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Post by Pumba on Aug 29, 2012 17:14:56 GMT 8
July 25, 1940 UK War Cabinet: comparatively quiet week for air attacks; still waiting for "Battle of Britain" Churchill prophesied. ww2today.com/25th-july-1940-air-attacks-on-britain-have-decreased-------------------- USA has banned export of petrol or scrap metal without special export licence- Germany, Italy & Japan now essentially economically blockaded ------------------ 90 German planes attacking a coal convoy in English Channel. British pilots outnumber 5-to-1; Fighter Command refuse to send reinforcements. ---------------- Hugh Dowding, RAF Fighter Command: "If we try to fight the Germans on a 1-to-1 basis, we'd soon have no fighters left." -------------------- Lt. Turley-George is 1 of the RAF pilots outnumbered 5-1 over Channel: "Bloody Germans- Bf109s- behind me, I'm trying to turn to shoot them" ------------------- "A 109 attacking my side, the loud bangs of his cannon-shells striking my Spitfire; through the pounding fear, I admired his marksmanship." ------------------- "Miraculously, my controls still respond. I get a German in my sights, press the trigger- nothing. Gun jammed- I got the hell back to base." -------------------- A month after worst maritime disaster in British history, government finally lifs news blackout on Lancastria sinking. ---------------------- 4000+ died on Lancastria- relatives still not told. Survivors censored. Churchill: "Newspapers have enough disaster" www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/lancastria_01.shtml-------------------- Swiss Gen. Henri Guisan to his officers: never surrender to encircling Fascists. "When bullets run out, use bayonets." -------------------- In event of invasion, tiny Swiss Army plan to retreat to "Alpine Redoubt", abandoning plains, & explode mountain passes ------------------ William Shirer, US journalist: "Germans will abandon gold standard, & substitute worthless Reichsmark- plan to make US gold reserve useless"
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Post by Pumba on Aug 29, 2012 17:19:11 GMT 8
July 26, 1940 Gen. Alan Brooke (centre) UK Home Forces commander: "I am now less confident of our powers of meeting an invasion." ----------------- Brooke: "Our Navy have been seriously undermined by the advent of aircraft. Sea supremacy cannot defend this island against invasion." -------------------- Alex Cadogan, UK civil servant: "We simply have to die at our posts- better than surrendering like the damned Frogs. But uncomfortable." ------------------- SS officer Walter Schellenberg arriving in Lisbon. His personal mission from Hitler: kidnap Duke & Duchess of Windsor. --------------------- Nazis hope to make Duke- ex-King Edward VIII- leader of pro-Hitler Britain. When this was hinted, "the Duchess especially grew very pensive" ---------------- Schellenberg's plan: "We're circulating rumours of British Secret Service plot to assassinate the Duke- to convince him to return to Spain." ------------------ "We will throw stones & fire shots at Duke's house to un-nerve him & the Duchess. Once in Spain, our friends there will keep them for us." ------------------- In the Libyan desert, Italian & British raiding parties are clashing; burning heat limits combat (& requires parasols). ------------------ With Japan cutting off supplies from Indochina, Chinese Nationalists forced to deal with USSR for weapons- carried on camels across Mongolia
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Post by Pumba on Aug 29, 2012 17:30:10 GMT 8
July 27, 1940 London is becoming a fortress; an army of volunteer observers now cover the city, scanning the skies for enemy aircraft --------------------- 1000s of huge "barrage balloons" are floating over London; metal tethers supposed to stop planes & divert bomb blasts. --------------------- Britain has announced a curfew along the South Coast from 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before dawn, to fight "saboteurs & Fifth Columnists" ------------------- Reminder: Olympic Games have been cancelled; they were due to start this month in Finland, but European war intervened. ------------------ This year's Olympics initially scheduled for Tokyo, but Japanese invasion of China forced them to give up hosting Games --------------------- Hitler 4 years ago, at last Olympics: "After the Tokyo Olympics, we'll have the games back in Berlin- for all eternity" ------------------- UK defences seem muddled; someone's authorised building tank traps in St. James's Park, seriously spoiling view from Buckingham Palace. ------------------ Bombs exploding in Dover harbour as German dive-bombers attack in the middle of a thunderstorm; radar down, RAF didn't know they were coming ------------------ British planes are now attacking military installations in France- first time the RAF have bombed their former ally. ----------------------- London is dark & silent, still blacked-out for fear of bombs. Cars have only 1 headlamp, & pedestrians must carry tissue-wrapped torches. ---------------------- Forget the war for a few minutes with this Warner Brothers cartoon film, introducing the brand-new "Bugs Bunny" www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GsX94P6hfk
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Post by Pumba on Aug 30, 2012 11:09:00 GMT 8
July 28, 1940 West-end theatregoers shocked by lounge suits worn in stalls. Somerset Maugham: "Evening dress will be less important in England's future" --------------------- A summit of American foreign ministers in Havana announcing they'll block any Fascist attempt to grab land or plant spies in the Americas. ------------------- Brazil signed up for $20,000,000 U.S. "loan". Foreign Minister Aranha: "We should erect a statue to Hitler- he made USA finally notice us" -------------------- To squelch ill-health rumours, Italian dictator Mussolini is showing his fitness to journalists via a horseback display -------------------- Travel into northern, occupied France now banned by Nazi authorities; rumors of invasion fleets being assembled along the Channel coast.
