bobdina
07-03-2009, 10:30 PM
1940 In East Africa... The Italians advance from Abysinia into the Sudan occupying Kassala and Gallabat just over the border. The Italians use more than two brigades at Kassala which is defended by only two companies of the Sudan Defense Force.
In Romania... A new Cabinet is formed. The prime minister is Gigurtu and the Foreign Minister Manoilescu who represents the Iron Guard. The policies of the new government are clearly pro-German and anti-Semitic.
In the English Channel... The Luftwaffe attacks a convoy south of Portland; the Stuka dive-bombers sink 5 of the 9 ships involved.
In direct response to the devastating British attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, the Vichy French government of Marshal Petain breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain. In the House of Commons, prime minister Churchill declares,'I leave the judgment of our actions with confidence to Parliament. I leave it to the nation and I leave it to the United States [?!]. I leave it to the world and to history.' German Stukas and MTBs attack a British convoy S of Portland, sinking 5 merchant ships. Italian bombers raid Malta and Alexandria.
1941- On the Eastern Front... In the north, Ostrov (southeast of Lake Peipus in Russia) falls to forces of the German 41st Panzer Corps (Panzer Group 4).
In the United States... In an Independence Day broadcast Roosevelt says that the United States "will never survive as a happy and fertile oasis of liberty surrounded by a cruel desert of dictatorship."
1942- On the Eastern Front... The siege of Sevastopol ends with massive Soviet losses. The Germans take 90,000 prisoners. The Germans have a total of 24,000 casualties.
In the Arctic... PQ-17, British convoy bound to Murmansk is fired upon by German forces. Admiral Pound, First Sea Lord of the British Navy orders the convoy to scatter and the close escorts to retire. He believes that the convoy can no longer be protected by the Home Fleet, as it is now within range of the German Luftwaffe and the German heavy ships are on their way to attack. The order is controversial and the commanders of the escort ships protest, but eventually obey the order. Over a period of 6 days, they sink 24 ships out of a total of 37.
Over Holland... The first strikes by American Army Air Force planes over Europe take place, when six American planes join a RAF squadron attacking airfields in Holland.
1943- From London... After General Sikorski is killed in an airplane accident, Mikolajczyk becomes the prime minister of the Polish exile government based in London. General Kukiel is appointed Commander in Chief in place of Sikorski. The new commander of the Polish Home Army is Bor-Komorowski.
In the Solomon Islands... On New Georgia, US forces advancing from Zanana to Munda encounter heavy Japanese resistance. The Japanese land 1200 troops from 3 destroyers at Vila on Kolombangara.
1944- On the Eastern Front... The Soviet 1st Baltic Front launches attacks on the right flank of German Army Group North. Polotsk is captured.
On the Western Front... Attacks by the US 7th and 8th Corps (parts of US 1st Army) continue. The Canadian 3rd Division (part of British 2nd Army) captures the village of Carpiquet, west of Caen, but cannot secure the airfield.
In the Mariana Islands... Elements of US Task Force 58 attack Guam Island with carrier aircraft.
In the Volcano Islands... Elements of US Task Force 58 attack Iwo Jima Island with carrier aircraft.
In the Bonin Islands... Elements of US Task Force 58 attack Chichi Jima Island with carrier aircraft.
In New Guinea... On Numfoor Island, the Kornasoren airfield is captured by Allied forces. A second parachute battalion is dropped and suffers heavy casualties.
In the United States... The Bretton Woods conference continues.
1945-in Manila... General MacArthur announces that the Philippines have been completely liberated.
In the Philippines... On Mindanao, the US 24th Division organizes an amphibious expeditionary force to liberate Sarangani Bay, in the south of the island, south of Davao. Filipino guerrilla forces assist in clearing out the Japanese pockets of resistance.
In Occupied Germany... In Berlin, rumors that Hitler is still alive start to spread. Meanwhile, several thousand civilians in the city watch the arrival of the British occupation force. The British 11th Hussars, the Armoured Car Regiment of the the British 7th Armoured Division (General L. O. Lyne) -- the "Desert Rats" -- arrived after a 14-hour, 120 mile (almost 200 km) march from the British occupation zone. They were held up for three hours at Magdeburg waiting for the Red Army forces to give them permission to enter the Soviet zone.
