Tuesday 1 April 1941

"General Charles de Gaulle with General Sir Archibald Wavell in Cairo, 1 April 1941." © IWM (E 2324).

Italian/Greek Campaign: The Yugoslavs mobilize the military on 1 April 1941 and dissolve the Senate. Hitler demands demobilization and adherence to the Tripartite Pact.

Ante Pavelić, with Mussolini's permission, uses Italian radio facilities in Florence to transmit an appeal to the people in Croatia calling for its liberation from the Belgrade government by the Axis. Croatia is notable for its strong pro-German sentiments, as opposed to the rest of Yugoslavia which favors the Allies.

British CIGS Sir John Dill is in Belgrade discussing joint defense with Yugoslavian Prime Minister Simovic. There is little that Great Britain can offer except promises of future aid whenever it can be made available.

In Hungary, Prime Minister Teleki cooperates with Admiral Horthy and authorizes the mobilization of the Hungarian Army. However, he remains opposed to any military participation by Hungary in attacks on Greece or Yugoslavia.

East African Campaign: The British stampede continues in Eritrea. The Indian 5th Infantry Division, now well past the broken Italian defenses at Keren, advances to Asmara. The Italian 2nd Colonial Division attempts to block the British at Adi Tecesan, which is 35 miles (60 km) from Asmara, but the Indian troops blow through the position. Italian General Nicola Carnimeo then declares Asmara an open city by sending a pair of policemen out with a white flag.

Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto enters the Canale Navigabile at Taranto, 1 April 1941. It is heading for the dockyard in Mar Piccolo to repair damage from a torpedo during the Battle of Cape Matapan. Those are 15-inch guns, and next to them are 6-inch guns, with 8.5-inch antiaircraft guns seen along the side.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe moves several units to Austrian airfields in preparation for Operation Marita. These include elements of JG 27, 54, 77, along with  LG 2  and ZG 26.

Some Luftwaffe planes do remain on the Channel Front. To prove it, Bf 109s strafe a train near Berwick.

Battle of the Atlantic: German cruiser Admiral Scheer completes its journey homeward from Brest to Kiel.

The Luftwaffe attacks Convoy HXM-114 off Smalls in Pembrokeshire. Five ships are hit:

• 7982-ton British tanker San Conrado (sinks while under tow)
• 7639-ton Norwegian tanker Hidlefjord (sunk, 29 dead)
• 7984-ton British tanker Adellan (damaged, taken to Milford Haven)
• 8955-ton British tanker Chesapeake (makes it to Walton Bay)
• 9603-ton Norwegian tanker Kaia Knudsen (towed to Milford Haven)

The Luftwaffe attacks Royal Navy destroyer HMS Quorn in the River Medway. There are two near misses that cause some damage.

Swedish 5842-ton freighter Lidingo hits a mine and sinks west of Falsterbo. After the captain beaches it, the Lidingo is towed to Malmo, Sweden.

Two German freighters - 4833-ton Hermonthis and 5619-ton Muenchen - are trying to escape through the British blockade of Callao, Peru when they are spotted by Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser HMS Prince Henry. Both are scuttled by their crews.

A number of other German freighters scuttle themselves in Mexican and South American ports:

• 1120-ton freighter Cerigo
• 4323-ton freighter Eisenbach
• 6310-ton freighter Friesland
• 5898-ton freighter Leipzig
• 4351-ton freighter Hameln
• Freighter Seostris
• 5578-ton freighter Monserrate.

Italian freighter Himalaya, a refugee from Massawa, makes it to Rio de Janeiro.

Commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet Admiral Sir John Tovey transfers his flag from battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth to newly commissioned King George V.

The German supply system in the Atlantic continues in fine operational form. German tanker Nordmark restocks from German tanker Ill in the Mid-Atlantic.

The British Navy gives the Italian Fleet good ironing at Cape Matapan. By Strube, 'The Daily Express', April 1, 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The British, under pressure from the Afrika Korps, withdraw toward Benghazi. Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame, General Officer Commanding Western Desert Force, also warns the commanders in Benghazi to prepare the city for possible evacuation. The German 5th Light Division, which has a small position within the Mersa Brega (also known simply as Brega) defenses, finds to its soldiers' delight that the British have left. They immediately occupied the town and the surrounding area. Advance units of the division pursue the British east toward the Via Balbia. There is no fighting at all - the British 2nd Armoured Division simply bugs out.

The Luftwaffe aids the Afrika Korps advance, using Stukas to destroy British tanks and trucks. By the end of the day, the advanced German detachments of the 5th Light Division are approaching Agedabia. Italian Libyan Commander Gariboldi, meanwhile, tries to place the breaks on the German advance, sending a letter to Afrika Korps Commander Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel warning of the "strong enemy defense" and the need to wait for "necessary reinforcements." Rommel technically is subordinate to the Italian command in North Africa, but displays a strong tendency to ignore them (and, at times, the Wehrmacht high command as well). The Italians also fail to supply transport planes for Rommel's Gialo operation, so it is postponed again.

Convoys ANF and AG 10 depart from Alexandria bound for Piraeus, while Convoys ASF-22 and AS-23 depart from Piraeus.

An Italian convoy of four troopships departs from Naples bound for Tripoli.

Battle of the Indian Ocean: Royal Navy destroyer Kandahar stops 4188-ton German freighter Bertram Rickmers, which fled from Massawa on 31 March. The crew scuttles the freighter off Gondumiat.

Another German freighter, 7566-ton Lichtenfels, tries to make a run for it from Massawa as well. However, it spots the Royal Navy patrols and has to return to Massawa.

Convoy BS-22 departs from Suez.

Anglo/Yugoslavian Relations: While things have changed in Belgrade following the March 27 coup, they haven't changed that much. The new Yugoslavian Prime Minister, General Dušan Simović, is under no illusions about the country's military power. British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, who had been on his way back to Britain when the coup took place, is now back in Athens and requests a meeting there with Simović. However, Simović is a former chief of the general staff and is well aware of the danger facing the country. He turns down the meeting so as not to provoke the Germans into a quick invasion.

Italian/Japanese Relations: Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka moves on from Berlin to Rome. He meets separately with King Victor Emmanuel III and Mussolini.

US/Mexican Relations: The US and Mexico reach an agreement in Washington for joint air defense. Each can use the other's airfields.

Anglo/US Relations: British Far East Commander RAF Air Marshal Brooke-Popham flies to Manila for consultations with US commanders General MacArthur and Admiral Hart.

