Wednesday 27 March 1940

Labour Front leader Robert Ley and his wife, Inge, with Hitler. Ley recently had been supplanted by Fritz Todt as the ultimate Reich labor boss but retained his position. He was noted for drunkenness and corruption, but Hitler reportedly had a thing for Inge.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-22 (Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinrich Jenisch) has not been responding to standard checks for the past week and is reported lost as of 27 March 1940. All hands are listed as lost, the cause is ascribed to a mine or depth-charge attack in the North Sea.

Convoy OA 118 departs from Scotland, Convoy OB 118 departs from Liverpool.
European Air Operations: There are battles across the Maginot Line. The Luftwaffe loses 5-7 Bf 109s according to the RAF.

The RAF attacks German shipping in the North Sea without a result.

Western Front: The French and Germans exchange perfunctory artillery fire in the Vosges forest and the Saar. The New York Times editorializes: "PARIS: Thoughtful observers here do not expect any change on the Western Front for a long time to come."

British Government: The Supreme War Council is to meet on 28 March, so the British War Council takes up French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud's proposal that the Allies attack the Soviet oil fields at Baku and Soviet shipping in the Black Sea. The decision is unanimous to oppose this plan and to continue the policy of avoiding direct conflict with the Soviet Union. The true purpose of Reynaud's proposal is perhaps indicated by the fact that it is leaked to the press, which the British find highly objectionable for such sensitive matters. The British, or at least Winston Churchill, consider this to have been done for domestic political purposes. The British tell General Gamelin and his colleagues of this decision at a preliminary meeting.

British Propaganda: An editorial in the Daily Mail notes the massive head start by the Nazis, led by Dr. Goebbels, in propaganda and urges effective British propaganda in response. While the British, particularly Churchill, have engaged in some very subtle propaganda during occasional speeches, the Nazis have been broadcasting nightly.

Finland: The government is reshuffled; Risto Ryti stays in charge.

New Zealand: The new Primes Minister of New Zealand is Peter Fraser, replacing Michael Savage who passes away today while in office.

China: The Japanese retain possession of Wuyuan, but local Chinese forces continue to pressure them. The Chinese 8th War Area attacks around Patzepu, Hsishantzu, Hsichiao, and Manko.

German Homefront: Robert Ley, long-time boss of the Nazi Labour Front and a close Hitler crony notes today that war "is a blessing, as women love fighters." His tall, blonde wife, Inge, is a close friend of Hitler, and some wonder just how close.

Holocaust: Heinrich Himmler authorizes the construction of a concentration camp at Auschwitz near Kraków, Poland. The site is convenient because it has served as an Austrian and later Polish Army barracks and a camp for transient workers. There already are 16 buildings on the site in various states of disrepair. Himmler has a vague idea of housing political prisoners there.

Ad on the 27 March 1940 NY Times: "When you insult your stomach, apologize" with the waters of French spa town Vichy. It is fair to say that almost nobody in the US has ever heard of Vichy, and may not even realize it is a town.

March 1940

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

2019

Wednesday 20 March 1940

A British reconnaissance photo of the German seaplane base on the Isle of Sylt with targets marked, 1940.

Winter War: The Soviet Navy occupies its new base at Hango in Southern Finland.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-19 (Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke) continues its successful patrol on 20 March 1940 by torpedoing and sinking 1,153-ton Danish freighter Viking northeast of the Moray Firth at 05:00. Two crew survive, 15 perish.

Next, U-19 torpedoes and sinks the 2,109-ton Danish freighter Bothal at 05:15. Five of the crew survive, 15 perish.

The passenger liner Mauretania departs from New York with an unpublished destination.

The British respond to the Brazilian government's protest of the heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire's stopping of the German freighter Wakama on 12 February. They claim that they were only protecting Brazilian commerce. The Brazilians are not amused, as stated by the Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs Oswaldo Aranha:

Indeed you are not, you are definitely not protecting our commerce by maintaining your warships off our coast. It is apparent to me that your blockade of Germany is plainly ineffective. If it were effective, you could stop the German boats [sic] on the other side before they entered German ports.

U-44 (Kptlt. Ludwig Mathes), if not sunk on 13 March 1940 by mine, is sunk today by destroyer depth charges. Either way, U-44 does not return from its mission, and all hands are presumed lost.

