive, but the Germans have been very active. This activity spooks the British commander, General Frank Messervy, who cancels the attack. The confusion on the British side reaches a fever pitch, and Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell hurriedly boards a plane to fly from Cairo to the command post of front commander General Noel Beresford-Peirse at Sidi Barrani.

Meanwhile, General Rommel is reading the British wireless messages in real-time and knows that Wavell himself now is involved. As he writes later:

It sounded suspiciously as though the British commander no longer felt himself capable of handling the situation. It being now obvious that in their present bewildered state the British would not start anything for the time being, I decided to pull the net tight by going on to Halfaya.

Rommel repeatedly uses words like "bewildered" and "complained bitterly" to describe the tone of the British intercepts, which he obviously reads with great delight. One can almost hear him laughing at the image of Wavell rushing to the airport to fly to the scene of the end of his career.

This is one of Rommel's truly great operations, though little-remembered amongst his other successes. He demonstrates true talent as a counter-puncher, turning a well-played defensive battle into an opportunity to push the enemy back. Rommel reorients his counter-offensive on the fly to take account of the changed circumstances. He directs the 5th Light Division and 15th Panzer Division in a concentric attack, the former from the southwest and the latter from the northwest, on Halfaya, to destroy the fleeing British troops. The panzers reunite with their trapped comrades in Halfaya Pass without difficulty and only fail to encircle the main body of British tanks and infantry because they are headed east so fast.

At 10:00, the Germans brush aside the remaining tanks of the 4th Armoured Brigade, which was ruined by previous ill-fated attacks on German positions protected by hidden anti-tank guns. The local British commanders agree by 10:45 on a general retreat, and the British spend the rest of the day abandoning all of their remaining gains and retreating back into Egypt.

June 17, 1941, marks the last remnant of Operation Battleaxe, which has been a disaster for the British. The Allies have suffered 122 killed, 588 wounded and 259 missing men, while the Germans have 93 killed, 350 wounded and 235 missing. The British also lose 98 tanks (3 light, 30 cruisers, and 65 Matildas), while the Germans lose about 50 tanks total. The Germans recover the field of battle and thus get both their own wrecked tanks to salvage and also the British tanks for study and possible repair. The outcome in the air is similar, with the RAF losing 33 fighters and 3 bombers against total Luftwaffe losses of ten planes.

Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille shoots down two Hawker Hurricanes over Halfaya Pass while flying escort for Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers. They are his victories 12 and 13.

Operation Battleaxe has been as futile as Operation Brevity in mid-May despite the concentration of massive British armored forces brought by the Tiger Convoy. The Germans advance to Sidi Suleiman and then pause. Not only have the British not gained any ground, in fact, but they also wind up 30 miles further east than they started.

This KV-2 was among 20 sent on 17 June 1941 from the factory to Leningrad for use at Grodno by the 29th Armored Division of the 11th Mechanized Corps of the Western Special District. It never made it to Leningrad - the train was stopped near Lida and partially unloaded. This tank - B-4704 - encountered some kind of operational problem and was left by the side of the road near Lida - no time to fool around with balky tanks with the Wehrmacht nearby. The Germans recovered it and used it in some fashion.

Wavell sends Winston Churchill a cable that begins:

I regret to report the failure of "Battleaxe."

Winston Churchill did not have to read anything after that. He is furious with his generals in the Middle East, all of whom he quickly will replace. He was obsessed for the past month oversupplying the Middle East Command with tanks from England, and, instead of the great victory he desired and frankly expected, all that effort now is wasted. He blames the reversals on ineffective commanders and supposed slackers in the British army. The real reason for the British problems in North Africa, though, is simply that the German forces are too effective at this stage of the war.

Dutch submarine O-24 (P 24), commanded by Lt. Commander Otto de Booy, is operating off La Spezia, Italy when it attacks a target. However, the torpedoes miss.

The 173 Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers is ordered to Malta to dig underground facilities. The government on the island has decided that the surface is becoming too hazardous and wants to build a headquarters, storage area and operating theater in the mountains. An air raid in the early morning hours damages Iz-Zebbieh, Hal Far, Luqa, Ta Qali, and Rabat.

"Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs taxying out for an air-test after assembly at Tengah, Singapore, following their urgent shipment to the theatre." June 1941 (© IWM (K 1175)).

Battle of the Pacific: RAAF Hudson aircraft depart Townsville for Dutch possessions Rabaul and Kavieng. Their mission is to make secret recon flights over Kapingamarangi Atoll, the southernmost point in the Japanese mandated the Caroline Islands. Rabaul itself will become the main Japanese headquarters in the Southern Pacific.

Spy Stuff: The Japanese begin assembling copies of secret charts for Panama from Italian officials. These charts show the location of guns, equipment, and buildings in the Canal Zone. The Japanese, however, are unsure how to get the charts from Panama to Tokyo without the Americans finding out because baggage in the area is being routinely opened and searched.

Pavel M. Fitin, chief of the NKVD Foreign Intelligence, sends Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin a report which asserts in part:

all preparations by Germany for an armed attack on the Soviet Union have been completed, and the blow can be expected at any time.

