February

1936 Japanese military troops march into Tokyo to conduct a coup and assassinate political leaders. 1940 US War Department activates Air Defense Command under Brig. Gen. James Chaney. 1941 Franco, in response to Hitler’s appeal to enter the war, says ‘I stand today already at your side, entirely and decidedly at your disposal,’ but refuses […]

1941 British Commando’s land on the Italian held Island of Castelorizzo in the Dodecanese. The British submarine, HMS Upholder, sinks the Italian Cruiser Armando Diaz to the southwest of Malta. British Nigerian troops of the 11th African Division occupy Mogadishu, the capital of Italian Somaliland, having advanced up the coast. The 12th African Division pushes

1941 The 2-engine Manchester bomber is used for the first time during an RAF raid against Brest. Reconnaissance elements of the German 5th Light Division clash with British forces for the first time in Africa, at Nofilia near El Agheila. US Navy survey ship Bear and motor ship North Star arrive in Antarctica to evacuate remaining US personnel from

1938 Twelve Chinese fighter planes drop bombs on Japan. 1940 Sweden announces that she will not permit British or French troops to cross through her territory on their way to Finland. The Soviet Union announces its final conditions for peace. Finland must hand over the Karelia Isthmus and the shores of Lake Ladoga. It must

1940 Two IRA bombs explode in London; 12 people injured. n North Sea, Luftwaffe accidentally sinks German destroyer Leberecht Maass; during rescue,German destroyer Max Schultz is sunk by mine. 1941 The first mass round-up of Jews in Amsterdam; 430 deported in reprisal for murder of Dutch Nazi party member. Bread ration in Jewish ghetto in Warsaw reduced to

1940 Britain reduces passenger train service due to coal shortage. 1941 Third and final day of Swansea Blitz (Luftwaffe bombing of Swansea, Wales): 230 killed, but docks and facilities are undamaged. 1942 Convoy ON-166 (60 ships) sailing from Britain to North America, is attacked in the North Atlantic by 19 U-boats from wolfpacks Ritter and

1938 Hitler demands self-determination for Germans in Austria and Czechoslovakia. 1940 General von Falkenhorst is appointed to command the German invasion of Norway. 1941 The Australian Prime Minister, R.G. Menzies arrives in Britain for talks with Churchill. The United States sends war planes to the Pacific. 1942 Lt. Edward “Butch” O’Hare of USS Lexington shoots

1940 Destroyer HMS Daring torpedoed, 157 are killed. 1941 Luftwaffe switches focus from attacking London to attacking shipping centers, such as Portsmouth, Plymouth, Bristol, and Cardiff. US Coast Guard Auxiliary (non-military) and Reserve (military) is established. 1942 Under increasing threat of being outflanked by the advancing Japanese, the 17th Indian Division is finally given permission

1940 Chinese forces drive Japanese out of Nanning, China. 1941 Parts of the Australian 8th Division arrive in Singapore. 1943 In the wake of the Stalingrad disaster, Dr. Goebbels, speaking before an enthusiastic audience of soldiers and civilians in Berlin, announces the implementation of “total war” which, for the first time, mandates the employment of

1940 Norway protests to Britain over violation of neutrality. 1941 Off Ireland, U-101 sinks British freighter Gairsoppa (85 killed) carrying 2800 bars of silver to fund war (110 tons  of silver were recovered in 2011). 1942 German vessel disguised as a British merchantman is reported sunk by a U-boat off Azores. First Seabees arrive in