U-22 (Karl-Heinrich Jenisch) is lost either today or sometime thereafter from unknown causes after leaving Wilhelmshaven. All 27 crew are presumed lost.

Convoy HG 23 departs from Gibraltar.

European Air Operations: Ten Luftwaffe bombers attack a coastal convoy of neutral ships. The RAF and Coastal Command defend the convoy. Three of the vessels are damaged: Norwegian Syinta and Topra Elise, and Swedish Utklippan. Several of the attacking planes are damaged.

RAF Coastal command sinks a Kriegsmarine ship, the converted freighter Altenfels now called German Sperrbrecher 12, while it is clearing mines.

The Luftwaffe attacks British freighter Barn Hill off the Isle of Wight. She has to be beached and later breaks in two.

An RAF attack overnight scores damage on the Sylt Island Luftwaffe seaplane base. RAF reconnaissance on Sylt shows damage to the hangers, jetty, oil tanks and other infrastructure. One RAF plane fails to return.

Western Front: The BEF claims that in an encounter with a German patrol, five Wehrmacht soldiers were killed.

German Propaganda: German radio claims of Allied shipping losses become a running joke throughout the war due to incidents such as this one: Dr. Goebbels claims today that a Luftwaffe attack on a British convoy sank 9 British ships totaling 42,000 tons. The British quickly respond on the BBC, noting that in fact no ships were sunk and only four damaged. They describe the German claims as "42,000 tons in excess of the actual facts."

French Government: The French cabinet resigns along with Daladier.

US Government: Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles ends his fact-finding tour of Europe and boards a liner at Genoa to return to the United States.

Soviet/Scandinavian Relations: Moscow expresses its displeasure at reports that the Scandinavian nations are going to form a mutual defense pact.

India: The Assembly of Congress Party calls for independence.

China: In the Battle of Wuyuan, the Chinese 35th Corps and associated units enter Wuyuan by surprise after dark. The two sides engage in fierce combat for control of the city throughout the night.

In the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Chinese East Route Force attacks the Japanese 22nd Army at the city the Japanese just captured, Lingshan.

Future History: US photojournalist Mary Ellen Mark is born. She shot stills for films such as Federico Fellini's "Satyricon" (1969) and Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" (1979). She passed away in 2015.

Scripps Institute of Oceanography research vessel, E.W. Scripps (ship), aground on a sandbar until the next high tide came in. March 20, 1940.

March 1940

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

2019

Sunday 28 January 1940

A photo of men about to go on a road trip in Mikkeli. Note the battered, winter-camouflaged car in the endless ankle-deep snow.

Winter War Army Operations: At Lahde on 28 January 1940, the artillery of the 24th Corps Artillery Regiment, having destroyed the "Millionaire bunker" on the 27th, switches targets. The next most-prominent bunker is the "Poppius bunker." While not as elaborate as the other one, the Poppius bunker lies in the middle of the Finnish defenses of the Mannerheim Line and is/now was an anchor of the defense. The Soviets' two 152 mm guns open fire at 12:00, and they quickly destroy the bunker's western casemate, killing four men inside. The two bunkers remain usable, but their defensibility is impaired.

Nearby at Summa, the 7,000 shells/day artillery barrage continues, with an increase in tempo.

At Salla, small advance Soviet forces remain surrounded.

At Kuhmo, Group Talvela of the Finnish 9th Division attacks the Soviet 54th Division. It cuts the Soviets' lines of communications and splits the division into three different sections ("mottis"). The Soviet 23rd Division launches a relief attempt that makes some progress. The Finns destroy the Pieni-Kelivaara motti during the day, capturing 2 field guns, 2 antitank guns, 9 mortars, 9 machineguns, and 100 rifles. The West Lemetti motti, however, holds out, and the Finns continue attacking it.

Battle of the Atlantic: At 02:52, U-34 (Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann) torpedoes 5,625-ton Greek freighter Eleni Stathatou 200 miles east of Isles of Scilly in the Atlantic Ocean. It takes two torpedoes, the first only damages the freighter; the second at 04:21 finishes her off. Those are U-34's last two torpedoes, so its patrol is over. Of the crew, 12 perish.

U-44 (Kapitänleutnant Ludwig Mathes) torpedoes and sinks with one torpedo 2,980 ton Greek coal carrier Flora west of Figuera la Foz, Portugal. All 25 crewmen perish.