The body of Jan Willem Ter Braak, as found in an air raid shelter on 1 April 1941.

Spy Stuff: A boy finds the body of Jan Willem (or Wilhelm) Ter Braak in a Cambridge, England air-raid shelter. Ter Braak is a German (actual name Engelbertus Fukken) spy who parachuted into Buckinghamshire on 2 November 1940. He had committed suicide using an Abwehr-issue pistol. The reason for his suicide requires speculation, but he had run out of money and faced eviction from his flat. He also had reason to suspect that British Intelligence was closing in on him. The British claim that they had learned about his spying and were waiting for him back at his room.

German Military: Hans-Joachim Marseille receives a promotion to Leutnant. His unit, JG 27, is scheduled to head east along with many other formations to aid in Operation Marita.

Werner Haase, Hitler's deputy personal physician, joins the SS.

US Military: Rear Admiral John H. Newton, fresh off his successful visit to Australia with his cruiser squadron, arrives at Suva, Fiji.

The US Navy takes over artificial Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Built for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, Treasure Island will be turned into Naval Station Treasure Island.

Iraq: Raschid Ali al-Gaylani and his military conspirators, known as the "Brethren of the Golden Squares," seize power. Ali initially announces that he is the Chief of the National Defence Government, then becomes Prime Minister. This is in part due to German support and funding, while Regent 'Abd al-Ilah of Hejaz moves on from the British gunboat where he has taken refuge to Amman, Jordan. The Germans have great hopes to use the uprising as a way to undermine British power throughout the Middle East. The British, meanwhile, have a large airbase at Habbaniya and don't intend to leave. Thus, the stage is set for an epic clash in unexpected theater operations.

A Plymouth advertisement, April 1941.

Antarctic: US Interior Department ships Bear and North Star depart Punta Arenas, Chile. They carry the crew from Admiral Byrd's Little America outpost in Antarctica. North Star heads up the west coast, while Bear heads up the east coast.

Japan: Rice is rationed. While Japan is not at war, it greatly depends upon fertilizers based upon phosphate. The German raider Komet attack on Nauru of 27 December 1940 crippled phosphate exports upon which Japan greatly relied. Even though shipments have resumed recently, they are at greatly reduced levels. Japan thus has run short of fertilizer, which has strained its relations with Germany.

China: The Japanese 11th Army continues withdrawing under pressure after the Battle of Shangkao. The Chinese recover Kaoan and Hsiangfukuan.

American Homefront: The Ford Motor Company has fired several union members at its River Rouge plant in Michigan. The other workers go out on strike.

Joseph Creamer, owner/operator of Station W71NY of New York City signs the first contract for advertising on a commercial FM station. This is a big change for the radio industry, as advertisers to this point have felt that it was not worthwhile to advertise on FM.


March 1941

March 1, 1941: Rettungsboje
March 2, 1941: Oath of Kufra
March 3, 1941: Germans in Bulgaria
March 4, 1941: Lofoten Islands Raid
March 5, 1941: Cooperation With Japan
March 6, 1941: Battle of Atlantic
March 7, 1941: Prien Goes Under
March 8, 1941: Cafe de Paris
March 9, 1941: Italian Spring Offensive
March 10, 1941: Humanitarian Aid
March 11, 1941: Lend Lease Becomes Law
March 12, 1941: A New Magna Carta
March 13, 1941: Clydeside Wrecked
March 14, 1941: Leeds Blitz
March 15, 1941: Cruisers Strike!
March 16, 1941: Kretschmer Attacks
March 17, 1941: Happy Time Ends
March 18, 1941: Woolton Pie
March 19, 1941: London Hit Hard
March 20, 1941: Romeo and Juliet
March 21, 1941: Plymouth Blitz
March 22, 1941: Grand Coulee Dam
March 23, 1941: Malta Under Siege
March 24, 1941: Afrika Korps Strikes!
March 25, 1941: Yugoslavia Joins The Party
March 26, 1941: Barchini Esplosivi
March 27, 1941: Belgrade Coup
March 28, 1941: Cape Matapan Battle
March 29, 1941: Lindbergh Rants
March 30, 1941: Commissar Order
March 31, 1941: Cookie Bombs

April 1941
April 1, 1941: Rommel Takes Brega
April 2, 1941:Rommel Takes Agedabia
April 3, 1941: Convoy SC-26 Destruction
April 4, 1941: Rommel Takes Benghazi
April 5, 1941: Rommel Rolling
April 6, 1941: Operation Marita
April 7, 1941: Rommel Takes Derna
April 8, 1941: Yugoslavia Crumbling
April 9, 1941: Thessaloniki Falls
April 10, 1941: USS Niblack Attacks
April 11, 1941: Good Friday Raid
April 12, 1941: Belgrade and Bardia Fall
April 13, 1941: Soviet-Japanese Pact
April 14, 1941: King Peter Leaves
April 15, 1941: Flying Tigers
April 16, 1941: Battle of Platamon
April 17, 1941: Yugoslavia Gone
April 18, 1941: Me 262 First Flight
April 19, 1941: London Smashed
April 20, 1941: Hitler's Best Birthday
April 21, 1941: Greek Army Surrenders
April 22, 1941: Pancevo Massacre
April 23, 1941: CAM Ships
April 24, 1941: Battle of Thermopylae
April 25, 1941: Operation Demon
April 26, 1941: Operation Hannibal
April 27, 1941: Athens Falls
April 28, 1941: Hitler Firm about Barbarossa
April 29, 1941: Mainland Greece Falls
April 30, 1941: Rommel Attacks

2020

Sunday 23 March 1941

Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto at Naples, 23 March 1941.

Italian/Greek Campaign: The Italian Primavera Offensive has been a giant dud as of 23 March 1941. It has accomplished only local gains at the expense of massive casualties. However, the silver lining for the Italians is that at least they have stopped the Greek progress toward the key port of Valona. Given that the Germans are preparing to invade Greece within the next few weeks, that is sufficient to preserve an Italian presence in the country.

The Italians, despite their failures, continue to believe they can make progress. After dark, the Italians attack around Bubesi in the north and have some success. In fact, they manage to break into the Greek lines. However, the Greeks quickly counterattack and restore their front. It is just another continuation of the long-standing pattern, with a lot of Italian soldiers dead and nothing to show for it.

The RAF raids Berat in south-central Albania.