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Post by Pumba on Aug 30, 2012 11:15:26 GMT 8
July 29, 1940 From today's issue of Life magazine: Britain "appeasing" Japan by closing Burma Road to China. cbi-theater-3.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-3/roadclosed/roadclosed.html-------------------- In a secret conference, Gen. Jodl says Hitler wants to "once & for all rid the world of Bolshevism": surprise attack on Russia next spring. -------------------- Jodl: "The collision with Bolshevism is bound to come- better to have it now, when we are at the height of our military power." -------------------- Wehrmacht Colonel Walter Warlimont: "War with Russia- madness! We still have England to finish off- Jodl & Hitler have convinced none of us" ------------------ Census in today's Life magazine: 56% think Germany will win the war - against 24% for Allies. 70% for immediate draft. -------------------- Myrtle Solomon, UK civilian: "A very patriotic woman in my village has a row of pepper pots in her car- to blind German parachutists with." ------------------- Myrtle: "Mum has a toasting-fork ready to see off the Nazi invasion. Everyone's very suspicious of nuns- might be disguised German spies." ------------------ Germany has annexed Belgian provinces of Eupen, Malmedy, & Moresnet- now part of the Greater Reich. Speaking French/Flemish there banned. ---------------------- Free Chinese forces have rejected a Japanese peace offer based on a "New Order in Asia"- a Japanese empire stretching from Burma to Mongolia
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Post by Pumba on Aug 30, 2012 11:17:44 GMT 8
July 30, 1940
London's packed with foreigners-refugees from war. It's now home to 7 governments-in-exile who fled when their countries fell to Nazis.
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Free French troops in kepis, Dutch & Belgian Jews & Communists, Polish pilots fighting in RAF- London's more cosmopolitan than ever.
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Royal Navy ships now banned from sailing through Straits of Dover- nicknamed "Hellfire Corner", thanks to Luftwaffe's relentless bombing.
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12 British citizens have been arrested in Japan- allegedly for spying. 1 has died in custody. Japanese military claim he committed suicide.
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Rumours of Italian troops massing in France, ready to join invasion of Britain- in fact, Hitler has rejected Mussolini's offer of aid.
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Post by Pumba on Aug 30, 2012 11:28:50 GMT 8
July 31, 1940 Wehrmacht soldiers now in Polish town of Olkusz; all males 14+ made to lie face-down in town square for "registration". ------------------- As registration begins, Rabbi Moshe Hagermann has been ordered to pray, barefoot, for amusement of German soldiers. --------------------- German soldiers rounding up Jews stop for photos- often traded as souvenirs between regiments across occupied Poland. -------------------- Hitler explains to his Generals: "England only fights on in the hope of Russian intervention- once we smash Russia, England will surrender." ----------------- German soldiers now leaving Olkusz; 3 Poles beaten to death by bored soldiers, 1 Jewish man shot "trying to escape". ---------------- Churchill snapped inspecting troops, to Goebbel's delight: "Use this photo everywhere- the gangster with a tommy-gun!" --------------------- German propaganda currently very fond of abusing British PM; new book: "This is Churchill: Adventurer, Lord, Criminal" ------------------ (Vichy) France declaring execution for any soldier who fights for "a foreign power"- eg. the Free French troops serving with Gen. De Gaulle. ------------------- Tonight's Lammas Eve; UK magician Gerald Gardner & his coven of "Wiccans" are dancing naked in a ritual to repel Hitler ------------------- Gardner: "Skyclad we danced; we raised a great cone of power pointed in the general direction of Hitler, as was done to Napoleon before him" ------------------ Germany's war dead will not be repatriated, but left buried in conquered nations, in "soil they consecrated with blood"
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Post by Pumba on Aug 30, 2012 13:52:47 GMT 8
