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 […]
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Diary for Tuesday, July 2, 1940: Sea War British liner Arandora Star (15,501 t), carrying 1,500 Italian and German internees and PoWs to Canada, sunk by U-boat U-47 west of
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Diary for Monday, July 1, 1940: Occupied countries Channel Islands: German occupation completed. Air War Hull and Wick (northeast Scotland) bombed in daylight; 12 killed, 22 injured. 12 Hampdens bomb
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Diary for Sunday, June 30, 1940: France Franco-German-Italian Armistice Commission in session at Wiesbaden. Surrender of 220,000 French troops cut off in underground fortresses of Maginot Line. Occupied countries Channel
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Diary for Saturday, June 29, 1940: Politics German Government White Book published containing details of Allied plans to ‘invade’ Low Countries.
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Diary for Friday, June 28, 1940: Neutrals Romania: Rumanian Government submits to Russian ultimatum of June 26. Russian paratroops and armored forces enter Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina; several major clashes
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Diary for Thursday, June 27, 1940: Sea War Britain announces general blockade of European Coastline from Bay of Biscay to North Cape of Norway. British destroyers and Sunderland flying boats
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Diary for Wednesday, June 26, 1940: Politics French Ambassador in London (M. Corbin) resigns. Russian ultimatum to Romania demanding immediate handover of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina districts.
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Diary for Tuesday, June 25, 1940: Home Fronts Germany – Armistice celebrations: Hitler issues proclamation announcing ‘the end of the war in the West’ and ‘the most glorious victory of
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Diary for Monday, June 24, 1940: Politics FRANCO-ITALIAN ARMISTICE signed at Villa Inchesa, near Rome, by General Huntziger and Marshal Badoglio. Armistice Terms: demilitarized zones to be established along Franco-Italian
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Diary for Sunday, June 23, 1940: Occupied countries France: General de Gaulle forms French National Committee in London. Hitler makes sightseeing tour of Paris. France Italians occupy Riviera resort of
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Diary for Saturday, June 22, 1940: France ARMISTICE BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY signed at Compiegne by General Keitel (Germany) and General Huntziger (France). Signing ceremony takes place in Marshal Foch‘s
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Diary for Friday, June 21, 1940: Politics Hitler attends Franco-German armistice negotiations in Forest of Compiegne. Air War 50 German aircraft make scattered night raids over many parts of England,
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Diary for Thursday, June 20, 1940: Sea War German battlecruiser Gneisenau torpedoed off Trondheim by British submarine Severn. France Germans capture Lyons. Saumur Cadets forced surrendering when ammunition supplies for
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Diary for Wednesday, June 19, 1940: Western Front Germans capture Brest naval base, and begin crossing river Loire on broad front. Cadets of Saumur Cavalry School under Colonel Michon prevent
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Diary for Tuesday, June 18, 1940: France Rommel captures Cherbourg; 5th Panzer Division captures Brest. All large French towns to be surrendered without resistance. Civil administrators and military forces to
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Diary for Monday, June 17, 1940: Politics Petain requests Germany’s and Italy’s armistice terms via Spanish Ambassador and the Vatican; he broadcasts to French Army and people: ‘… it is
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Diary for Sunday, June 16, 1940: France Guderian captures Besancon. Home Fronts France: Reynaud Cabinet resigns; PETAIN FORMS NEW GOVERNMENT. General Weygand, Minister of Defense. British Ambassador presents Draft Declaration
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Diary for Saturday, June 15, 1940: France Germans capture Verdun. German 7th Army (Army Group C) crosses Rhine opposite Colmar. French Army GHQ moves south from Briare, on the Loire,
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Diary for Friday, June 14, 1940: France GERMAN FORCES ENTER PARIS. General von Bock, CO Army Group B, reviews victory parades in Place de la Concorde and at Arc de
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