Year 1939

WW2 War Diary for Thursday, October 12, 1939: Western Front BEF now fully deployed along Franco-Belgian border, between Maulde and Halluin.

WW2 War Diary for Wednesday, October 11, 1939: Home Front Britain: Clackmannan and E Stirling by-election: Woodburn (Labour), 15,645 votes; Stewart (Pacifist), 1,060.

WW2 War Diary for Tuesday, October 10, 1939: Politics Soviet-Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Pact: Soviet Forces to be based in Lithuania. Vilna (in Russian Occupation Zone of Poland) to be transferred

WW2 War Diary for Monday, October 9, 1939: Western Front Hitler‘s ‘Directive No.6’: plans and preparations to be made for an early offensive against Holland, Belgium and France. Army High

WW2 War Diary for Sunday, October 8, 1939: Politics Evacuation of the Baltic Germans. 50,000 German-speaking citizens of Latvia are to be ‘repatriated’ to the Reich (first group leaves by

WW2 War Diary for Saturday, October 7, 1939: Sea War Transport of BEF to France completed – entirely without loss – under protection of British and French naval forces (161,000

WW2 War Diary for Friday, October 6, 1939: Politics Hitler‘s ‘Peace Plan’ speech to the Reichstag. Hitler claims that the total collapse and partition of Poland has removed the necessity

WW2 War Diary for Thursday, October 5, 1939: Poland End of Polish campaign. Germans ‘mopping up’ Polish troops still at large between river Vistula and river Bug. Hitler flies to

WW2 War Diary for Wednesday, October 4, 1939: Sea War Atlantic: U-boat U-35 lands 28-man crew of torpedoed Greek SS Diamantis on Kerry coast, Southwest Ireland. Occupied countries Poland: Nikita

WW2 War Diary for Tuesday, October 3, 1939: Western Front French withdrawal from advanced positions in German territory (Warndt Forest and Saarbrücken Salient) completed.

WW2 War Diary for Monday, October 2, 1939: Politics Pan-American Security Zone established. USA and Latin American States forbid naval and air operations in sea areas up to 600 miles

WW2 War Diary for October 1, 1939: Poland German troops enter Warsaw and begin disarming the Garrison (120,000 officers and men). Surrender of Hela, last Polish stronghold.

WW2 War Diary for Saturday, September 30, 1939: Politics Polish Government-in-Exile and ‘Cabinet of National Unity’ formed in Paris under Raczkiewicz (President) and General Sikorski (Prime Minister and Minister of

WW2 War Diary for Friday, September 29, 1939: Politics Russo-German ‘Treaty of Frontier Regulation and Friendship’ signed, partitioning Poland and defining spheres of influence. Joint Declaration issued calling for a

WW2 War Diary for Thursday, September 28, 1939: Poland Armistice between Warsaw Garrison and German besiegers from noon.

WW2 War Diary for Wednesday, September 27, 1939: Poland Germans overrun outer defenses of Warsaw; Garrison Commander offers to surrender (talks held in bus on city outskirts) . Air War

WW2 War Diary for Tuesday, September 26, 1939: Poland Massive indiscriminate artillery bombardment of Warsaw, followed by major German infantry assault; city center in flames. Poles recapture Mokotow Airport and

WW2 War Diary for Monday, September 25, 1939: Poland Second German ultimatum to Warsaw Garrison. Mass air attack on the city: 400 bombers and Stukas make repeated sorties, starting huge

WW2 War Diary for Sunday, September 24, 1939: Poland Germans isolate Modlin Fortress, North of Warsaw. Russians enter Galician oilfields.

WW2 War Diary for Saturday, September 23, 1939: Poland Germans announce capture of Lvov. Politics Mussolini declares that the ‘liquidation’ of Poland presents opportunity for European peace settlement. Home Fronts