In Romania... A new Cabinet is formed. The prime minister is Gigurtu and the Foreign Minister Manoilescu who represents the Iron Guard. The policies of the new government are clearly pro-German and anti-Semitic.
In the English Channel... The Luftwaffe attacks a convoy south of Portland; the Stuka dive-bombers sink 5 of the 9 ships involved.
In direct response to the devastating British attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, the Vichy French government of Marshal Petain breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain. In the House of Commons, prime minister Churchill declares,'I leave the judgment of our actions with confidence to Parliament. I leave it to the nation and I leave it to the United States [?!]. I leave it to the world and to history.' German Stukas and MTBs attack a British convoy S of Portland, sinking 5 merchant ships. Italian bombers raid Malta and Alexandria.
1941- On the Eastern Front... In the north, Ostrov (southeast of Lake Peipus in Russia) falls to forces of the German 41st Panzer Corps (Panzer Group 4).
In the United States... In an Independence Day broadcast Roosevelt says that the United States "will never survive as a happy and fertile oasis of liberty surrounded by a cruel desert of dictatorship."
1942- On the Eastern Front... The siege of Sevastopol ends with massive Soviet losses. The Germans take 90,000 prisoners. The Germans have a total of 24,000 casualties.
In the Arctic... PQ-17, British convoy bound to Murmansk is fired upon by German forces. Admiral Pound, First Sea Lord of the British Navy orders the convoy to scatter and the close escorts to retire. He believes that the convoy can no longer be protected by the Home Fleet, as it is now within range of the German Luftwaffe and the German heavy ships are on their way to attack. The order is controversial and the commanders of the escort ships protest, but eventually obey the order. Over a period of 6 days, they sink 24 ships out of a total of 37.
Over Holland... The first strikes by American Army Air Force planes over Europe take place, when six American planes join a RAF squadron attacking airfields in Holland.
1943- From London... After General Sikorski is killed in an airplane accident, Mikolajczyk becomes the prime minister of the Polish exile government based in London. General Kukiel is appointed Commander in Chief in place of Sikorski. The new commander of the Polish Home Army is Bor-Komorowski.
In the Solomon Islands... On New Georgia, US forces advancing from Zanana to Munda encounter heavy Japanese resistance. The Japanese land 1200 troops from 3 destroyers at Vila on Kolombangara.
1944- On the Eastern Front... The Soviet 1st Baltic Front launches attacks on the right flank of German Army Group North. Polotsk is captured.
On the Western Front... Attacks by the US 7th and 8th Corps (parts of US 1st Army) continue. The Canadian 3rd Division (part of British 2nd Army) captures the village of Carpiquet, west of Caen, but cannot secure the airfield.
In the Mariana Islands... Elements of US Task Force 58 attack Guam Island with carrier aircraft.
In the Volcano Islands... Elements of US Task Force 58 attack Iwo Jima Island with carrier aircraft.
In the Bonin Islands... Elements of US Task Force 58 attack Chichi Jima Island with carrier aircraft.
In New Guinea... On Numfoor Island, the Kornasoren airfield is captured by Allied forces. A second parachute battalion is dropped and suffers heavy casualties.
In the United States... The Bretton Woods conference continues.
1945-in Manila... General MacArthur announces that the Philippines have been completely liberated.
In the Philippines... On Mindanao, the US 24th Division organizes an amphibious expeditionary force to liberate Sarangani Bay, in the south of the island, south of Davao. Filipino guerrilla forces assist in clearing out the Japanese pockets of resistance.
In Occupied Germany... In Berlin, rumors that Hitler is still alive start to spread. Meanwhile, several thousand civilians in the city watch the arrival of the British occupation force. The British 11th Hussars, the Armoured Car Regiment of the the British 7th Armoured Division (General L. O. Lyne) -- the "Desert Rats" -- arrived after a 14-hour, 120 mile (almost 200 km) march from the British occupation zone. They were held up for three hours at Magdeburg waiting for the Red Army forces to give them permission to enter the Soviet zone.