NKVD man Fitin knows this report is valid: the source is within Reichsmarschal Hermann Goering's own air ministry. However, at this point, Stalin has a stack of warnings of an invasion in his filing cabinet. As with the others, Stalin files it.

US/Canadian Relations: The US and Canada set up a Joint Economic Committee. Its purpose is to:

study and to report to their respective governments on the possibilities of (1) effecting a more economic, more efficient, and more coordinated utilization of the combined resources of the two countries in the production of defence requirements (to the extent that this is not now being done) and (2) reducing the probable post-war economic dislocation consequent upon the changes which the economy in each country is presently undergoing.

This is another step on a long journey by the United States in supporting the British without actually declaring war on the Axis.

The unsuccessful Brewster SB2A-4 Buccaneer. A total of 1052 are built, and many are never used but sent immediately to be scrapped.

German/Swedish Relations: The Swedish government, which leans toward the Allied cause but is surrounded by Axis territory, permits the German 163rd (Erwin Engelbrecht) Infantry Division to use the rail line from Narvik to Helsinki so that it may be used in the Continuation War. This decision is extremely controversial within Sweden for violating neutrality and leads to the "Midsummer Crisis." The division is not yet ready to move, however; that will take place from 25 June through 12 July.

German Military: Adolf Hitler confirms 22 June 1941 as the date for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. The invasion is to begin at 03:00 along three axes of advance: north, center, and south.

About 10,000 Wehrmacht troops assembled in Finland as co-belligerents (technically not allies) head north to take up positions near Petsamo in preparation for Barbarossa. Their aim is to secure vital nickel supplies and advance toward Murmansk.

The Luftwaffe engages in reconnaissance flights over the Soviet Union, largely without being spotted. The photos are of historical interest for showing undamaged locations that soon will become famous for being destroyed by combat. Yesterday the photographed Kharkiv, today Zapolyarny in the far north.

British Military: The British Army reestablishes the Guards Armoured Division. Its first commander is Major General Sir Oliver Leese.

The prototype Brewster Bermuda (the name given to the Brewster SB2A Buccaneer by the United Kingdom) on Long Island, summer of 1941.

US Military: First flight of the Brewster SB2A Buccaneer, a US single-engined mid-wing monoplane scout/bomber. It is designed for the US Navy, but many are sent to Great Britain. The Buccaneer is found not suitable for combat and is assigned mundane tasks such as target towing and training. On lists of terrible designs, the Brewster Buccaneer places pretty highly for its underpowered engine and lack of maneuverability.

Finnish Military: General Heinrichs, the Finnish Chief of Staff, orders a general mobilization. All reservists up to the age of 44 are to report immediately for duty.

Finland announces that it is leaving the League of Nations, an organization that is moribund anyway.

Iceland: Sveinn Bjornsson is elected Regent of Iceland. While the Iceland military is occupied by the British (and soon the Americans), in other regards it continues to function independently.

David Lloyd George opens the new Welsh Services Club in London - 17-June-1941.

The Netherlands: Dutch composer and organist Johan Wagenaar passes away in Den Haag.

Latvia: Soviet deportations of 7000 women, children, and elderly people conclude in Latvia. They are taken to Siberia on freight cars. Everybody is woken before or at dawn without warning, given an hour to pack, and everything that they leave behind is seized by the state.

Holocaust: Using the little-known back-door route to escape Europe, Jewish refugees aboard Japanese ship Hikawa Maru have arrived in Vancouver, Canada. The group includes many families with children.

SS-Obergruppenführer/General der Polizei Reinhard Heydrich conducts a briefing session in his Berlin office. Attending are the commanders of Einsatzgruppe, Einsatzkommando, and Sonderkommando units in preparation for Operation Barbarossa.

Having just returned from a three-day SS conclave held at Castle Wewelsburg, Heydrich sets out in detail the policies to be followed by the Einsatzgruppen ("Task Forces"). These policies will include following the advancing army troops and serving as mobile execution squads of Jews and other undesired locals such as communist functionaries.

There is to be no judicial proceeding, no discussion - the intended victims are to be taken to places outside of town and shot without ceremony. Einsatzgruppen are composed of members of the SS, Gestapo, Criminal Police, and State Security Service. The colloquial name for Einsatzgruppen is "death squads."

American Homefront: New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio gets a hit in his 30th straight game, this one against the Chicago White Sox. This breaks the team record set by Roger Peckinpaugh and Earl Coombs, both of whom are in attendance to see the record fall.

Graduating class of the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics in Newark, New Jersey, 17 June 1941. The US Army Air Corps becomes the US Army Air Force three days later, 20 June 1941.

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

Tuesday 4 March 1941

"Black smoke rising as the oil tanks are set alight." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, 4 March 1941. © IWM (A 3332).

Western Front: It is fair to say that, to this point on 4 March 1941, the results of British commando raids on the Axis have been poor. From the first operations in Norway to the failed operation on the Channel Islands, to the botched affairs in southern Italy and Kastelorizo, the raids have had the earmarks of an idea that is good in the abstract, but with execution marred by amateurish gaffes.

That record of failure changes today. British commandos join with Norwegian partisans to stage Operation Claymore in epic fashion. A resounding and reverberating success, this raid on the Lofoten Islands in the north of Norway justifies all of the effort expended in training the commandos. The main targets are fish-oil plants that produce ingredients for explosives, but much more is accomplished than just blowing up a few buildings.