The Italians continue to reinforce their army in Albania. Four Italian transports/freighters depart from Bari bound for Durazzo in Albania. Greek submarine Triton (Lt.Cdr. D. Zepos, HN) is lying in wait. It torpedoes and damages 5154-ton Italian transport Carnia about 30 nautical miles east of Cape Galo, Brindisi. The Carnia is towed to Brindisi, but ultimately the ship is written off and scrapped. The Triton also attacks 1216-ton freighter Anna Capano but misses.

East African Campaign: Major-General Lewis Heath, in command of 5th Indian Infantry Division, prepares his troops for the next British attack on Keren. Specifically, Dongolaas Gorge is the keyhole that must be entered in order to take the strategic city, but it is heavily defended by Italian troops placed behind the entrance. While the British have made some progress on the flanks, most importantly taking Fort Dologorodoc to the right of the gorge, the gorge itself is as well-defended as ever. After dark, Heath sends reconnaissance patrols to the areas of East Gate Spur and Hillocks "A" and "B," which are major objectives of the coming attack.

The Italians have blocked the gorge itself with boulders and other debris which the British must clear simply to enter it. Given this situation, Heath has decided to attack the Italian defenders of the gorge with a flank attack, which he hopes will give the sappers time to clear the boulders blocking the gorge. This will enable a thrust "up the gut" of the gorge which the Italians cannot stop. The attack is planned for the 24th.

The South African 2nd Division arrives by ship at Berbera, British Somaliland.

An RAF reconnaissance photo showing the damage to Berlin from the attack of 23 March 1941. Damage is light and scattered... now. If the damage seems hard to see, you're not alone: the RAF personnel who study these films use special lenses to spot the damage.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command sends 48 aircraft against Berlin, 31 against Kiel (18 tons of high explosives dropped) and 26 against Hanover (large fires and three large green explosions are seen by the bombers returning from Berlin). Coastal Command attacks Quiberon in Brittany just south of Lorient and destroys some barracks. The Berlin attack targets the inland port in the vicinity of Putlitzstrasse Station. The bombers drop 10,000+ incendiaries which start several fires. The RAF crews report a heavy antiaircraft fire and thick haze over the target. The British lose one medium bomber.

The Luftwaffe apparently takes a rest after their major raids on London, Plymouth, and other cities recently. It launches only scattered lone-raider attacks both during the day and after dark.

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies visits recently bombed Plymouth, which he was barred from re-entering on the 22nd due to the catastrophic night attacks. He tours Admiral Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, which Menzies notes has been hit by a bomb. He also witnesses a delayed-fuse bomb being dug up "and try to look as if I feel safe." He then travels to Winston Churchill's estate at Chequers for dinner.

British freighter Tabarka, sunk on 23 March 1941 as a blockship at Scapa Flow.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-110 (Kptlt. Fritz-Julius Lemp), on its first patrol out of Kiel, has a very bad day. It attacks 2468-ton Norwegian freighter Siremalm with three torpedoes - a lot for a relatively small ship. Two of the torpedoes miss, and the third hits but proves to be a dud (a common occurrence in northern waters at this stage of the war). Frustrated and unwilling to use any more torpedoes, Captain Lemp surfaces and has his men use the 105 mm deck gun. However, the crew is green, and this is their first time using the gun in action. They forget to remove the gun's tampion (plug) from the barrel, which causes it to explode with the first round. Three men are wounded. Lemp then has his crew use the 37 and 20 mm antiaircraft guns against the ship, but these are like flea bites on an elephant. The Siremalm escapes and U-110 has to head to its new port of Lorient due to the gun incident.

U-551 (Kptlt. Karl Schrott), on its first patrol, is attacked by anti-submarine warfare trawler HMT Visenda about 93 miles south of Iceland. The depth charge attack succeeds, sinking the U-boat, and all 45 men on board perish.

U-97 (Kptlt. Udo Heilmann), on its second patrol operating out of Lorient, is between Cape Farewell, Greenland and southern Ireland (600 miles west of Land's End) when it spots 8077-ton British tanker Chama. Some accounts place this incident on the 24th because it happens right around midnight, and technically the ship may sink on the 24th - but the attack is launched at 23:26 on the 23rd. This is one of those grey areas where different dates are equally valid. All 59 men on board perish.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Richmond runs aground off Benbane Head at Holyhead, Ireland. After it refloats, it requires repairs at Holyhead and then Southampton that last until 28 May.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 197-ton British trawler Elmira between the Scottish mainland and the Faroe Islands. There are ten deaths and one survivor. To the southwest, the Luftwaffe also damages 221-ton British trawler Samurai.

The Royal Navy scuttles 2624-ton British freighter Tabarka (requisitioned French ship Pollux) in Kirk Sound, Scapa Flow. It later will be temporarily refloated and moved elsewhere.

Minelayer HMS Teviotbank lays minefield BS 52 off the English east coast.

Convoy OB 301 departs from Liverpool, Convoy SL 69 departs from Freetown.

SS Perthshire, set on fire at Malta today immediately after arriving with Convoy MW 6.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Four freighters of Convoy MW 6 arrive at Malta's Grand Harbour as part of Royal Navy Operation MC-9. They make port in the mid-morning and quickly unload.

The Germans notice the convoy's arrival (apparently) and within an hour the Luftwaffe arrives overhead with another major raid. A large formation of 15 Junkers Ju 88 Stukas attacks, prompting a large RAF response. As usual in these attacks, the Luftwaffe suffers heavily - the RAF and antiaircraft crews claim 13 planes - but the defensive forces on Malta are slight. The British observe that the Luftwaffe Stuka pilots do not attack as aggressively as they have in the past, releasing their bombs before completing a standard dive. There is another raid in the afternoon around 16:00 which damages freighters City of Lincoln and Perthshire, which is set on fire. There apparently is only one death, a sergeant manning an antiaircraft Bofors gun.

After losing 5 planes on the 22nd, the RAF loses another two today. It is becoming clear that the Germans can eliminate the British air defense if they are willing to continue sustaining such large losses. Based on today's raid and the preceding ones, along with invasion fears, the British reach a decision to withdraw all bombers and flying boats from the island. This will vastly reduce reconnaissance capabilities and the ability to bomb Naples and other Italian targets, but the large planes are proving extremely vulnerable to the Luftwaffe attacks, with several recently destroyed and damaged.