Aug. 1, 1940 Hitler issuing fresh orders to Göring's Luftwaffe: to make invasion possible, destroy RAF "in shortest possible time". ------------- Hitler: "I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks [on Britain] as measures of reprisal." Read more: ww2today.com/1st-august-1940-hitler-orders-a-final-push-against-england----------------- 3 Scottish Highlanders have escaped German captivity by fooling Nazis into thinking they were Russian, by answering all questions in Gaelic. ------------- 4PM #Berlin1936 Olympic opening ceremony beginning- Hitler enters stadium to cheering crowds, flanked by IOC officials www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7HsEGtOwkw------------------ This Olympics is first to feature a new German idea- an Olympic torch relay carrying the flame from Greece. -------------------- Airship Hindenburg, pride of German zeppelin fleet, flying over stadium. ------------------- French athletes entering stadium- to German cheers. Speer, Hitler's architect: "I sense hopes for peace; Hitler seems disturbed" ------------------- US athlete Marty Glickman: "As we paraded past Hitler, the Americans murmured: 'He looks like Charlie Chaplin.' He did indeed." ------------------- With petrol rationed in Britain, electric cars becoming more popular- 78 registered in June alone (up from 2 last year) www.britishpathe.com/video/electric-car-issue-title-how-time-flies/query/Two------------------ For 1st time since France fell, Luftwaffe drop propaganda on UK; Hitler's "Last Appeal for Peace":
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Post by Pumba on Aug 30, 2012 14:27:34 GMT 8
Aug. 2, 1940 Britain announcing RAF have now attacked 1000+ German targets in over 3000 raids, "virtually wrecking" much German industry & invasion ports ------------------- In fact, night reconnaissance (with new "photoflash" camera) shows RAF bombing almost useless- often miles off-target. ------------------------ UK: High prices for Nazi leaflets as Britons bid for "souvenir" copies of Hitler's speech from last night's Luftwaffe propaganda raid. --------------------- A French military court sentences General de Gaulle, military leader of "Free French", to death in absentia for treason ------------------- Cornelius Johnson (USA) wins high jump gold medal- record-breaking 2.03m. He's black- 1st blow for "Aryan superiority". ---------------- Hitler- after congratulating 2 German & 1 Finnish gold-medal winners- has abruptly left stadium: "I will not shake hands with this negro." ------------------- Duke & Duchess of Windsor have sailed for Bahamas from Lisbon- despite a last-minute Nazi plot to kidnap them on the way to the docks. -------------------- Churchill had to telegram (suspected pro-Nazi) Duke, threatening court martial to get him to go: he's to be safely tucked away in Caribbean. ------------------ The United States should reinstate the peacetime draft, says US President Roosevelt- "real possibility US will soon have to fight- alone." ------------------------- Jewish Germans are now banned from owning telephones; may shop only 4-5PM; Jewish hospitals may not paint red cross on roof to deter bombing ----------------------- Victor Klemperer, Jewish German: "By 4PM, every shop is empty, even the market has only rotten cabbages. If Jews obey new law, we'll starve"
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Post by Pumba on Sept 4, 2012 10:25:09 GMT 8
August 3, 1940 Lord Beaverbrook, Minister for Aircraft Production, has joined War Cabinet- 1 small boon for UK's vital air defences. -------------------- Beaverbrook- media magnate, self-made millionaire & ruthless manager- has overseen massive rise in production of desperately-needed fighters ----------------------- 3.30PM Jesse Owens (USA) has just won gold in the 100 metre sprint. Watch the race now: /photo/1 ----------------------- Hitler: "Jungle races have stronger physiques than civilised whites. Negroes are unfair competition. We'll exclude them from future Games." ---------------------- Typical British weather has rescued UK from bombing today- heavy fog & low clouds are hiding shipping & cities from Luftwaffe. --------------------- From UK magazine Punch: "How long until I conquer Britain?" "Let me consult the omens of the air." They don't look good ---------------- Americans urged to donate $500,000 to evacuate over 200,000 threatened British children- despite Churchill's opposition to such "defeatism".
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Post by Pumba on Sept 4, 2012 11:05:01 GMT 8
August 4, 1940 German health & military authorities have announced a "war on beer", & are searching for a non-alcoholic "people's drink" to supplant it. ------------ Jesse Owens (USA) has won a 2nd gold medal, in long jump, beating German favourite Luz Long (R, Nazi saluting). ----------------------- BBC: German claims of French crowds "Nazi saluting" are lies: people photographed were asked to raise their hand if they didn't speak German ------------------ Helen Stephens (USA, R) has won gold in the 100m sprint- impressing Hitler enough to invite her to his private box. --------------------- Stephens: Hitler offering gold medallist a weekend at his Alpine villa. She refuses, "then he pinched my behind & left" ------------------- 26 years ago today, Britain declared war on Imperial Germany, & entered the World War. J.B. Priestley remembers on BBC: specialcollectionsbradford.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/postscript-sunday-4-august-1940/------------------ String of tit-for-tat arrests, as Japan & Britain imprison businessmen from the rival nation; sign of rising tension in south-east Asia. ---------------- Republicans are ahead in the U.S. presidential race; GOP candidate Wendell Willkie favours staying out of European war.