Commandos of No. 3 Commando, No. 4 Commando, a Royal Engineers Section and 52 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy are landed at Vestfjorden in the Lofoten Islands by the 6th Destroyer Flotilla and two troop transport ships of the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy task force is Operation Rebel. Leading the landing craft (HMS Queen Emma and Princess Beatrix) to shore is submarine HMS Sunfish. Brigadier Charles Haydon of the Irish Guards leads the commandos into action.

Armed patrol trawler Krebs in Vestfjorden fires four shots at HMS Somali, but the Royal Navy ship quickly disables it. After the German crew abandons ship, the commandos board the ship, which has beached itself nearby. They capture its cipher machine and daily codebooks, which prove of great value at Bletchley Park. Several other small ships totaling 18,000 tons in all also are sunk:

• Gumbrinnen (1381 tons, shelled by HMS Tartar)
• Hamburg (shelled by HMS Tartar)
• Pasajes (shelled by HMS Tartar)
• Felix 
• Mira (1152 tons, shelled and sunk by HMS Bedouin, two deaths) 
• Eilenau 
• Rissen 
• Andø (demolition charges). 
• Grotto
• Felix Heumann
• Elbing (collier shelled by HMS Tartar, beached, later repaired and returned to service)
• Bernhard Schulte (shelled by HMS Tartar, later raised and repaired).

Norwegian 321-ton fishing vessel Myrand takes the opportunity to follow the British out and go to the Faroe Islands.

Arriving at the cusp of dawn, everyone is ashore by 06:50. The operation goes off without opposition. Factories are destroyed at Henningsvær, Stamsund, and Svolvær. The raiders destroy the oil, they don't take it back with them.

About 300 locals volunteer to serve in the Free Norwegian Forces in Great Britain and are taken off with the commandos (they likely fear reprisals if they stay). The commandos take 147 merchant marine sailors, 14 civilians ("Quislings"), 15 Luftwaffe crew, three German Army (Heer) soldiers, and 7 Kriegsmarine sailors captive. The British take no casualties, whereas the Germans suffer seven. Operation Claymore is a smashing success with long-term effects, as Hitler obsesses about defending Norway after this and grossly over-garrisons it.

"Troops returning from shore in boats having accomplished their work of destruction." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, 4 March 1941. © IWM (A 3320).

Italian/Greek Campaign: The Greeks remain in their forward positions along the Bulgarian border. The British wish them to retreat to the Aliakmon Line, but the Greeks claim that any such move would damage the country's morale. Local British commander Sir Henry Maitland Wilson for Operation Lustre cannot even leave the British Embassy, as the Greeks fear that his appearance alone will incite the Germans to attack.

The first British troop transports for Operation Lustre arrives at Piraeus. One is British 3566-ton freighter Alavi, escorted by destroyer Greyhound. Another is 3791-ton transport HMS Ulster Prince, escorted by destroyer HMS Hotspur. The Ulster carries primarily RAF personnel, and it departs quickly carrying the remaining commandos from Operation Abstention (the failed attempt to occupy Italian-held Kastelorizo).

Going the other way, Convoy AS 16 departs from Piraeus bound for Alexandria and Port Said.

A British troop convoy bound for Piraeus departs from Suda Bay, Crete. The soldiers are carried on four cruisers (HMS Ajax, Gloucester, Orion, and Perth). Meanwhile, Convoy AN 17 departs from Alexandria also carrying troops for Piraeus.

The Italians, meanwhile, are blissfully unaware of most of what the British and Greeks are doing. However, Mussolini is determined to salvage Italian pride by showing that his troops can achieve success against the Greeks before the Germans invade. Accordingly, he is reinforcing his garrison in Albania, both in terms of fighting men and air units. An offensive is planned by Italian VIII Army Corps in less than a week's time, with the preliminary objective the recapture of Klisura and a further advance south toward Ioannina.

The Greeks also are blissfully unaware of what the other side is up to. They continue to mount minor offensive operations by II Corps in the Klisura section. These are not major operations, but simply line-straightening attacks and the like.

The British cancel a planned attack on the large Italian base at Rhodes due to the failure of Operation Abstention.

Australian fighter ace Nigel Cullen is shot down near Himarë, Albania during an attack on Italian shipping.

"The oil blaze at the village of Stamsund, situated 70 miles up the West Fjord, with a few Norwegian fishing boats in the foreground." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, 4 March 1941. © IWM (A 3315).

East African Campaign: The British are preparing another attempt to force their way past the firm Italian defenses at Keren. However, the strategy now is to bypass the narrow gorge which controls entry to Keren and instead secure other, nearby passes. The 7th Indian Infantry Brigade moves toward Cogai Pass, while the British troops at the Mescelit Pass expand their reconnaissance. Unfortunately for them, the British find that, while Keren is relatively close, another mountain range lies between them and the town. To get to Keren, they will have to force their way through another pass at Mendad. The Italians occupy the high ground in all of these places, and they also have mined the approaches to Keren. The actions at this point are patrol activity, with the British having some success taking isolated Italian outposts which really don't advance the overall strategic agenda.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe continues attacking Cardiff, one of its favorite targets recently. The Germans send 61 bombers over the city. RAF Coastal Command raids an airfield near Brest. After dark, RAF Bomber Command raids railway infrastructure at Calais.