The British now are moving troops to Gozo - the island northwest of the main Malta island - due to invasion fears. This is Operation Picnic, and it is disguised from the Italian spies on the island as simply normal troop exercises.

Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel, having received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross at the hand of Adolf Hitler, returns to North Africa. While under orders not to do anything major until he receives his full complement of troops, Rommel orders a small attack on the most advanced British positions west of El Agheila. His Afrika Korps troops in the vicinity of Marada run into British artillery, so they call in the Luftwaffe. Three Bf 110s (known as a Kette) shoot up an English armored car patrol, without much effect, while others attack Solluch.

The recently arrived Brescia Division takes up defensive positions west of El Agheila. Rommel's convoys have been getting through, and the Afrika Corps is stocked with fuel and ready to rumble. The British, meanwhile, have been replacing experienced troops with well-armed but green troops which can charitably be described as garrison units. For instance, the battle-tested 4th Armoured Division has been pulled from the front and sent to Greece. In its place is the 2nd Armoured Division, which is new to the front line and manning a key stretch of the line near El Agheila.

Norma Jeane Baker (Marilyn Monroe) acting "fresh" outside her home at 11348 Nebraska Avenue in West Los Angeles. This is some time in March 1941. Norma Jeane is imitating Claudette Colbert's famous scene in "It Happened One Night" (1934). The film Colbert film also happens to be a favorite of both Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin (according to William L. Shirer in "Berlin Diary").

Battle of the Indian Ocean: New Zealand light cruiser Leander is operating between Madagascar and Mauritius when it spots 5267-ton Vichy French freighter Charles L.D. The Leander takes the freighter to Mauritius to be interned.

German 8516-ton freighter Oder and Italian 6366-ton freighter India make a run for it from Massawa, Eritrea. The British are patrolling the seas nearby, and escaping will not be easy.

US/Australian Relations: Rear Admiral Newton takes his cruiser squadron (USS Chicago and Portland, along with five destroyers) out of Sydney Harbour after a highly successful visit. He heads to Brisbane for another three-day visit. There have been astonishing street demonstrations in Sydney, with residents acting as if the American ships are their own ships returning from some great, winning battle. Acting Prime Minister Arthur Fadden cables President Roosevelt:

It is my privilege and pleasure to inform you personally that the visit of the squadron has been in every way an outstanding success and has, I am sure, done even more than we here had hoped to strengthen ties of friendship between australia and the United States of America.

The government and population remain highly apprehensive about Japanese aggression to the south, which no doubt contributes to all the warm feelings.

German/Hungarian Relations: Hitler meets with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs László Bárdossy de Bárdos. Bardossy believes that Germany will win the war and works well with Hitler. In general, within the Hungarian government, there is less a sense of kinship with the Germans and more a sense of fatalism that there is no sustainable path other than falling into the German orbit. However, Bardossy is viewed within the Hungarian government as more in line with Hitler than most others and a true fascist.

Yugoslavia: News of regent Prince Paul's decision to sign the Tripartite Pact has seeped out to the population, and demonstrations erupt. Hitler, meanwhile, has imposed a deadline on Yugoslavia to sign the pact on the agreed terms, which include no demands placed upon the Yugoslavian Army to assist the Wehrmacht. If the Yugoslavs do not sign the Pact by the deadline, then these special dispensations (similar to those granted to Bulgaria) will be withdrawn. In essence, Hitler simply wants the Yugoslavian government to permit the right of transit of the Wehrmacht to attack Greece. Of course, once Greece is subdued, Yugoslavia will be surrounded by German-occupied countries so any hope of retaining an independent foreign policy after that would be forlorn.

The Band of the 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade marches down Georgia Street past the Vancouver Hotel. 23 March 1941 (Vancouver Gunners).

Brazil: Brazil has large coffee surpluses as a result of the closing of the European markets to imports. Typically, Europe purchases 805 million pounds per year, but due to the war, it is purchasing essentially nothing. The US is the only remaining large customer. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the 1941 coffee crop is predicted to be the best in years. Coffee prices have collapsed.

Today, the government announces that new uses have been found for the 198,000,000-pound coffee bean surplus remaining from 1940 and an additional 1,436,160,000 pounds purchased by the government. Specifically, it states that plastics created by US scientist Herbert Spencer Polin on the 71st floor of the Chrysler Building called "cafelite" can be created from coffee beans. It is heat-resistant and noise-proof, has good insulating properties, and also is resistant to termites and other pests. The discovery gives hope to Brazilians that the warehouses full of aging coffee beans will prove useful and profitable.

Holocaust: Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler sends a memorandum to Adolf Hitler entitled, "Some thoughts about the treatment of foreign peoples in the Eastern Territories." This topic has been under study by the German government recently as the plans for Operation Barbarossa are finalized. The memo states:

I hope to see the very concept of Jewry completely obliterated.

Hitler tells Himmler to keep this top secret.

Polish automobile designer Tadeusz Tański, who among other things designed the first Polish armored car and the first Polish serially-built car, perishes in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

China: The Battle of Shanggao continues, with both sides regrouping after the latest Japanese attack. The Japanese are preparing for another surge to begin on the 24th, and today put in minor attacks around Shangkao.

British Homefront: Britain holds a National Day of Prayer at the request of the King.

The New Yorker - 23 March 1946 - Issue # 1101 - Vol. 22 - N° 6 - Cover by Helen E. Hokinson.

March 1941

March 1, 1941: Rettungsboje
March 2, 1941: Oath of Kufra
March 3, 1941: Germans in Bulgaria
March 4, 1941: Lofoten Islands Raid
March 5, 1941: Cooperation With Japan
March 6, 1941: Battle of Atlantic
March 7, 1941: Prien Goes Under
March 8, 1941: Cafe de Paris
March 9, 1941: Italian Spring Offensive
March 10, 1941: Humanitarian Aid
March 11, 1941: Lend Lease Becomes Law
March 12, 1941: A New Magna Carta
March 13, 1941: Clydeside Wrecked
March 14, 1941: Leeds Blitz
March 15, 1941: Cruisers Strike!
March 16, 1941: Kretschmer Attacks
March 17, 1941: Happy Time Ends
March 18, 1941: Woolton Pie
March 19, 1941: London Hit Hard
March 20, 1941: Romeo and Juliet
March 21, 1941: Plymouth Blitz
March 22, 1941: Grand Coulee Dam
March 23, 1941: Malta Under Siege
March 24, 1941: Afrika Korps Strikes!
March 25, 1941: Yugoslavia Joins The Party
March 26, 1941: Barchini Esplosivi
March 27, 1941: Belgrade Coup
March 28, 1941: Cape Matapan Battle
March 29, 1941: Lindbergh Rants
March 30, 1941: Commissar Order
March 31, 1941: Cookie Bombs

2020

Wednesday 8 January 1941

HMS Gloucester enters Grand Harbour, Malta on 8 January 1941.

