WWII Today in History. On these pages you will find of some of the most important events that shaped World War 2.
1940 Budget Day raises taxes on beer by 1d, whiskey up 1/9d (9p) and postage up 1d. Estimates of the 1940 war expenditure as £2,000 million criticized by MPs for being too low. 1941 King George II of Greece and his government are flown to Crete by the RAF. The German build up for Operation […]
World War II Today: April 23 Read More »
The failure of the Dieppe Raid in 1942 made it clear for Allied war planners that the Invasion of Normandy had to be prepared as thoroughly as possible. One important part of this preparation was Exercise Tiger, a nine-day secret live fire rehearsal held in April, 1944. Exercise Tiger was held along the British coast
Exercise Tiger: The Slapton Sands Disaster Read More »
1940 Inter-Allied Supreme War Council meets in Paris; Poland and Norway represented. 1942 Fuhrer Directive 41 rolls off the mimeograph machines in Rastenberg and the Wehrmacht has its marching orders for 1942. Leningrad is to finally be captured, but that’s a secondary objective. The big plan is in the South, which involves 2nd Army and
World War II Today: April 22 Read More »
COMBAT AMERICA by Clark GableWW2 Aerial Combat Documentary Combat America by Clarke Gable was originally intended to be used as a recruiting film for aerial gunners, however, by the time it began production, the needs for gunners had lessened. The film was completed as an account of aerial combat over occupied Europe and as
COMBAT AMERICA by Clark Gable Read More »
1940 British and German troops engage in heavy fighting at Lillehammer, Norway. First US military casualty of WWII—Army Air Force observer Capt. Robert Losey killed by German bombing at Dombås, Norway. 1941 The Greek Army surrenders to the 1st SS Leibstandarte Division. Its commander, Sepp Dietrich accepts this, without referring to his superiors. All Greek
World War II Today: April 21 Read More »
1889 Adolf Hitler, the Nazi dictator of Germany who led his country into World War II and was responsible for persecuting millions of Jews, was born. 1940 Danish Army demobilized. 1941 British forces in Greece retreat from Mt. Olympus. King George II heads new Greek government. Greek forces in Albania surrender. Luftwaffe launches raid on
World War II Today: April 20 Read More »
1940 ‘State of Siege’ is extended to the whole of Netherlands. The first clash between British and German troops in Norway, at Verdal north of Trondheim 1941 Luftwaffe sends 712 bombers to London, 449 killed, including 34 firemen, the largest single loss of firefighters in British history. British women ages 20-30 are conscripted for war
World War II Today: April 19 Read More »
In the dark days following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the United States found itself in need of more than just a military response—it needed a symbolic victory, a show of strength that would rally a grieving nation and signal to the world that America was far from broken. That symbol
1940 British submarine Starlet sunk off Norway. Germans advance further north of Oslo. More British troops are landed at Aandalesnes in Norway with the plan of co-operating with the British and French troops already at Namsos to surround and then retake Trondheim. However, the Norwegian commander, General Ruge persuaded the Aandalesnes force, to move south
World War II Today: April 18 Read More »
1940 Royal Navy Heavy cruiser “Suffolk” bombards installations at Stavanger, but on her return is badly damaged by Ju-88 bombers and barely makes Scapa Flow with her stern awash. Admiral Karl Dönitz withdraws U-boats from Norwegian waters to study torpedo failures. 1941 Yugoslavia surrenders, with the Wehrmacht taking 334,000 prisoners. King Peter of Yugoslavia is
World War II Today: April 17 Read More »