"Commandos watching fish oil tanks burning." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, 4 March 1941. © IWM (N 396).

Battle of the Atlantic: At the War Cabinet meeting today, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (apparently recovered from his cold) uses the term "Battle of the Atlantic" to describe the naval conflict. The term, noted by attending Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies in his diary, sticks.

U-105 (Kapitänleutnant Georg Schewe) refuels from German 7747-ton tanker Charlotte Schliemann in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Doing this extends the range and time of station of the U-boats. Typically, a U-boat can remain at sea for only 30 days, with about ten of those days eaten up by transiting to and from the station. However, as an example, refueling at sea enables U-105 to spend 112 days on this patrol. This undoubtedly leads to more offensive opportunities.

The Charlotte Schliemann is refueling multiple U-boats - yesterday, U-124 refueled from her. The German maritime supply network is what keeps their raiders in operation, and amplifies the reach of the U-boats.

The Luftwaffe attacks shipping off Fastnet, damaging 192-ton British trawler East Coast. There are no casualties and damage is relatively minor.

British 303 ton freighter Anonity hits a mine and sinks near Skegness Pier. There are four deaths and two survivors. Another ship, 20-ton Lyndis Kitwood, also is damaged by a mine (perhaps the same one) off Skegness, but its damage is minor.

British 321-ton freighter Ruth II hits a mine in the Thames Estuary near the Bar Light Vessel. British 594-ton freighter Anglian Coast also hits a mine in the same area and also is damaged. Both ships make it back to port with no casualties.

Minelayer HMS Plover lays minefield ZME 21 in the Irish Sea.

"Troops returning from shore in boats having accomplished their work of destruction." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, 4 March 1941. © IWM (A 3322).

Battle of the Mediterranean: The Afrika Korps continues digging defensive lines near El Agheila in Libya. The British remain unconcerned, their entire focus now on Greece.

General Richard O'Connor, the victorious commander of XIII Corps which captured Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi, is made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. This belies Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies' cynical conclusion that Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell would win all the plaudits for the successful campaign, but there is one salient fact which apparently eluded him: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill deeply dislikes Wavell and feels much more favorably toward O'Connor. There is no question that O'Connor deserves recognition for his troops' stunning accomplishments. Historians, however, actually adjudge Wavell one of the premier generals of the entire conflict - the British are blessed with an abundance of talent in the theater despite Churchill's misgivings.

In Malta, the government tightens curfew regulations. They now are from 21:00 to 06:30. The morning curfew is the hardest for many to bear because many people typically like to start the day well before sunrise.

Convoy BS 18 departs from Suez.

Battle of the Indian Ocean: Convoy BM 4 departs from Karachi, bound for Singapore. It is a large convoy that later will be joined by several ships from Bombay.

Battle of the Pacific: Australian cruiser HMAS Canberra is patrolling off the Dutch East Indies when its Walrus seaplane spots two suspicious ships together. They are German raider Coburg and captured (by the Germans) Norwegian tanker Ketty Brøvig. The Canberra immediately heads toward the ships and orders them to stop for inspection. Instead, the two ships head off in opposite directions. Following the Coburg, Canberra fires at it from maximum range but misses. In all, Canberra fires 215 shells, but virtually all of them miss or cause inconsequential damage. Both the Coburg and Ketty Brøvig are scuttled by their crews. Mirroring one of the results of Operation Claymore, the British manage to capture some code documents when a quick-thinking seaplane pilot lands his Walrus next to the sinking Coburg, boards it, and carries out a quick search.

"Royal Engineers preparing to blow up barrels of fish oil on the quayside at Stamsund." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, 4 March 1941. © IWM (N 418).

German/Yugoslav Relations: Adolf Hitler knows how to handle smaller powers reluctant to join his empire. He summons the crown regent, Prince Paul, to the Berghof in Berchtesgaden. After hectoring the regent all night long, Hitler is satisfied that he has eliminated Yugoslavia as a problem and in fact turned it into a useful vassal state, though not a military ally. Prince Paul agrees to sign the Tripartite Pact after Hitler sweetens the deal (upon Prince Paul's insistence) by offering him Greece's northern port of Salonika (Thessalonika). In fact, Hitler agrees to virtually all of Paul's demands aside from one that the agreement between the two governments must be published. In effect, the agreement turns Yugoslavia into a neutral party, as the Wehrmacht is barred from using the country for its invasion.

Yugoslavia's signing is scheduled to take place in ten days' time. Prince Paul knows that there is far from unanimity at home about joining Germany and wishes to keep the signing ceremony as low-key as possible.

German/Turkish Relations: Both the British and the Germans have been courting the Turks, who possess a large army and a strategic geographical position. The Turks already, in effect, have turned down the British, and today they effectively turn down the Germans. Turkish President İsmet İnönü tells the German ambassador, Franz von Papen, that German troops should stay well clear of the Turkish border and that Turkey views Bulgarian military mobilization as a threat to its own integrity.