Italian/Greek Campaign: Greek Commander-in-chief Papagos on 8 January 1941 launches a major attack on the Italian Julia division defending Klisura Pass. The Greek II Corps leads the attack, with the 1st Division on the left and the 15th and 11th Divisions on the right. The Greeks make good progress in very hard fighting, putting themselves in a position to finally capture the pass.

The Klisura Pass is considered necessary for the Greeks to press on and take the critical Italian port of Valona and free troops for the defense of eastern Greece against an anticipated German invasion from Bulgaria. The Italian commander in Albania, Cavallero, immediately begins transferring troops from other sectors with which he intended to launch his own offensive.

European Air Operations: The RAF air command on Malta launches a night raid against Naples. The Italians have dispersed their fleet to Naples and other points, but the RAF is tracking them down. Battleship Giulio Cesare is damaged slightly by three near misses and must be moved to La Spezia for repairs. It is not as significant a blow as it might be, because the Italians are not using their capital ships anyway - though they have plenty of fuel to do so if they wished.

Another benefit of the mission for the British is that it induces the Italians to move their battleship Vittorio Veneto to La Spezia as well, to get it out of harm's way - a rather incongruous way to handle what should be your mightest offensive weapon. The Italian naval command at this point appears obsessed with keeping a "fleet in being," a strategy that in a calculated fashion uses the threat of warships to draw enemy airpower away from on-shore targets. There are pros and cons to this strategy, which certainly appears to fit with the overall Italian mindset during the conflict, but essentially removes these warships from active operations where they might actually be of strategic use (such as off North Africa or Albania).

RAF Bomber Command also sends seven Wellington bombers to raid Wilhelmshaven. The target is German battleship Tirpitz, still under construction but almost finished. The RAF does not score any hits, though some near misses scuff up the paint a bit. This is another example of Axis warships drawing fire away from other, arguably more productive, targets. It is the one area in which the Axis navies constantly excel.

For its part, the Luftwaffe sends a few scattered raiders across during the day but stays on the ground after dark.

The prototype Vultee XP-54, nicknamed the "Swoose Goose."

Battle of the Atlantic: The Luftwaffe (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of I,/KG 40) bombs and sinks 6278-ton British freighter Clytoneus in the Western Approaches. Everybody survives. KG 40 has just been turned over to Admiral Doenitz's forces to assist with U-boat operations.

British 683 ton Trinity House tender Strathearn hits a mine and sinks in the North Sea. There are 15 deaths.

Royal Navy minelayers HMS Adventure and Teviotbank lay minefields ZME 12 and BS 48, respectively. These are in the St. Georges Channel and off the east coast.

Convoy OB 271 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 378 departs from Southend, Convoy FN 379 is postponed, Convoy HG 50 departs from Gibraltar.

Royal Navy destroyer HMAS Nizam (Lt. Commander Max J. Clark) commissioned.

U-559 launched.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Excess, the latest supply operation for Malta, continues with a complicated series of ship movements. Force A departs from Suda Bay, Crete and heads toward Malta. Force B warships arrive at Malta and disembark their troops, then quickly depart for escort duties of convoys still headed toward the island. Force D is reinforced by Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the destroyer HMAS Stuart. Force D then joins Force A southeast of Malta but then switches to escort Convoy ME 6. So far, Operation Excess is running as smoothly as previous convoys and virtually without incident.

The Australian 6th Division begins active patrols around the Tobruk perimeter, probing Italian defenses. They find a similar layout to the one at Bardia, two defensive lines with antitank ditches, barbed wire, and concrete pillboxes.

General Archibald Wavell, British Middle East Commander, replies diplomatically to Prime Minister Churchill's insinuations of the past couple of days that his army has become a haven for slackers:

I can assure you that I have always had question of rearward services constantly in mind and have been as anxious as anyone to cut down on non-fighting units. Except for anti-aircraft.... But the more I see of War, especially present-day War, the more I am impressed by the part that administration plays.

This dispute about the "Tooth-to-tail Ratio" will continue on both sides, though it really has not begun yet on the German side. As much as anything, such concerns are a sure sign of a military that is overstretched and unable to meet all of the threats that are popping up. Wavell, incidentally, is absolutely correct that modern wars are won not by valor in combat (alone), but by logistics and weaponry. This is a lesson that is and will be hammered home brutally to some participants during the course of the conflict.

At Malta, cruisers HMS Gloucester and Southampton dock just long enough to disembark their troops, then head back out to sea. These troops buttress the island's antiaircraft defenses.

The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) approaches the Italian administration center of Murzuk, in the southwest corner of Libya and hundreds of miles distant from other British forces. They are aided by local French and tribesmen. Their intent is to attack the Italian airfield and headquarters at Murzuk both to disrupt Italian administration and to incite violence throughout Libya.

Convoy AS 10 departs from Piraeus for Suda Bay.

Battle of the Pacific: Contract workers arrive on Wake Island onboard the USS William Ward Burrows. They are to construct a naval air station (NAS) there.

USS Wasp (CV-7), in Norfolk Naval Shipyard for refitting, 8 January 1941.

Anglo/Free French Relations: The British release Vice Admiral Muselier, imprisoned since New Year's day on espionage and treason charges. The British MI5 intelligence branch concludes that Muselier has been set up with fake documents planted by two security people (Commandant Howard and Adjutant Colin) hired on their own recommendation. The reasons for the smear are murky, apparently, Muselier offended Howard in some way and he had Colin draw up the phony documents which, among other things, suggested that Muselier compromised Operation Menace (the failed attack on Dakar). Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Anthony Eden tenders a note of abject apology.

This decision avoids a very sharp rupture in Anglo/French relations. Charles de Gaulle views the entire affair as a plot by MI5 to discredit him personally, and had been on the brink of turning his back on the British - to the extent possible, as he essentially is a British client ruler - had the charges not been dropped.