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Post by Pumba on Sept 4, 2012 11:09:23 GMT 8
August 5, 1940 Nazi authorities in Holland have passed 1st anti-Jewish law: kosher slaughter of animals banned. 3 butchers arrested: ------------------- Ilona Elek (HUN) wins gold in women's fencing; 2nd place is Helene Mayer, only German-Jewish athlete- Nazi saluting. ----------------------- Nazis have made half-Jewish Mayer & her family German citizens to "prove" their Olympics free of racial discrimination. -------------------- 1st German plan for next year's invasion of Soviet Union now ready: blitzkrieg, maximum of 13 weeks to capture Moscow. ---------------------- Despite slackening of German air attack over last few days, UK facing crucial shortage of pilots; Nazi invasion relies on destroying RAF. --------------------- General Ismay: "The future of our western civilization rests on the shoulders of the Royal Navy & about 5,000 pink-cheeked young pilots." -------------------- France announcing changes to girl's school curriculum: maths replaced by cooking, Latin by childcare. "Our new France needs more babies."
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Post by Pumba on Sept 4, 2012 11:13:06 GMT 8
August 6, 1940 Luftwaffe now flying Focke Wulf 200 "Condors" from French airfields, for 1st time bombing UK convoys in the Atlantic. ------------------ RAF can't spare planes to patrol Atlantic; UK merchantmen face bombs & U-boats alone. Newsreel of the Condor in action: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuF4wGkHA5g&feature=player_embedded----------------- Gandhi advises Nazism's opponents: "Nonviolence must influence Hitler & Germany- no man can be turned into a machine." www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/NazismGandhi.html------------------ Nazi propagandist Lord Haw-Haw now on UK radio: "Invasion is coming. Nothing you can do with be the slightest use." ---------------- Italian Fascist troops have crossed the Libyan border, invading Egypt- aiming at British armies in Cairo & the vital Suez Canal.
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Post by Pumba on Sept 4, 2012 11:20:55 GMT 8
August 7, 1940 Belgium is appealing for food aid from the USA- 2,300,000 Belgians are facing starvation this winter, after a failed harvest thanks to war. ---------------- Deedee Leroi (11): "German officials visit each house to confiscate our food. Hunger is common now; our family gets 1 loaf of bread/week." ------------------ Deedee: "Maman is looking pitifully thin, but she often divides her share of a meal between my sisters & I- saying she is not hungry." ------------------ Desperately short of weapons, Britain's mass-producing crude "Molotov cocktails" for Home Guard to fight off Nazi tanks -------------------- Molotov Cocktails, named by Finns: glass bottles filled with petrol that ignites when broken; burning liquid drips into tanks, burning crew. ------------------- UK troopship SS Mohamed Ali el-Kebir just torpedoed by German submarine U-38; read reports from both sides:
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Post by Pumba on Sept 4, 2012 15:18:21 GMT 8
August 8, 1940 UK Cabinet's weekly war briefing: "Air attacks are comparatively few & mostly unsuccessful." ----------------- UK Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: "It's too quiet; at least I've managed to re-establish my airfields, but the blighters are up to something." ------------------ German "Freya" radar has spotted a UK convoy in the Channel. 450 Luftwaffe planes en route- largest air attack so far. ------------------- Luftwaffe Gen. Adolf Galland: "We attack in great numbers to draw English fighters from their bases; our 2nd wave of planes will crush them" ------------------- Huge, rolling dogfight now over the UK convoy (codenamed Peewit); with RAF outnumbered 2-to-1 by German planes, bombers are ravaging Peewit ----------------- Convoy Peewit has been devastated- 6 steamers sunk- but at brutal cost to the Luftwaffe. 49 planes down, to 18 RAF lost --------------- German pilot Werner Andres: "I'm hit- heading fast for the water. I throw back the cockpit- suddenly a great crash- a wall of white water." --------------- "I jumped out- icy water cut me in half. I fumbled for the fluorescine marker dye- to make it easier for rescue craft to see me- & waited." ----------------- 1st British troops- Black Watch battalion- have been sent to Somaliland, to try & fight off Italian invasion. It may be too little, too late
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