Anglo/Swedish Relations: The Swedish press is an independent lot that frequently angers the Germans with its outspokenness. Today, the British feel its bit when an article appears in Svenska Dagbladet about problems caused by British barrage balloons. According to the story, drifting British barrage balloons have become a positive menace to Sweden, with their cables snagging on chimneys (one tall one reportedly is toppled) and catching on the sails and rigging of fishing boats. Power lines also suffer, with areas of Goteborg left without power due to one of the drifting menaces.

Bulgarian/Dutch/Belgian/Polish Relations: Bulgaria, now a German satellite, severs relations with these four countries.

Latin American Homefront: Argentina defeats Chile 1-0 in football (soccer) to win the South American Championship.

Canadian Homefront: Canada requires registration of all Canadians of Japanese descent.

Dutch Homefront: The repercussions from the failed Dutch General Strike continue. The Germans sentence 18 of Bernardus IJzerdraat's De Geuzen rebels to death in The Hague. The Dutch resistance is very brave, but there are many informants looking for a little favoritism from the occupying authorities. There also are many ethnic Germans living in Holland who have more allegiance to Germany than to Holland (the Kaiser, of course, still lives in Holland, though that is a special case).

American Homefront: The Boston Bruins defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. This game sets two so-far unbroken records: shots on goal by one team (83 shots) and saves by a goaltender (80, by Sam LoPresti).

Future History: Adrian Lyne is born in Peterborough, Northamptonshire, England. Raised in London, Adrian develops an early fascination with films, and in the early 1960s begins making his own films based upon the influence of French New Wave directors such as Truffaut and Godard. He begins his career by making television commercials, and also makes some short films. Lyne does not make his feature film directing debut until 1980 with "Foxes," starring Jodie Foster. It is a success, and his next film, 1983's "Flashdance," is an even bigger one. This sets Lyne on a path to directing all different types of films, and in 1986 he directs controversial (but surprisingly successful) erotic film "9 1/2 Weeks." Many other quite successful films followed, including 1993's "Indecent Proposal" starring Robert Redford, another huge box office success. Most recently, Lyne has been producing television series, including "Fatal Attraction" (based on his own extremely successful and controversial 1987 film) and "Back Roads."

"British officers with a captured German flag after the raid." Lofoten Islands, Operation Claymore, © IWM (N 419).

Friday 3 January 1941

"Hurricane Mk I of Squadron Leader Robert Stanford Tuck, commanding No 257 Squadron, refuelling at Coltishall, early January 1941." © IWM (CH 1931).

Italian/Greek Campaign: The Italians on 3 January 1941 commit two fresh divisions in the area of the Klisura Pass, which is on the road to the key port of Valona. They also begin a small counteroffensive north and west of Korcë. Neither offensive accomplishes much, but casualties mount on both sides. The counterattacks are pretty much over by the end of the day.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe switches back to one of its favorite targets tonight. It sends 178 bombers that hit the Bristol port area hard. The granary warehouse on Princes Wharf is obliterated, taking with it 8000 tons of grain. The raid lasts for 12 hours and is considered the longest sustained attack on Bristol. There are 149 deaths and 351 other casualties. A 4000 lb aerial mine comes to rest without exploding - the citizens quickly nickname it "Satan" and, after it is disarmed, it becomes an emblem of the hardships the city has faced.

RAF Bomber Command raids Bremen for the second night in a row, this time with 71 aircraft.

The Italian Corpo Aereo Italiano (CAI) withdraws from the Channel coast after having accomplished virtually nothing there except incurring heavy losses.

The Luftwaffe night fighting force continues to gain experience, with Lt. Gerhard Böhme of 3./NJG 2 downing a Whitley bomber southeast of Flamborough Head.

Baltimore News-Post, 3 January 1941: The RAF raid on Bremen is big news, the brewing Australian victory at Bardia gets barely a mention.

Battle of the Atlantic: The RAF bombs a bridge in the Kiel Canal, and it falls on 2803 ton Finnish freighter Yrsa, sinking it and blocking the canal. However, the canal is shallow, and in any event, the ship must be removed so that it does not prove to be a hazard to navigation. So, the ship is raised and returned to service, with the canal being reopened.

The RAF attack on Bremen over the night claims 1460 ton Finnish freighter Liisa. However, it sinks in shallow water near the docks and can be salvaged.

British 2466 ton freighter Pinewood hits a mine and sinks south of Southend. There are six deaths, 18 survivors.

Royal Navy 70 ton drifter New Spray founders in a storm off Sheerness in the Thames Estuary.

Convoy OB 269 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 374 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 378 departs from Methil, Convoy BS 12 departs from Suez.

Royal Navy corvette HMS Hydrangea (K 39, Lt. Joseph E. Woolfenden.) is commissioned.

U-335 is laid down.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Compass resumes. At 06:00, Australian Major General Iven Mackay sends his 6th Australian Division against the Italian defenses at Bardia. The Australians attack from the west, and they are assisted by Royal Navy barrages (led by battleships HMS Warspite, Barham and Valiant) between 08:10 and 08:55, and RAF bombing. Monitor HMS Terror, gunboats HMS Ladybird and Aphis, and destroyers HMS Dainty and HMAS Voyager assist in the bombardment. The Italian air force attacks the ships offshore and score a near miss on gunboat Aphis that causes some damage, kills two and wounds three others.

