WWII History

1939 RAF reconnaissance planes shoots down a German flying boat over the North Sea. The American cargo ship “City of Flint” and its crew are captured by a German warship, despite the fact that the United States and Germany are not at war. The American sailors are eventually freed when the Germans are forced to […]

1939 Heinrich Himmler made Commissioner for Consolidation of the German Race—to eliminate “inferior” people from the German Reich. 1940 German troops enter Romania, at the request of Fascist Gen. Ion Antonescu, to ‘help restrain the Army’. Beaverbrook announces gifts received for aircraft purchases now total £6,098,826. Finland rejects a British demand to cease fighting the

1939 After a 2 day battle against Soviet tanks and planes and then a 5-day fight against the Germans. The last remaining Polish troops (17,000 men) surrender to German forces at Kock and Lublin. Hitler in a speech to the Reichstag announces the victorious conclusion of the Polish campaign and calls upon Britain and France

1938 The German government orders all German Jews to have red J’s printed on their passports, in order to more easily identify and track them in the future. 1939 Hitler enters Warsaw in triumph. The Soviet Union forces a treaty on Latvia that allows the Red Navy to establish bases in her Baltic harbors The

1939 Nazis begin euthanasia on sick and disabled in Germany. 1940 Mussolini and Hitler meet at the Brenner Pass. Admiralty announces recent sinking of seven German and two Italian submarines. 1942 A Commando raid on Occupied Sark, in Channel Islands capture’s one German soldier. The fourth German offensive begins in Stalingrad as the XIV Panzer

1940 U.S. Army adopts airborne, or parachute, soldiers. Airborne troops were later used in World War II for landing troops in combat and infiltrating agents into enemy territory. Chamberlain resigns as Lord President of the Council through ill health, and cabinet is reshuffled with Sir Kingsley Wood, the Chancellor, and Ernie Bevin, Minister of Labour

1938 Winston Churchill comments to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain about the Munich Agreement; “You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You have chosen dishonor and you will have war.” 1939 The first Poles are imprisoned in Pawiak Prison in Warsaw. Some 100,000 people will undergo Nazi interrogations here, of whom 37,000 will be

1939 In Germany, Karl Dönitz promoted to rear admiral and commander of the submarines. British men between 20 and 22 are now liable for conscription. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during a radio broadcast described the Soviet Union as ”a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”. German troops enter the devastated city of