This is a much better outcome politically than if Winston Churchill had followed his initial inclinations and had Muselier shot outright. However, de Gaulle forever after holds a grudge against the British intelligence service due to this incident. Muselier, for his part, returns to his duties in charge of Free French naval forces.

US/Vichy French Relations: Admiral William D. Leahy presents his credentials to the Petain government in Vichy. This comes one day after Roosevelt accepted former ambassador Bullitt's resignation.

Anglo/US Relations: Roosevelt observer "Wild Bill" Donovan arrives in Cairo for talks with British Middle East Commander General Wavell.

North Fort Lewis, Pierce County, Nebraska, home to the US 41st Infantry Division. President Roosevelt has inducted the 41st Division into federal service for a term of one year. January 8, 1941 (Courtesy Lewis Army Museum).

German Military: Adolf Hitler convenes a meeting of his senior military advisors at Berchtesgaden. He admits that Germany cannot invade England until it is "crippled" and the Luftwaffe "has complete air superiority." Neither of those things has happened or appears likely to happen any time soon (though the U-boat campaign is showing great promise in the former area). Hitler places his hopes on eliminating all opposition on the Continent, relying on the clear superiority of the Wehrmacht on land. Hitler plans to shore up the Italians both in Greece and North Africa, but he does not trust them and wants no communications to them which they can pass along to the British.

This meeting is the beginning of Hitler's acknowledgment that he has no real allies in Western Europe. He does not trust the Italians, and he knows now the Vichy French and Spanish will never help him conquer the British. Planning for Operation Attila, the occupation of Vichy France and seizure of the French fleet at Toulon continues.

Hitler evidently has been paying attention to events in Washington, too. President Roosevelt's veiled threats during his recent State of the Union speech obviously did not escape his attention. He tells his leaders that war with the United States may be approaching as well. Hitler and his cronies live under the delusion that the US cannot intervene on the Continent in any time frame that might affect the current wars in progress or others being contemplated. This is because of, among other reasons, the so-far successful U-boat campaign and the huge head start that Germany has in military preparations and achievements.

British Military: While Hitler is busy with his war conference at the Berghof, Winston Churchill is holding similar meetings at Whitehall. The Defence Committee is studying the Balkan situation. Anthony Eden, having a busy day, strongly advocates sending British troops to Greece immediately in order to induce Turkey to join the Allied side and form a "Balkan bloc." Churchill himself says that "there was no other course open to us but to make certain that we had spared no effort to help the Greeks who had shown themselves so worthy." Thus, the matter basically is decided, although it must be ascertained whether it is possible.

The Chiefs of Staff thus cable Commander-in-Chief of the RAF's Middle East Command Air Marshal Sir Arthur Murray Longmore and ask him if air units are available for immediate transfer to Greece. Longmore replies that he wants to keep his units supporting General Wavell's advance, but he does not have the final say. Discussions of the Defence Committee on this key strategic question continue into the 9th.

Japanese Military: Army Minister Tojo Hideki issues a military decree, "Instructions For the Battlefield," which essentially commands Japanese soldiers to fight to the death rather than be captured.

Soviet Military: The second round of war games begins. This time, General Zhukov commands the Soviet forces, and General Kulik commands the invading "Blue" forces.

US Military: The USAAC orders the first prototype of the Vultee XP-54.

Due to lingering disagreements about whether the US Pacific fleet should be based at Hawaii (among other things), President Roosevelt decides to replace Admiral James Richardson as Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet (CinCPac) and CinCUS (should the Pacific and Atlantic fleets ever merge). Admiral Husband E. Kimmel will replace him effective 1 February 1941. In addition, Admiral Ernest J. King, an advocate of a strong US naval presence in the Pacific, will become Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CinCLant). Richardson will hold no further active commands.

Baltimore News-Post, 8 January 1941.

US Government: Following President Roosevelt's militaristic State of the Union address, his administration releases a proposed budget of $17.5 billion for the Fiscal Year 1942 (beginning 1 July 1941). This budget includes a massive $10.8 billion war (defense) budget (it is still called the War Department, not the Department of Defense, at this point). With military expenditures exceeding 50% of all government spending, this is a record peacetime commitment, the highest in US history.

Canadian Government: Accepting the recommendation of its subcommittee, the Canadian war council excludes Japanese-Canadians from military service.

Indochina: The conflict between Thailand and the Vichy French continues to sizzle. The Royal Thai Air Force attacks the French at Siem Reap and Battambang.

German Homefront: It has taken the better part of a year, but the port facilities at Narvik, Norway have been repaired. It is the key port for the shipment of Swedish iron ore to German war factories. Today, the first freighter departs for Germany carrying ore.

British Homefront: Lord Baden-Powell, the inspiration for the Boy and Girl Scout movement, passes away at age 83. Baden-Powell is one of the very few prominent British people ever to have kind words for Hitler's "Mein Kampf," calling it "A wonderful book, with good ideas on education, health, propaganda, organization etc. - and ideals which Hitler does not practice himself." Having spent the last few decades of his life in Africa, he passes away in Kenya.

American Homefront: Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" is nearing completion. Newspaper critics have received an advance rough-cut screening (minus the score), and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (uninvited) watches and later writes that the film is a "vicious and irresponsible attack on a great man" - the great man being William Randolph Hearst. Hearst hears about this and remonstrates with his own gossip columnist, Louella Parsons, about why she hasn't told him that the film was calculated to attack him.

Parsons, on or about this date, then angrily demands a private screening of the film herself (apparently she did not crash the critics' screening like Hedda). She threatens a lawsuit (on Hearst's behalf" and hints darkly about other means of professional retaliation. Nobody messes with William Randolph Hearst, not only because of his money, power, and influence as the boss of a national chain of newspapers but also because of the dead guy once found on his private yacht. RKO Pictures studio head George J. Schaefer accedes to Parsons' demands and schedules a private screening for her (and Hearst's lawyers) on 10 January.

Future History: Graham Arthur Chapman is born in Stoneygate, Leicester. Chapman develops an interest in writing and teams up with John Cleese, another struggling comedian, whilst still in school. They write for various television comedy series, then team up with other young comedians (Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam) in the 1960s to form a sketch comedy group, Flying Circus. Together, they develop various classic comedy sketches, which lead to a television series of their own and a series of comedy films. Everyone within the group basically agrees that Chapman is the best actor in the troupe (at least at that time, though John Cleese also becomes a renowned comedy actor outside the group). Perhaps Chapman's high point with the group is playing the lead role in classic "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Chapman continues with Monty Python and branches out into his own successful career but passes away in 1989 from cancer at age 48.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about President Roosevelt's massive military preparations. "Thin Ice," published January 8, 1941, by S. J. Ray.