In the initial stage, sappers blow holes in the barbed wire using Bangalore torpedoes, then engineers rush in and fill the tank ditches using picks and shovels. Once that is done, 23 Matilda II tanks rush through the opening and quickly reach the second main defense line (the "Switch Line"). The Australians advance two miles and capture 8000 prisoners by 08:30. While the attack is a huge success and the Italian position hopeless, the Italians hold out through the night in Bardia itself.

The weather throughout the Mediterranean is characterized by strong force 8 gales and heavy seas. At Malta, four Sunderland flying boats are damaged in waves up to 15 feet.

Luftwaffe units continue transferring to Italy.

Australian troops on exercise in the desert near Bardia, 3 January 1941 (AP Photo).

Anglo/US Relations: Prime Minister Winston Churchill replies to President Franklin Roosevelt's request of 31 December 1940 that the US be allowed to provide humanitarian relief to Vichy France and Spain. This requires Churchill's permission due to the Royal Navy blockade of continental Europe. Churchill assents, but requires that Vichy France acknowledge Great Britain's largesse in allowing relief supplies through the cordon:

[W]e would like it stated that the relief goods are available only by the good will of His Majesty's Government.

There is an argument made by some that Churchill is reluctant to admit anything through the blockade because his goal is to "starve Europe" as a means of hurting the German war effort. However, this particular aid specifically is aimed at unoccupied sections of Europe, so there is little reason for Churchill to block it even if that argument were true. Roosevelt somewhat obliquely hints that providing aid may instead cause disaffection from the Germans in Europe and thus help the Allied war effort. Both men's positions are unprovable and may stem from deeper motivations than just the effect on military operations.

The issue of humanitarian aid to Europe is very complex, with many nuances, and remains a contentious issue between Great Britain and the United States until 1945. Drawing it perhaps over-simplistically, the available evidence does show that Roosevelt attempts to expand the amount of aid to the peoples of Europe throughout the war, while Church is prone to limiting it.

Irish/German Relations: The Luftwaffe hits Dublin again, injuring 20 people at Donore Terrace near South Circle Road. Following several nights of Luftwaffe bombing, Éamon de Valera protests officially to the German government.

Swedish/German Relations: Sweden completes its deliveries of Junkers Ju 86K bombers (built by Saab under license) to the Luftwaffe. While overall an outdated design, the K variant with 905 hp Bristol Mercury XIX radial engines proves quite handy. The Ju 86 was used throughout the first few years of the war by both sides, particularly by South Africa's SAAF. Some of the Luftwaffe Ju 86K's will be converted to Ju 86P high-altitude bombers and photo-reconnaissance versions that can approach altitudes of 50,000 feet, making them for a long time invulnerable to interception.

US Military: The issue of hemispheric defense is at the top of the War Department's agenda. Discussions with Brazilian representatives have been gradually building a case for defending the bulge of Brazil from aggressors. Rainbow 4, the US defense plan in the case of aggression from both east and west, envisions movement of a reinforced triangular division to Brazil. Today, Chief of Staff General George C. Marshal holds meetings with and gains the approval of Admiral Stark and Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles for the movement of five companies of American soldiers to different Brazilian airfields upon the outbreak of hostilities. This must meet with Brazilian approval, which has not yet been sought. The issue of the defense of Brazil continues to simmer throughout 1941.

Soviet Military: The first series of war games continue. Georgy Zhukov commands the invading forces, while General DG Pavlov commands the defending forces. These games, which began on 2 January, will continue through 6 January.

"Men of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps (AMPC) search buildings demolished by bombing in Fore Street in the City of London, 3 January 1941." © IWM (H 6379).

US Government: At a press conference apparently timed to coincide with the opening of the 77th United States Congress, President Roosevelt announces a "between $300 million and $350 million" shipbuilding program:

[B]ecause it is perfectly obvious that so much tonnage in the way of ships has been going to the bottom for a year and a half, probably at the end of the war, sooner or later, there will be a shortage—a world shortage—of tonnage. Therefore, we have begun taking the first steps toward a program of building about 200 merchant ships—a program which will cost somewhere around $300 million, between $300 million and $350 million, in a number of new plants.

Roosevelt is somewhat dismissive about the quality of the ships he is planning to build. "Nobody that loves ships can be very proud of them," he says, but "by building this dreadful looking object you save six or eight months" from building "a ship that is really a ship." He adds that the ships will be "roughly, about 7500 tons each." Obviously, the details - including where the ships will be built, and who will build them - remain to be worked out. Roosevelt says that he has $36 million available to build the shipyards from "the President's Special Contract Authorization Fund." The questions at the news conference somewhat predictably focus on where all this money is going to be spent.

These ships at this point have no name, though they will quickly acquire various belittling appellations ("dreadful looking objects" is one such term, another is dreamt up by Time Magazine: "ugly ducklings"). However, we know these ships by another name coined later in 1941 that has stuck: Liberty Ships.

At his press conference, President Roosevelt also announces that he is sending crony Harry Hopkins to London as his "personal representative" until an ambassador is appointed. Joseph Kennedy withdrew from the slot in November as a result of British anger at some of his controversial statements and attitudes. However, Kennedy's resignation still has not taken effect, so technically the position is not open yet.