The 1,487-ton British freighter Eston hits a mine laid by U-22 on 20 December 1939 in the Bristol Channel and sinks. All 18 crew perish.

The British at Gibraltar detain the US freighter Sarcoxic for several hours and then send it on its way. US freighter Waban also is temporarily detained, and the British seize an item of contraband and 34 items for further investigation.

Convoy OA 81 departs from Southend, Convoy SL 18F departs from Freetown, Convoy HXF 18 departs from Halifax.

British Homefront: The Director of Censorship has been preventing publication of the details of the severe winter weather. Today, though, it allows publication. It is the coldest winter since 1894, and both the River Thames (at Kingston and between Teddington and Sunbury) and Southampton Docks have frozen over. The sea has frozen over at various points on the coast as well. London's reservoirs have a foot of ice. At Buxton, there is 18°C (33°F) of frost. Of course, the rest of Europe is suffering, too.

King George announces that his court will not be held this year due to the war.

China: The Chinese 2d War Area captures Lucheng, while the Chinese 3rd War Area ceases active operations and reverts to the defensive.

Huntington Beach, California oil derricks, 28 January 1940.

January 1940

January 1, 1940: Finns Carve up the Soviets
January 2, 1940: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
January 3, 1940: Soviets Trapped
January 4, 1940: Soviet Breakout Attempts Fail
January 5, 1940: Dicing Up the Soviets
January 6, 1940: Soviet 44th Division Runs
January 7, 1940: Shakeup in Soviet High Command
January 8, 1940: Ratte Road Battle Ends
January 9, 1940: British Submarines in Peril
January 10, 1940: Mechelen Incident
January 11, 1940: Finns Surround More Soviets
January 12, 1940: New Soviet Attacks at Taipale
January 13, 1940: Fall Gelb Postponed
January 14, 1940: Japan's Government Falls
January 15, 1940: Soviets Prepare More Carefully
January 16, 1940: German Atrocities Uncovered
January 17, 1940: Bletchley Park in Action
January 18, 1940: New Hope for Allied Shipping
January 19, 1940: Finnish Attacks at Salla
January 20, 1940: Churchill Urges Cooperation
January 21, 1940: Asam Maru Incident
January 22, 1940: Dissension Within British Government
January 23, 1940: Dissension in South Africa
January 24, 1940: NKVD Blocking Detachments
January 25, 1940: Auschwitz Site Selected
January 26, 1940: Millionaire Bunker Destroyed
January 27, 1940: U-20 Sinks Four Ships
January 28, 1940: Softening Up the Finns
January 29, 1940: Moscow Willing to Talk
January 30, 1940: Hitler Throws Down the Gauntlet
January 31, 1940: Timoshenko Is Ready

2019

Sunday 21 January 1940

Germans being taken off the Asam Maru.

Winter War: The Soviet units on the Karelian Isthmus are using the month for training and reconnaissance of Finnish defenses. Starting from 10 Soviet rifle divisions, the number is growing to 23 during the month. More heavy artillery is brought in as well. The divisions are distributed between the 7th Army and the 13th Army. Seventh Army has 14 divisions, 13th Army has 9. Seventh Army is headed toward Vyborg, the key point on the Mannerheim Line.

Winter War Air Operations: On 21 January 1940, Finnish Blenheim bombers, piloted by foreign volunteers, raid the Soviet naval base at Kronstadt. There are similar raids on the Soviet air base south of Tallinn and other Soviet bases in Estonia.

The Soviets bomb Finnish port Oulu.

Winter War Army Operations: The Soviets continue their artillery bombardment of Summa. They are firing 7,000 shells every day to soften the Finnish line preparatory to a full-scale assault. Otherwise, the action is quiet as the weather is still frosty.

Lines of barbed-wire obstacles stretch across snow-covered fields near Menin in France, 21 January 1940 (Imperial War Museum).

Battle of the Atlantic: Italian liner Orazio catches on fire off Barcelona, apparently accidentally. French destroyers take off passengers, there are 104 deaths.

U-22 (Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinrich Jenisch) sinks Royal Navy destroyer HMS Exmouth (Captain Richard Stoddart Benson) off Tarbett Ness in the Moray Firth. All 175-189 (sources vary) crewmen perish. Jensch first tried to get the British freighter Cyprian Prince that the Exmouth was escorting but missed.