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

Wednesday 27 November 1940

An Italian battleship (probably the Vittorio Veneto) firing at the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The Royal Navy is engaged on 27 November 1940 in one of their typical supply convoys to Malta - Operation Collar - but they go to the well once too often. Trying to pull the same trick as in August, with the successful Operation Hurry, Force H goes to the well once too often. The Italian Navy, meanwhile, regains a small measure of self-respect after the disaster at Taranto two weeks ago.

The Italian intelligence service has spotted the Royal Navy south of Sardinia. The British force is seen to be of moderate size. Two Italian battleships and supporting ships set out to intercept. Italian torpedo boat Sirio spots the British fleet late on the 26th and reports its position. The Royal Navy ships then steer north to put open water between them and the freighters. At 09:45, an Italian IMAM Ro.43 floatplane from cruiser Bolzano spots the Royal Navy ships. RAF planes spot the Italian fleet nine minutes later, and the game is on.

Admiral Somerville in command of Force F splits his force, which now fortuitously is joined by Force D from Alexandria, into two main battle groups. The forces are fairly evenly matched. The fire between the two fleets commences at 12:22 at a range of 23,500 meters.

Italian destroyer Lanciere suffers serious damage (towed to port). Royal Navy cruiser HMS Berick takes an 8 inch (203 mm) shell to her Y turret that kills seven men and wounds nine others. Another shell destroys its remaining aft turret. Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Renown intervenes, but then Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto comes within range and opens fire. This forces the Royal Navy ships to retire, and the battle is over after 54 minutes. It is a minor Italian victory, both because of the damage to the British cruiser Berwick and the fact that the Royal Navy vessels are forced to retire.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is not happy. He believes that Admiral Somerville lacks the necessary aggressive spirit and should not have broken off the engagement. A board of inquiry exonerates Somerville. In fact, it is the Italians who had more cause to be upset, because the Vittorio Veneto could have pursued the British ships and perhaps dealt them more damage. Admiral Campioni in charge of the Italian fleet loses prestige as a result of this operation, which, in the absence of any RAF attacks, could have yielded better results.

Separately, Insect class gunboat HMS Ladybird bombards Italian bases in North Africa.

Bombs falling astern of HMS Ark Royal during an attack by Italian aircraft during the Battle of Cape Spartivento (photograph taken from the cruiser HMS Sheffield).

Italian/Greek Campaign: A blizzard hits the higher elevations. On balance, this helps the Italians, who are on the defensive now.

The Greeks continue advancing. II Corps, moving in the direction of Frashër, is reinforced with the 11th Division.

The western Macedonia sector was held by the Western Macedonia Army Section (TSDM), the Greeks complete the capture of the Korçë plateau. The TSDM has suffered 624 dead and 2348 wounded in this operation. The Greeks continue to move forward toward the center of Albania, with the 13th Division advancing on Pogradec.

The Greek Liuba Detachment continues its march along the coast toward the Bistritsa River.

The Italian Regia Aeronautica is in action, bombing Epirus, Corfu, Cephalonia, Patras, and Crete.

Mussolini is growing increasingly concerned about the Italian collapse in the mountains. Rumors continue to fly that he will seek a separate peace.

A Supermarine Walrus amphibious plane used for shell-spotting at the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe continues its sustained assault on Bristol, attacking it for the fourth time in three days. Plymouth, though, receives the most attention, with 107 bombers. The new German strategy appears to be to focus on mid-sized towns and try to cripple them rather than just relentlessly beating against London (though it is bombed as well, by 57 bombers).
RAF Bomber Command attacks Cologne with 62 bombers and also Boulogne. A Blenheim bomber crashes due to pilot error while trying to land back at Swanton Morley, and another gets lost in the foul weather and its crew bails out over Manchester. Another dozen bombers are sent against Antwerp and Le Havre.

A Bf 109E piloted by Lt. Wolfgang Teumer is damaged and force lands at RAF Manston. It is repaired and joins the RAF "Ratwaffe."

HMS Renown firing its two forward (A +B) turret guns while underway at the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940 (Imperial War Museum).

Battle of the Atlantic: U-103 (Kplt. Viktor Schütze), on its second patrol out of Lorient, stalks Convoy OB 248 in the sea lanes 300 km west of Ireland. It torpedoes and sinks 4393-ton British freighter Glenmoor. There are two survivors and 31 deaths, the survivors picked up by escorts HMS Harvester and Havelock.

U-104 (Kptlt. Harald Jürst) stalks Convoy HX 87. The convoy also is close to Convoy HX 88 because the U-boat attacks ships from both in the same day, one from each convoy. The attacks take place in the sea lanes northwest of County Donegal, Ireland. Shortly after this, U-104 disappears and is presumed lost. Speculation is that it sinks in British minefield SN 44. Everybody on board U-104 is lost at sea.

U-104 torpedoes and sinks 8240-ton British freighter Diplomat, a straggler from Convoy HX 88. There are 39 survivors and 14 deaths.

U-104 torpedoes and damages 10,516-ton British tanker Charles F. Meyer in Convoy HX 87. Tankers are notoriously difficult to sink due to their compartmentalized structure, and the Meyer makes it to port.

U-95 (Kptlt. Gerd Schreiber) is on its first patrol out of Kiel. It torpedoes and sinks 1860 ton British freighter Irene Maria in the Atlantic northwest of County Donegal (not far from where U-104 is operating). All 25 onboard perish.

French 2594-ton freighter Lisieux (seized at Portland, Oregon, the USA on 27 May 1940 and sailing under British flag), traveling in Convoy SC 13 from Halifax, founders in rough weather after the convoy is dispersed. Sixteen men are rescued by fellow freighter Bernhard, but an undetermined number, mostly French, are lost at sea. The sinking occurs because the ship's cargo - paper pulp and lumber - gets wet and inflates, cracking open the hull. This was her first Atlantic crossing after being seized.

Royal Navy 9600 ton auxiliary minesweeper HMS Port Napier explodes and sinks in Loch Alsh, Argyllshire due to an engine fire. The ship is loaded with mines for her first minelaying operation, and as a precaution, the ship is towed out to a safe distance from shore. A volunteer crew manages to jettison some of the mines and escape right before the ship and its mines and ammunition explode. The wreck is still viewable partly above water at low tide to this day and is a popular wreck dive.