Separately, USS Tuscaloosa departs from Lisbon for Norfolk, Virginia, having delivered the new Ambassador to France Admiral William D. Leahy to Europe.

USS Gar (SS 206) on 3 January 1941. Visible on the right is USS Mackerel (SS 204) (US Navy Submarine Force Museum).

Vichy French Government: Marshal Petain reorganizes his cabinet. Among other changes, he appoints Admiral Darlan to head the ministries of Justice and the Interior, Pierre Etienne Flandin in charge of economic affairs, and General Huntziger becomes defense minister. This is a period of great turmoil and change in the Vichy government, with people changing jobs routinely. Flandin, incidentally, will later reveal that, at this time, he is noticing episodes of memory loss by Petain. The old marshal, for instance, always seems to adopt the position of the last person who had talked to him - because he could not remember earlier arguments.

Finnish Government: The new Prime Minister of Finland, Johan Rangell, takes office and appoints his cabinet.

German Homefront: Martin Bormann issues a decree (Normalschrifterlass) banning gothic typefaces and instituting roman/Antiqua type as the new standard. The gothic typeface is very difficult to read, particularly by those in occupied Europe who are not used to it. The gothic typeface can still be seen in various out-of-the-way places in Germany, and the Berlin subways retained it long after the war (and yes, it is very difficult to read even in giant-sized letters, I had a very difficult time deciphering some of the letters). Making the typeface more readable apparently is Adolf Hitler's idea.

American Homefront: A Gallup poll taken after President Roosevelt's "Arsenal of Democracy" speech of 29 December 1940 shows overwhelming support for his position. In response to the question "Do you think our country's future safety depends on England winning this war?", the results are:

Yes 68%
No 26%
No Opinion 6%

This reflects an ongoing shift in opinion within the United States in favor of supporting Great Britain and opposing Germany. Earlier in the war, opinion surveys reflected a much more ambivalent attitude by the public at large, with about half the country as opposed to any intervention in Europe.

USS Gar (SS 206), 3 January 1941. Visible on the right is USS Grampus (SS 207) (US Navy Submarine Force Museum).

January 1941

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

2020

Friday 5 July 1940

Damaged Italian destroyer Euro after the 5 July 1940 RAF attack on Tobruk.

European Air Operations: The RAF on 5 July 1940 stages daylight raids on shipping off the Dutch coast and on Waalhaven airfield. The British lose two Blenheim bombers, both over Senden, victories of 4/JG51 and 5/JG26.

After dark, the RAF raids German shipping at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven.

Vichy French torpedo bombers raid Gibraltar without causing any damage.

The Luftwaffe damages Royal Navy Corvette HMS Calendula in the Channel and damages it with near misses, sending the ship back to Plymouth.

There are dogfights over the Channel near the Pas-de-Calais. The Luftwaffe downs three Spitfires, and one Bf 109 is damaged.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-34 (Korvettenkapitän Wilhelm Rollmann) torpedoes and sinks British destroyer HMS Whirlwind about 125 miles west-southwest of Land's End at 18:26. This followed a long chase in which the U-boat missed with two torpedoes. The destroyer remains afloat long enough for destroyer HMS Westcott to rescue the crew before scuttling it. There are 59 deaths, and 51 survive (sources vary).

U-99 (Kptl. Otto Kretschmer) torpedoes and badly damages convoy straggler Canadian freighter MV Magog at 12:51. The torpedo explodes prematurely, so Kretschmer surfaces and uses his deck gun. Kretschmer questions the 23 crew in lifeboats before allowing them to wait for a rescue vessel, which arrives shortly. The wreck remains afloat due to its cargo of timber and does not sink for several days.

German S-boats (Fast torpedo boats) sink British freighter Hartlepool in the English Channel off Portland.

Vichy French ships out of Dakar capture three British freighters (Argyll, Gambia, and Takoradian) and three Danish vessels (Harald, Tacoma, and Ulrich).

British submarine HMS Shark is badly damaged by attacks from German auxiliary minesweepers M1803 (trawler Spitzbergen), M1806 (trawler Cuxhaven), and M1807 (trawler Mulsum) in Boknafjord near Stavanger, Norway.

Lorient on the Bay of Biscay is now set up for U-boat operations, though as of yet no U-boats have been there. Basing U-boats on the Atlantic coast magnifies the perceived size of the fleet by cutting travel time to stations and reducing fuel required to get there.

Royal Navy ships Plover and Willem van der Zaan lay mines in the North Sea.

Convoy OB 179 departs from Liverpool.

U-103 (Korvettenkapitän Victor Schütze) is commissioned.



North Africa: The RAF sends nine Swordfish of No. 813 Squadron based on HMS Eagle at Sidi Barrani to attack Tobruk. They sink Italian destroyer Zeffro, badly damage destroyer Euro, force troop transport Liguria's captain to run the ship onto the beach, sink freighter Manzoni and damage freighter Serenitas.

In addition, the RAF sends Blenheim bombers against Italian vehicles at Bardia and El Gubbi.

At Malta, a French Latecoere seaplane crewed by two French non-commissioned officers lands after a flight from Bizerta, Tunisia. They want to join the Royal Air Force. They are arrested for questioning. Otherwise, it is a fairly quiet day.