U-22 also torpedoes and sinks 1,469-ton Danish tanker Tekla. Nine perish (four in the ship, five when a mast falls on their lifeboat) and nine survive.

U-22 gets the third success during the day, but this one is from a mine that the U-boat laid on 20 December 1939 near Blyth in north-central England. The 1,086-ton British Ferryhill freighter sinks. Nine perish and two survive.

U-55 (it is believed) sinks Swedish freighter Andalusia. All 21 crew are lost. U-55 never returned from its patrol.

British freighter Protesilaus hits a mine laid by a U-boat and sinks.

British cruiser HMS Liverpool stops Asama Maru, a Japanese liner, off Honshu (35 miles from Japan) and takes off 21 German passengers (of 51 total Germans on board). The Germans are sailor survivors of the German liner Columbus that was scuttled off the US east coast on 19 December 1939). They are returning to Germany by a circuitous route. The men are considered suitable for military service and are to be taken to Hong Kong to be interned. The Japanese government is irate and sends destroyers to intercept the HMS Liverpool, so it makes top speed to the British base.

US freighter Nishmaha is detained by the British at Gibraltar (again).

Convoy OA 77 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 77 departs from Liverpool, Convoy HG 16F departs from Gibraltar and Convoy OG 15 forms at sea off Gibraltar.

British Government: The Duke of Windsor (former heir to the throne) steps down ("takes leave") from his duties as a liaison between the BEF and the French government.

Anglo/French Relations: The British Ministry of Information gives 8 French war correspondents a tour of the War Office, the Admiralty, the Air Ministry, and other key spots.

Holland: The government announces that leave for the military will soon be restored.

Norway: The government announces that 28 Norwegian-flagged ships have been lost.

Vatican: The Pope, Pius XII, broadcasts to the US about German atrocities against priests in Poland.

China: Ching-wei, the puppet ruler over Japanese-occupied China from Nanking, denies the veracity of a published document that supposedly shows that he has given the Japanese complete economic and political dominion over China. Two former associates of his published the supposed agreement.

Future History: Jack Nicklaus is born in Columbus, Ohio. He becomes nationally famous as a golfer in the late 1950s for performing well as an amateur in major tournaments and becomes internationally famous in the 1960s as he dominates the golfing world. Nicklaus goes on to become what many people consider to be the greatest golfer of all time, winning 18 Major Championships as a regular touring pro and many more as an amateur and Senior golfer.

The "Golden Bear," golfer Jack Nicklaus, born on 21 January 1940.

January 1940

January 1, 1940: Finns Carve up the Soviets
January 2, 1940: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
January 3, 1940: Soviets Trapped
January 4, 1940: Soviet Breakout Attempts Fail
January 5, 1940: Dicing Up the Soviets
January 6, 1940: Soviet 44th Division Runs
January 7, 1940: Shakeup in Soviet High Command
January 8, 1940: Ratte Road Battle Ends
January 9, 1940: British Submarines in Peril
January 10, 1940: Mechelen Incident
January 11, 1940: Finns Surround More Soviets
January 12, 1940: New Soviet Attacks at Taipale
January 13, 1940: Fall Gelb Postponed
January 14, 1940: Japan's Government Falls
January 15, 1940: Soviets Prepare More Carefully
January 16, 1940: German Atrocities Uncovered
January 17, 1940: Bletchley Park in Action
January 18, 1940: New Hope for Allied Shipping
January 19, 1940: Finnish Attacks at Salla
January 20, 1940: Churchill Urges Cooperation
January 21, 1940: Asam Maru Incident
January 22, 1940: Dissension Within British Government
January 23, 1940: Dissension in South Africa
January 24, 1940: NKVD Blocking Detachments
January 25, 1940: Auschwitz Site Selected
January 26, 1940: Millionaire Bunker Destroyed
January 27, 1940: U-20 Sinks Four Ships
January 28, 1940: Softening Up the Finns
January 29, 1940: Moscow Willing to Talk
January 30, 1940: Hitler Throws Down the Gauntlet
January 31, 1940: Timoshenko Is Ready

2019

Saturday 18 November 1939

Survivors of the Simon Bolivar.

Battle of the Atlantic: The magnetic mines just laid by the German destroyers do their work quickly. On 18 November 1939, ships are sunk by the mines, including the Dutch liner Simon Bolivar. It strikes two of them. Eighty-six of the 400 on the liner perish.

