Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 100
March 14, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 14, 1943
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Gen. Henri Giraud at the Casablanca Conference, 19 Jan 1943 (US National Archives: 196613)
80 Years Ago—Mar. 14, 1943: French Gen. Henri Giraud restores representative government in French North Africa and suppresses Vichy organizations.
Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man premieres in Cincinnati, OH.
The post Today in World War II History—March 14, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.
March 13, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 13, 1943
US poster featuring Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Fear,” 1943
80 Years Ago—Mar. 13, 1943: Time-bomb in Hitler’s plane fails to explode, on flight from Smolensk to Rastenburg, planted by Maj.-Gen. Henning von Tresckow and Lt. Fabian von Schlabrendorff.
New song in Top Ten: “Taking a Chance on Love.”
Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Fear” appears on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.
American banking executive J.P. Morgan Jr. dies, age 75.
The post Today in World War II History—March 13, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 12, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 12, 1943
Flight nurse Lt. Aleda Lutz of 802nd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron in a C-47 in North Africa, 1943 (US Army Medical Department, Office of Medical History)
80 Years Ago—Mar. 12, 1943: US 802nd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron flies the first official medical air evacuation flight with flight nurses, in North Africa. (Read more: “Medical Air Evacuation in World War II”).
George Patton is promoted to lieutenant general.
First labor strike in a totalitarian regime: 50,000 Italian workers strike against Mussolini and delay war production.
The post Today in World War II History—March 12, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 11, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 11, 1943
US poster for the Lend-Lease program, WWII
80 Years Ago—Mar. 11, 1943: US Congress votes to extend Lend-Lease program to send military equipment and supplies to the Allies.
The night of March 11-12, British SOE first drops explosives, weapons, and sabotage materials to the Danish resistance, along with the new leader of the SOE agents in Denmark, Flemming Muus.
The post Today in World War II History—March 11, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 10, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 10, 1943
Poster for Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter planes, World War II
Patch of the US Fourteenth Air Force, World War II
80 Years Ago—Mar. 10, 1943: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter planes fly first mission with US Eighth Air Force based in Britain.
US II Corps retakes Sbeïtla, Tunisia.
US Fourteenth Air Force is activated under Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault, based in Kunming, China.
German Navy begins using new Enigma code, blinding Allies until March 19, a crucial period in what will become the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic.
The post Today in World War II History—March 10, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 9, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 9, 1943
US Army Air Forces Recruitment Poster, WWII
80 Years Ago—Mar. 9, 1943: US Eighth Air Force Central Medical Establishment in Britain recommends 25-mission combat tour for bomber crewmen and 200 hours or 50 missions for fighter pilots.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel returns to Germany for sick leave & to plead for a decreased bridgehead in North Africa; Col. Gen. Jürgin von Arnim succeeds him over Army Group Africa, but this is kept secret.
In lieu of Mardi Gras, New Orleans holds Carnival Day Bond Drive for 25,000 people, sells $1 million in bonds. (Read more: “World War II War Bonds”)
In neutral Portuguese Goa in India, British SOE agents damage German freighter Ehrenfels, which was transmitting sailing times to U-boats (ship is scuttled).
British poster, World War II
The post Today in World War II History—March 9, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 8, 2023
Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem
Despite a long family history working for MGM Studios, Liesl Weiss is fired from her stenographer’s job during the Great Depression. Abandoned by her husband, Liesl struggles to support her two children, her mother, and her shiftless brother. Then she receives a strange job offer from Jewish lawyer Leon Lewis, asking Liesl, a part of the German-American community in Los Angeles, to infiltrate the Friends of the New Germany. Although Liesl doesn’t see a problem with a group addressing the problems faced by German-Americans – a group discriminated against after the Great War – she’s too desperate to turn down a job that will pay.
Meanwhile, “Thirteen” is serving as another one of Lewis’s agents at the Friends of the New Germany. A former Pinkerton detective, Thirteen is alarmed by the antisemitism preached by the group’s leaders and their connections to the Silver Shirts, a fascist organization in California. When he discovers a plot against the Jewish-owned movie studios, he knows he must act. But can he trust the pretty new secretary – or is she just as enamored by Adolf Hitler as the rest of the organization’s members?
Tense and thought-provoking in equal measure. Code Name Edelweiss brings to life the glamour of 1930s Hollywood – and the grit of the Depression. Stephanie Landsem presents a harrowing look at the real-life Nazi organizations in Los Angeles before World War II, the racism lurking behind the friendliest faces, and the honest temptation to give in to that racism when times are tough – all compassionately shown through compelling characters. An outstanding novel with a thriller of an ending!
The post first appeared on Sarah Sundin.
Today in World War II History—March 8, 1943
US poster encouraging conservation of metal for military purposes, WWII
80 Years Ago—Mar. 8, 1943: Japanese cross Yangtze River in China near Ichang.
US lifts ban on sale of sliced bread, originally designed to conserve metal used in blades. (Read more: “Make It Do—Metal Shortages in World War II”).
The post Today in World War II History—March 8, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 7, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 7, 1943
US Army poster for the Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber, WWII
80 Years Ago—Mar. 7, 1943: First B-26 Marauder medium bomber group (322nd Bombardment Group) arrives in England to serve with the US Eighth Air Force.
Madame Chiang Kai-shek speaks at Wellesley College, MA, her alma mater (class of 1917).
Wellesley College poster for speech by Madame Chiang Kai-shek, 7 March 1943 (public domain via Wikipedia)
The post Today in World War II History—March 7, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.March 6, 2023
Today in World War II History—March 6, 1943
US poster featuring Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want,” 1943
80 Years Ago—Mar. 6, 1943: Germans release 1800 Jewish men detained at the Rosenstrasse Prison in Berlin due to protests by their Gentile wives; they will survive the Holocaust.
Maj. Gen. George Patton replaces Maj. Gen. Lloyd Fredendall over US II Corps in Tunisia.
US Navy changes WAVES regulations to allow women to marry Navy men after training is complete.
Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want” appears on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.
The post Today in World War II History—March 6, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.