Royal Navy 181-ton trawler HMT Elk hits a mine and sinks off Plymouth in the English Channel. Everybody survives.

Norwegian freighter Havborg is torpedoed and sunk in the Weser River by RAF aircraft. There are four deaths.

German 405-ton trawler Peter runs aground and is lost on the Swedish coast.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Wallace collides with the Newarp Light Float (off the Norfolk coast) and suffers minor damage. She is repaired within two days and back in service.

Royal Navy submarine HMS H.33 collides with corvette HMS Heather and requires repairs at Oban.

British 585-ton freighter Galacum hits a mine and is damaged.

Trawlers Rattray (182 tons) and Charmouth (195 tons) are damaged by the Luftwaffe off Milford Haven.

Some sources place the incident involving the Rangitane off New Zealand on the 27th. We discuss it on the 26th. There are going to be many discrepancies like that due to the global nature of the conflict.

Convoy FN 345 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 347 departs from Methil, Convoy BN 10 departs from Bombay.

U-150 (Hinrich Kelling) commissioned.

Soviet submarine K-3 is commissioned.

Escort carrier HMS Avenger, corvette HMS Lavender and submarine HMS Uproar are all launched, with corvette HMS Borage laid down.

HMS Renown at the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940 (Imperial War Museum).

Battle of the Indian Ocean: Australian troop convoy US 7 departs from Fremantle. It includes 14287-ton Polish liner Batory, 23,371-ton British liner Orion, 23,428 ton Strathmore, and 23,722-ton Stratheden. There is a heavy escort of two cruisers for this convoy, bound for Suez.

Japanese/US Relations: Kichisaburo Nomura becomes the new Japanese ambassador to the United States.

British Government: Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Kingsley Wood gives an accounting of the government's expenditures on the war. During the war's first year (beginning 3 September), the cost was £5,300,000/day. During the subsequent 17 days at the beginning of the second year, the cost has risen to £9,100,000/day. Clearly, the government cannot sustain these types of expenditures indefinitely. Ambassador to the US Lord Lothian already has broadly hinted to the Americans that the days of cash-and-carry are dwindling and likely to end in 1941. In addition, £475,532,981 has been raised for the war.

Middle East: The Battle of Cape Spartivento claims an unexpected victim when the plane carrying the new Vichy High Commissioner of Syria and Lebanon, Jean Chiappe, is shot down.

General Archibald Wavell, Middle East Commander, responds to Prime Minister Churchill's telegram of the 26th regarding Operation Compass, the planned attack on the Italian positions in Egypt. Wavell states that Operation Compass will proceed as planned and that he and the other service commands believe that landings behind the Italian forward lines would offer little benefit.

HMS Renown at the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940 (Imperial War Museum).

Romania: The wild political reverberations of the Vienna Awards continue in Romania. In a scenario reminiscent of the 1934 German Night of the Long Knives, the Iron Guard engages in a savage night of retribution against its political enemies. Known primarily as the Jilava Massacre, most of the events take place at the Jilava prison during the night of 26/27 November. Death squads are a common tool of the Iron Guard, and they kill 64 political prisoners, 46 officers and guards, and other political detainees. The political prisoners are supporters of exiled King Carol II.

Nicolae Iorga and Virgil Madgearu are killed as well. Iorga is kidnapped during the afternoon of 27 November by Traian Boeru and shot nine times outside Ploiești with different handguns. Madgearu also is kidnapped by Iron Guard members and killed. Iorga is a particularly high-value target because many Iron Guard members blame Iorga, a former anti-Fascist Premier, for the death of Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, the Guard's founder. It does not pay to be known as an anti-Fascist in Romania at this time.

Kenya: The South African 5th Infantry Division arrives in Mombasa.

China: In Hubei Province, along the Han River, the Chinese counterattack the Japanese with the 27th, 31st and 44th Divisions. The Japanese 11th Army continues advancing in the region of Hoyuantien, Tangchianfan, and Huantanchen.

Future History: Lee Jun-fan is born in Chinatown, San Francisco. His parents are from Hong Kong, and he grows up in Kowloon. He becomes a child actor in Hong Kong beginning in 1946 and appears in several films. Lee moves to the US in 1949 to study at the University of Washington at Seattle. Around this time, Lee begins teaching martial arts. He continues to star in Hong Kong films and eventually breaks into the Hollywood film industry, adopting the stage name Bruce Lee. He first gains notice in television series "The Green Hornet" (1966-67). His films such as "Fists of Fury (1972) and "Enter the Dragon" (1973) become classic martial arts works and spark interest in the entire field that lingers on. Lee passes away suddenly in Hong Kong on 20 July 1973 at the age of 32. Many questions surround his death, with some speculating that it was partly the result of medications taken to soothe chronic back pain arising from his martial arts fighting.

Lee Jun-fan aka Bruce Lee is born on 27 November 1940.

November 1940

November 1, 1940: Hitler Irate
November 2, 1940: U-31 Sunk - Again
November 3, 1940: Kretschmer's Master Class
November 4, 1940: Spain Absorbs Tangier
November 5, 1940: Jervis Bay Meets Admiral Scheer
November 6, 1940: San Demetrio Incident
November 7, 1940: Galloping Gertie
November 8, 1940: Italian Shakeup in Greece
November 9, 1940: Dutch Fascists March
November 10, 1940: Fala and Doc Strange
November 11, 1940: Taranto Raid
November 12, 1940: Molotov Takes Berlin
November 13, 1940: Molotov Foils Hitler
November 14, 1940: Moonlight Sonata
November 15, 1940: Warsaw Ghetto Sealed
November 16, 1940: France Keeps Battleships
November 17, 1940: Malta Hurricane Disaster
November 18, 1940: Hitler Berates Ciano
November 19, 1940: Birmingham Devastated
November 20, 1940: Hungary Joins Axis
November 21, 1940: Dies White Paper
November 22, 1940: Italians Take Korçë
November 23, 1940: U-Boat Bonanza!
November 24, 1940: Slovakia Joins In
November 25, 1940: Molotov's Demands
November 26, 1940: Bananas Be Gone
November 27, 1940: Cape Spartivento Battle
November 28, 1940: Wick Perishes
November 29, 1940: Trouble in Indochina
November 30, 1940: Lucy and Desi Marry

2020