U-18 (Kapitänleutnant Max-Hermann Bauer) torpedoes and sinks 500-ton British coal freighter Parkhill. All nine crew perish.

U-22 (Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinrich Jenisch) torpedoes and sinks 345-ton British fishing trawler Wigmore. All 16 crew perish.

Yugoslavian freighter Carica Milica, 6,371 tons, hits a mine and sinks in the English channel.

British freighter Blackhill hits a mine and sinks.

The Royal Navy merchant cruiser California captures German freighter Eilbeck and the German freighter Borkum in the Denmark Strait.

The Norwegians detain the German supply ship Westerwald whilst the vessel is using Norwegian waters to return to Germany from the North Atlantic.

The crew of the Africa Shell identifies the Admiral Graf Spee as having sunk their vessel near Madagascar.

More mine-laying activity by the Kriegsmarine near the Humber estuary.

Convoy OA 37 departs from Southend, and OB 37 departs from Liverpool. Convoy HX 9 departs from Halifax.

European Air Operations: There are Luftwaffe aircraft spotted along the east coast of England, including near the Firth of Forth. The Luftwaffe planes apparently violated Dutch airspace to get there, because Dutch fighters fire on them and chase them off.

Anglo/Polish Relations: Poland and Great Britain sign a naval agreement.

Anglo/Dutch/German Relations: The Dutch and British are outraged that the mining of a major traffic lane was not reported by the Germans as required by international law. The British say that the Germans of violating the 1907 Hague Conventions, specifically Article VIII. Holland lodges a formal diplomatic protest.

Ireland: The IRA explodes four small bombs in London's Piccadilly area.

Holocaust: General Johannes Blaskowitz, one of the most highly decorated officers in the Wehrmacht (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 30 September 1939) submits a memorandum to Commander-in-chief Walther von Brauchitsch, who today forwards it on to Hitler. The memorandum complains about the SS and Einsatzgruppen operations in occupied Poland. Apart from everything else, the General complains about the effect that it is having on morale.

For varying reasons, the entire German command structure perceives the memorandum as inappropriate. Hitler himself calls the General's concerns "childish" and calls it a "Salvation Army attitude." Blaskowitz is informally blacklisted preparatory to being relieved entirely from his command in Poland.

Future History: Brenda Vaccaro is born in Brooklyn, New York. She becomes famous as an actress in the 1960s for films such as "Midnight Cowboy" (1969) and "Cactus Flower" (1965). Also, Margaret Atwood is born in Ottawa, Canada. She becomes a well-known novelist.

From left: Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz, General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Gerd von General Field Marshal Rundstedt during a meeting in Paris in 1944; PK KBZ OB West (Jesse, Federal Archive).

November 1939

November 1, 1939: The Jet Flies Again
November 2, 1939: The Soviets Devour Poland
November 3, 1939: Amending the Neutrality Act
November 4, 1939: Roosevelt Signs Neutrality Laws
November 5, 1939: The Spirit of Zossen
November 6, 1939: First Dogfight
November 7, 1939: More Lies About SS Athenia
November 8, 1939: Hitler Almost Killed
November 9, 1939: The Venlo Incident
November 10, 1939: Dutch Panic
November 11, 1939: Poignant Armistice Day
November 12, 1939: Peace Efforts Made and Rejected
November 13, 1939: First Bombing of Great Britain
November 14, 1939: The Dyle Plan
November 15, 1939: Elser Confesses to the Bürgerbräukeller Bombing
November 16, 1939: Martial Law in Prague
November 17, 1939: International Students Day
November 18, 1939: Magnetic Mines
November 19, 1939: Walls Around the Warsaw Ghetto
November 20, 1939: First RN Submarine Victory
November 21, 1939: Salmon & Gluckstein on the Prowl
November 22, 1939: British Recover A Magnetic Mine
November 23, 1939: HMS Rawalpindi Sunk
November 24, 1939: Japanese Enter Nanning
November 25, 1939: The Olympics are a War Casualty
November 26, 1939: Soviets Stage an "Incident" at Mainila
November 27, 1939: German Marriage Becomes Perilous
November 28, 1939: Judenrats in Poland
November 29, 1939: The Soviets Prepare to Invade Finland
November 30, 1939: Winter War Begins

2019