Diary WW2

Diary for Friday, July 13, 1945: Sea War Pacific: US Government admits responsibility for sinking, in error, of Japanese relief ship Awa Maru.

Diary for Friday, July 12, 1940: Air War Hurricane fighters destroy four bombers attacking convoy off Suffolk coast. Night raids on Aberdeen (60 casualties) and Cardiff. Neutrals Russia: Kuusinen, former

Diary for Thursday, July 12, 1945: Politics Japan: Emperor Hirohito appoints former Prime Minister Prince Konoye as secret peace emissary in Moscow. Russians refuse to receive him.

Diary for Thursday, July 11, 1940: Neutrals Vichy France: President Lebrun resigns; Petain proclaims himself ‘Head of the French State’, abolishes Republican Constitution of 1875, and dismisses Senate and Chamber

Diary for Wednesday, July 11, 1945: Air War Redeployment of 2,118 4-engined bombers of 8th AF from Britain to the USA (en route for Pacific) completed within 51 days. Home

Diary for Wednesday, July 10, 1940: Air War BATTLE OF BRITAIN (for Britain DAY 1; but in fact the real German operation was starting more than one month later, on

Diary for Tuesday, July 10, 1945: Sea War Pacific: 1,022 planes of TF 38 raid 70 air bases in Tokyo area destroying 173 aircraft – only resistance, light anti-aircraft guns.

Diary for Tuesday, July 9, 1940: Sea War Mediterranean: Naval action off Calabria (Battle of Punta Stilo). British Mediterranean Fleet attempts to cut off Italian Fleet from its Taranto base,

Diary for Monday, July 9, 1945: Sea War Atlantic: Brazilian cruiser Bahia sunk by mysterious explosion (294 killed).

Diary for Monday, July 8, 1940: Home Fronts Britain: 9 BEF divisions, rescued from Dunkirk, have now been reorganized. Tea rationing begins (2 oz (ca. 76 g) per person per

Diary for Sunday, July 8, 1945: Air War Sergeant Simon Eden, RAF (aged 20), son of British Foreign Secretary, missing in action over Burma.

Diary for Sunday, July 7, 1940: Sea War Atlantic: British naval forces disable battleship Richelieu at Dakar, following French rejection of ultimatum: motor launch drops depth charges under battleship’s stern

Diary for Saturday, July 7, 1945: Sea War Pacific: Many small Japanese vessels sunk or damaged by USN Privateer patrol bombers (modified B-24 Liberator) in Yellow Sea and off South

Diary for Saturday, July 6, 1940: Home Fronts Germany: Hitler returns to Berlin in triumph after eight weeks ‘in the field’. Sea War French battlecruiser Dunkerque crippled at Mers-el-Kebir by

Diary for Friday, July 6, 1945: Politics Nicaragua becomes first nation to ratify UN Charter.

Diary for Friday, July 5, 1940: Sea War Atlantic: Destroyer Whirlwind sunk by U-boat U 34 southwest of Ireland. Vichy-French warships and submarines capture three British merchant ships in reprisal

Diary for Thursday, July 5, 1945: Home Fronts Britain: LABOUR WINS BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION. Labour, 394; Conservatives, 188; Liberals, 14; National Liberal, 13; Ulster Unionists, 9; Communists, 2; Others, 20.

Diary for Thursday, July 4, 1940: Sea War Ju 87 Stukas and German E-boats attack convoy, south of Portland, sinking five merchant ships and auxiliary anti-aircraft (AA) ship Foyle Bank.

Diary for Wednesday, July 4, 1945: Philippines Mac Arthur announces ‘liberation’ of the Philippines.

Diary for Wednesday, July 3, 1940: Sea War THE MERS-EL-KEBIR AFFAIR (Operation Catapult): British ‘Force H’ opens fire on French naval squadron in Mers-el-Kebir naval base, Algeria, after failure of