Anglo/Franco Relations: The French government remains furious at the British for attacking the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir. It breaks off all diplomatic relations. Truthfully, there has not been much communication at all between the two governments since the Armistice of 22 June 1940. French Prime Minister Pétain speaks out about declaring war on the UK, but cooler heads prevail.

Anglo/Irish Relations: Britain proposes uniting the two countries to present a united front against Germany. The Irish government rejects this proposal.

German/Franco Relations: The Germans suspend Article 8 of the Armistice Agreement of 22 June 1940 which requires the demobilization and disarming of the French fleet. This may be due to the recent conflict between Vichy France and the British.

German/Turkish Relations: Haj Amin, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, sends a minion to meet with German ambassador von Papen in Istanbul. The Arabs are looking for closer relations.

German/Swedish Relations: The railway line that runs to Narvik originates in Sweden and is vital for any military presence there. Today, the Germans reach an agreement with Stockholm for the transport of Wehrmacht personnel "on leave" to transit through Sweden, along with military supplies.

German/Romanian Relations: The new Romanian government touts its good relations with Germany - which is silent on the matter.

US/Japanese Relations: President Roosevelt uses his new powers under the recently passed Export Control Act to restrict sales of a multitude of items to Japan without a specific license. These goods include, but are not limited to, strategic minerals, strategic chemicals, aircraft engines, and aircraft engine parts.

US/Latin American Relations: Heavy cruisers USS Wichita (CA 45) and Quincy (CA 39) arrive at Rio Grande du Sol, Brazil on their "show the flag" expedition. Meanwhile, on the Pacific coast, light cruiser USS Phoenix (CL 46) departs Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone for a similar mission to Valparaiso, Chile.
US Military: The basing of the US Pacific fleet in Hawaii remains a bone of contention within the US Navy. Admiral James O. Richardson visits Washington to meet with President Roosevelt and others to see what plans are.

British Government: Operation Fish, the transfer of British gold to Canada, continues. At 0545 hours, the British battleship HMS Revenge, cruiser HMS Bonaventure, the destroyer HMS Garth, and troop transports Monarch of Bermuda, Sobieski, and Batory depart Greenock, Scotland. The ships carry a cargo of US$1,750,000,000 worth of gold and securities from the Bank of England. The destination is the Bank of Canada's vault in Ottawa, via Halifax.

The government declares the southern coast to be a Defence Area to a depth of 20 miles inland. War jitters are at an extreme high, and a report of parachutists near Pegswood Drift turns out to be nothing but a barrage balloon.

Iraq: The Iraqi government cuts off the flow of oil to Tripoli in Syria, showing its increasing Axis leanings. Iraq, of course, is technically governed by the British but has little control over the government due to its troops being in only a few large bases.

French Homefront: Albert Einstein's nephew, Carl Einstein, commits suicide in France. He faced deportation to Germany.

The Germans ban all symbols of the French state, including the tricolor flag.

British Homefront: The government bans high heel shoes to free up scarce cargo space for other items.

American Homefront: Speaking to the press in New York, President Roosevelt calls the fascist states "the new corporate governments." He states that compromise with them, i.e. Germany, Italy, and the USSR, is impossible.

Roosevelt lists five basic democratic freedoms which a state must have for it to be compatible with the United States:

1. freedom of information; 
2. freedom of religion
3. Freedom of expression, 
4. freedom from fear, 
5. freedom from want.

These become known as the "five freedoms." Germany, of course, is notably lacking all five... and so is the Soviet Union. Italy has more freedom of religion than the other two but is still lacking in every area. This list is the genesis of his much more famous "Four Freedoms" speech of 1941 when he shortened the list to four.

Franklin Roosevelt decides at some point in early July 1940 to run for a historic third term as US President.

July 1940

July 1, 1940: Vichy France
July 2, 1940: Arandora Star
July 3, 1940: Operation Catapult at Mers El Kébir
July 4, 1940: Romania In Crisis
July 5, 1940: The Five Freedoms
July 6, 1940: Hitler's High Point
July 7 1940: Dakar And Ringo
July 8, 1940: Tea Rationing in England
July 9, 1940: Battle of Calabria
July 10, 1940: Battle of Britain Begins
July 11, 1940: "Nous, Philippe Petain"
July 12, 1940: Enter Laval
July 13, 1940: German Surface Raiders Attack!
July 14, 1940: Bastille/Mourning Day
July 15, 1940: Tallest Man Dies
July 16, 1940: Plans for Sea Lion
July 17, 1940: Burma Road Closed
July 18, 1940: FDR Runs Again
July 19, 1940: Last Appeal To Reason
July 20, 1940: First Night Fighter Victory
July 21, 1940: Soviets Absorb Baltic States
July 22, 1940: First RAF Night Fighter Victory
July 23, 1940: Invasion False Alarm
July 24, 1940: The Meknés Incident
July 25, 1940: Black Thursday for RAF
July 26, 1940: Capture The Duke?
July 27, 1940: What's Up, Doc?
July 28, 1940: Destroyers Pulled From Dover
July 29, 1940: Barbarossa On The Burner
July 30, 1940: Hitler Delays Sealion
July 31, 1940: Bloody Wednesday of Olkusz

2020