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Today in World War II History—October 3, 1940 & 1945

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain arrives at Munich for the Munich Conference, 29 September 1938 (German Federal Archives: Bild 183-H12967)

85 Years Ago—Oct. 3, 1940: Former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigns from Parliament due to poor health.

Vichy France passes its first antisemitic law (which applies to all France)—the law defines Jewishness, bans Jews from the military officer corps and from working in the press, judiciary, civil service, teaching, and as professors.

80 Years Ago—Oct. 3, 1945: In the Philippines, the first case is filed to try leaders who collaborated with the Japanese.

World Federation of Trade Unions is formed, with CIO as a member.

Elvis Presley (age 10) makes his first public appearance, at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show.

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Today in World War II History—October 2, 1940 & 1945

Patch of the US Fifth Army, WWII

85 Years Ago—Oct. 2, 1940: Due to U-boat danger, Britain suspends the Children’s Overseas Reception Board, which had evacuated children to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the US—but private evacuations continue.

80 Years Ago—Oct. 2, 1945: US Fifth Army in Italy is inactivated.

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Today in World War II History—October 1, 1940 & 1945

Pennsylvania Turnpike, September 1942, with prewar 70 mph speed limit sign still in place after wartime “Victory speed limit” enacted (Library of Congress: fsa 8b07393).

85 Years Ago—Oct. 1, 1940: Uranium from the Belgian Congo arrives at Staten Island, NY, for safekeeping; it will be used in the Manhattan Project.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike, the first long-distance highway in the United States, opens.

Insignia of the US OSS (Office of Strategic Services) in WWII

80 Years Ago—Oct. 1, 1945: The US Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (AAF/MTO) is inactivated.

US Office of Strategic Service (precursor to CIA) is disbanded.

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Today in World War II History—September 30, 1940 & 1945

British Observer Corps aircraft spotter on the roof of a building in London during the Battle of Britain, with St. Paul’s Cathedral in the background (US National Archives: 541899)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 30, 1940: Luftwaffe launches last major daylight raid on London, then switches to night raids.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 30, 1945: US Marines land at Tientsin, China.

US ends War Savings Time (year-round Daylight Savings Time).

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Today in World War II History—September 29, 1940 & 1945

Postcard from the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island, San Francisco, 1939-1940 (Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers collection #66318)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 29, 1940: Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco closes (on Treasure Island).

80 Years Ago—Sept. 29, 1945: British troops land at Batavia, Java, to combat Indonesian nationalists.

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Today in World War II History—September 28, 1940 & 1945

British poster, WWII (Imperial War Museum)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 28, 1940: Britain renews call to evacuate mothers and children from London (489,000 will be evacuated by October 17).

First of 50 WWI-era US destroyers traded to Britain arrive in the UK.

Uruguay cracks down on Nazi infiltrators and expels 13 German spies.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 28, 1945: US Office of Censorship is disbanded.

Indonesians riot against the Dutch.

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Today in World War II History—September 27, 1940 & 1945

Galeazzo Ciano of Italy, Joachim von Ribbentrop of Germany, and Saburō Kurusu of Japan signing the Tripartite Pact at the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, 27 Sep 1940 (US National Archives: 131-NO-41-1)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 27, 1940: Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.

Germans begin census of Jews in occupied France, conducted by French police; Jews are required to register with police station by October 20 and Jewish-owned shops must post yellow “Entreprise Juive” signs by October 31.

Movie premiere of Busby Berkeley musical Strike up the Band, starring Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney.

MGM theatrical poster for Strike up the Band, 1940 (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 27, 1945: US Air Transport Command begins “Sunset Project”: return of planes, crews & passengers from the Pacific.

Robert Patterson becomes US Secretary of War.

Premiere of Roberto Rossellini’s Roma, Città Aperta, the first Italian neorealist film.

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Today in World War II History—September 26, 1940 & 1945

Peter Dewey, WWII (Photo: US Office of Strategic Services)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 26, 1940: Due to Japanese occupation of French Indochina, US extends embargo to ban export of all scrap iron and steel to Japan.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 26, 1945: First US casualty in Vietnam (French Indochina)—OSS (precursor to CIA) officer Lt. Col. Peter Dewey is killed by Viet Minh in Saigon, mistaken for a Frenchman.

Hungarian classical composer Béla Bartók dies of leukemia in New York City, age 64.

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Today in World War II History—September 25, 1940 & 1945

Pres. Sergio Osmeña of the Philippines and his family, Malacañang Palace, 1945 (public domain via government of the Philippines, via Wikipedia)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 25, 1940: In occupied Norway, Germans ban the constitution and depose the king, and Reichskommissar Josef Terboven is installed as head of government.

Nouméa, New Caledonia sides with the Free French.

US cryptanalyst Harry Clark discovers key to top-secret Japanese military codes.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 25, 1945: The Nazi party is declared illegal in Germany.

Last Soviet forces depart from Norway.

In the Philippines, Pres. Sergio Osmeña establishes a People’s Court to try collaborators.

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Today in World War II History—September 24, 1940 & 1945

Flag of Malta, featuring the George Cross, awarded to Malta during WWII

85 Years Ago—Sept. 24, 1940: King George of England institutes the George Cross and George Medal for civilian valor.

Vichy France launches an air raid on British Gibraltar.

Vichy governor of Dakar, French West Africa refuses to surrender to Free French and British; French West Africa will stay loyal to Vichy until November 1942.

Warner Bros. theatrical poster for Mildred Pierce, 1945 (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 24, 1945: Movie premiere of Mildred Pierce, starring Joan Crawford, who will win an Oscar for her performance.

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