WWII History

1941 A coup in Yugoslavia by General Simonic and other army officers overthrows the pro-German government. King Peter takes control and a new cabinet is formed. This upsets Hitler, who decides to delay his surprise attack on the Soviet Union in order to launch “Operation Union”, whose intent is the destruction of Yugoslavia. British troops finally […]

1938 Herman Goering warns all Jews to leave Austria. 1940 Canadian election returns Mackenzie King as prime minister. First flight of Curtiss C-46 Commando cargo plane in St. Louis MO. 1941 The German Army High Command gives approval to RSHA and Heydrich on the tasks of SS murder squads (Einsatzgruppen) in occupied Poland. The British

1940 US allows sale of military aircraft to the Allies. Britain doubles butter ration to ½ pound per week. 1941 Under heavy pressure Yugoslavia signs Tripartite Pact, joining the Axis powers. Anti-Axis protests break out in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. 1942 US troops occupy the Society Islands. Standard Oil president William Stamps Farish II pleads no contest

1941 Berlin suffers its first raid of the year by the RAF. German troops on parade in the city of Cherbourg have their show spoiled when British bombers hit the parade ground in the middle of the event. Rommel conducts a limited offensive to recapture El Agheila from the British, which succeeds with startling ease.

1940 Germany requires car owners to donate batteries and requires church bells to be melted down. 1941 Heavy Luftwaffe attack on Malta leads RAF to withdraw bombers and flying boats. 1942 During World War II, the U.S. government began moving Japanese-Americans from their West Coast homes to detention centers. The British convoy, have escaped serious

1940 U-boats sink seven neutral ships. 1941 US 99th Pursuit Squadron activated, the first black unit in the Army Air Corps. Grand Coulee Dam opens in Washington state, the world’s largest source of electric power. 1942 Late in the afternoon after an unsuccessful Italian torpedo-aircraft attack, Admiral Iachino’s squadron engages the British convoy. The convoy

1940 Paul Reynaud becomes Prime Minister of France, with Edouard Daladier being made Minister of Defense and War. First German merchant ship sunk by British sub: British submarine Ursula sinks German freighter Heddernheim. 1941 The last Italian post in East Libya, North Africa, falls to the British. 1942 In a repeat of Force H’s mission

1940 The British Royal Air Force conducts an all-night air raid on the Nazi airbase at Sylt, Germany. French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier resigns after vote of no confidence from Parliament. 1941 Four Yugoslav ministers resign rather than accept German terms. The Berbera force and elements of the 11th African Division meet at Hargeisa inside

1936 The Soviet Union signs a pact of assistance with Mongolia against Japan. 1940 The RAF retaliates against the Luftwaffe’s bombing of Scapa Flow, by attacking the German seaplane base at Hornum on the island of Sylt with 50 bombers. Later photo reconnaissance reveals little damage to the target. Helsinki releases figures showing that 26,662 Finns

1940 Mussolini and Hitler meet in the Brenner Pass in northern Italy, Mussolini agreeing to Italy’s entry into the war “at an opportune moment”. Alan Turing’s Bombe electromechanical decipher machine becomes operational at Bletchley Park, England to decrypt German Enigma messages. Russia assures Sweden of its safety after Finland’s surrender. 1941 The United States and