1936 Adolf Hitler tells a crowd of 300,000 that Germany’s only judge is God and itself. 1939 The Nazis dissolve the republic of Czechoslovakia. 1941 Japanese fighters raid Chengtu, China in longest range for fighter operation of war to date. 1942 US troops arrive in Australia in force. Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrives in Mindanao, after […]

1940 Finland capitulates conditionally to Soviet terms, but maintains its independence. The Finns have lost 25,000 killed and 45,000 wounded, while the Russians have lost an estimated 200,000 killed and an unknown number of wounded. 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt establishes President’s Committee on War Relief Agencies. The Luftwaffe carries out a heavy raid against Clydebank,

1938 German troops enter Austria without firing a shot, forming the anschluss (union) of Austria and Germany. [youtube width=”640″ height=”385″ video_id=”mdWvGaQxyHM”] 1940 A peace treaty is concluded between Finland and Russia, which formally ends the “Winter War”. The terms of this treaty are harsh for Finland, who is forced to cede the entire Karelia Isthmus,

1940 A coal strike in New South Wales begins. 1941 Japanese Foreign Minister to visit Rome and Berlin. The US House of Representatives passes the ‘Lend Lease’ Bill by 317 votes to 71, where upon it is immediately signed by President Roosevelt. Initial priority for war supplies was to be given to Britain and Greece.

1941 Vice Admiral Adolphus Andrews assumes command of US Navy’s new North Atlantic Naval Coast Frontier (Eastern Sea Frontier) The RAF attacks Le Havre and at the same time gives the new 4-engine Halifax bomber it debut, although one of the six Halifax’s involved is shot down on its return flight by an RAF night

1936 The German press warns that all Jews who vote in the upcoming elections will be arrested. 1939 Czech President Emil Hacha ousts pro-German Joseph Tiso as the Premier of Slovakia in order to preserve Czech unity. 1940 Italian-Anglo agreement on coal, Britain to release Italian collier ships, Italy to import no more German coal.

1940 Heavy fighting is reported at the outskirts to Viipuri, as the Red Army continues its attempt to capture the city. This prompts the Finns to seek an immediate armistice, which the Russians refuse. Therefore the Finnish delegation in Moscow is instructed to sue for peace. 1941 The US Senate passes the ‘Lend Lease’ bill

1936 Hitler sends German troops into the Rhineland, breaking the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact. [youtube width=”640″ height=”385″ video_id=”SpxdYTNkbe4″] 1941 British and Commonwealth troops begin to arrive in Greece. German Jews ordered into forced labour. U-47, commanded by top ace Gunther Prien, hero of Scapa Flow, is sunk by the British Destroyer HMS

1940 Italian collier ship seized by Allies. 1941 The Royal Navy begins escorting British and Commonwealth troop convoys from Egypt to Greece. 1942 German reconnaissance planes locate the British convoy PQ-12 bound for Murmansk. General Sir Harold Alexander arrives at Rangoon to take over command of Burma Army from Lieutenant General Hutton. Wavell had given

1941 Hitler increases the pressure on Yugoslavia to join the Tripartite pact by inviting Prince Paul, the regent, to Berchtesgaden. Hitler demands that he allows German troops to pass through Yugoslavia for an attack on Greece. In return, the port of Salonika and part of Macedonia will be ceded to Yugoslavia. On the northern Norwegian